Research in action: developing a B2B marketing strategy for a Scottish SME

The UK lift service industry has become highly competitive with the existence of
several lift maintenance service providers. Different service providers follow different marketing strategies to attract customers in both private and public sectors. The case company, a B2B SME has acknowledged the importance of market research and marketing strategy to drive business growth. It has teamed with the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and successfully secured Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), funded by Innovate UK to help businesses innovate and grow (Innovate UK, 2022). Although a lot of studies have been carried out on B2B marketing strategies, there is still a gap in the understanding of marketing strategies in the lift service industry, especially B2B SMEs. The study aims to carry out an audit of the current marketing strategy, identify areas for improvement, and provide solutions to grow the businesses. A single case study and participatory approach was adopted. One of the researchers works at the company. Data collection was based on environmental scanning activities including an internal audit, an external analysis, TOWS analysis, a product portfolio review via documentation analysis, reflective journals, field notes, observation, semi-structured interviews with managers, individual staff, and clients. The findings show that a tailored integrated marketing communication plan needs to be adopted to increase brand awareness, brand image and brand recognition. The overall digital presence needs to be improved, especially social media platforms. A CRM system is urgently needed to improve operational
efficiency and customer relationships. An up-to-date agile marketing strategy can help the company to maintain a competitive advantage in the market.