QUESTION (A) A niche market is the subset of the market on which a specific product is focusing on; Therefore the

market niche defines the specific product features aimed at satisfying specific market needs, as well as the price range, production quality and the demographics that is intended to impact. The main reason Berjaya Air has chosen the niche strategy for its company is because Niche marketing strategy can enables the respective company, Berjaya Air to focus its resources on a small market segment which becomes more efficient and effective than catering for the entire market. Due to the focus and concentration on niche market, it will make the Berjaya Air easily to establish and have own unique market which offering that will satisfy customer need. For the example, the Berjaya Air have the full back-up service of the aircraft manufacturers and a team of competent engineers and ground crew to ensure their aircraft meet schedules efficiently and flawless. This is the unique and specialty of their offered services as well as products. Berjaya Air also offered the faster, efficient and versatility aircraft services from Kuala Lumpur Subang Airport to Tioman Island and Pangkor Island. At the mean time, another reason why Berjaya Air using the niche marketing strategy is that it has lesser competition. Obviously, the Berjaya Air has their own niche market and no one bothers to interfere in your their specialized business, namely providing very highest standards of customer service, security and safety for the smaller aircraft at Kuala Lumpur, Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (Subang) to the small island like Pangkor Island and Tioman Island. Due to the limit of the market, lots of same field competitor wills no interest to compete with Berjaya Air. It is because Berjaya Air becomes the pioneer in this particular field and most of other firm believes that it is hard to challenge the seniority of Berjaya Air in that industry. At the end of the day, the Berjaya Air can monopolize the whole existing market without the competition from any other firm.

Besides that, the Berjaya Air also can gain a reputation as being more knowledgeable about the particular product or service area than mainstream vendors, attracting a special group of customers. For the example, the Berjaya Air had produce a hard work, initiative and uncompromising commitment to the very highest standards of customer service, security and safety. They also well know as its reputation on its richest

resource-our personnel. The Berjaya Air had a team of experienced, able and highly skilled pilots, some with Air Force training. Due to the niche strategy, their specialist had been proved by backed by ground crew and service personnel who have been handpicked for their commitment, experience and professional excellence. This had made them so well known and trusted by the customer as well as public in using their services and products. As a conclusion, Niche market did bring lots of benefits to Berjaya Air and as Berjaya Air full utilized the respective benefits, it make Berjaya Air established become a huge and strong organization in the aircraft industry.

(515 Words)

QUESTION (B) In order to develop and expand Berjaya Air current operations in order to enhance its profitability, the Berjaya Air should discovering niches brings both challenges and opportunities. For the example, offered an aircraft services to the small medium enterprise customer by a rational as well as affordable price. Due to their narrow scope of business and small capacity, niche markets are often neglected by big enterprises. However, they offer good opportunities for medium and small enterprises to expand their market shares and profitability. Once opportunities are seized, enterprises can gain specific and significant advantages over the competition. At the mean time, the Berjaya Air also advice to create something out of nothing. An enterprise can discover or create a new market and win the market based on its sufficient resources. Not all niche markets are among the big circles. Undoubtedly, the best way for the Berjaya Air to be successful is to satisfy the potential or hidden desires of consumers and create a new market. For the example, the Berjaya Air also can create a package to enable the customer to travel around the Island or any quoted tourism destination as an extra services. It will attract more and more customer to enjoy the services which been provided by Berjaya Air. When the competitor tries to satisfy consumers and they are not satisfied, it becomes a market opportunity. The Berjaya Air can then target the competitors market if it is capable of providing better services or products. Michael E. Porter, a leading authority on competitive strategy and international competitiveness, said that the best battlefield for competition is the markets in which competitors are not ready or are still weak in competition. It is important to ensure there is no more new competitor to compete with Berjaya Air in the nearest future. Many characteristics can bring distinctive values to products including special style, service, technical support and quality guarantees. Philip Kotler, a pioneer in modern marketing said, "Marketing is not the art of finding clever ways to dispose of what you make. It is the art of creating genuine customer value." Therefore, Berjaya Air should put more efforts to bring more and more distinctive value for the aircraft services to the respective customers.

Besides that, Berjaya Air needs to know how to select the niche-market oriented promotion policies. Non-conventional promotion policies can win better recognition and understanding from underserved, thin-client markets. To help explore the niche market, operators should design advertising or marketing events for specific consumers and create marked differences to cut competition. After winning a relatively stable niche market, all means should be used to keep it On the other hand, Niche marketing addresses a relatively smaller market than does undifferentiate marketing (marketing that serves the entire market). For this reason, it is very important for the Berjaya Air to promote and communicate their product or service properly so the designated message reaches the appropriate audience. Berjaya Air should also start to develop an online booking service for the customer. Online booking services will be very important for Berjaya Air to establish their existing market to the wider market in the future. Lastly, Berjaya Air should try to make a brand in their segment. Brands are powerful tools that help in the positioning of the niche marketer in the customers' minds. Therefore, it is important that Berjaya Air had their own brand so that it will be remembered better and clearer by their customer.

(575 Words)

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