Feeding the hungry surfers: www.justeat.in
Publication date: 17 October 2012
Abstract
Subject area
Services marketing.
Study level/applicability
This case can be taught effectively to MBA/MS students. The case provides students with an opportunity to closely examine various marketing activities and to understand how problems associated with intangible services can be dealt with by using effective integrated marketing communications.
Case overview
On March 1, 2011, JustEat, the world's largest and premium online food ordering and table reservation portal, acquired a 60 per cent stake in India's premium online food ordering and table reservation portal – Hungryzone. Following this, Hungryzone was rebranded as www.justeat.in. Ritesh Kumar Dwivedy Founder and CEO of Hungryzone and now the CEO of www.justeat.in, soon faced some challenges that cropped up as a result of this new development. Rebranding and the scalability of operations with the existing resources were the major causes of concern. To overcome these problems, www.justeat.in undertook several marketing initiatives and in the process implemented innovative ideas like JustConnect Terminal; introduction of the global JustEast mascots Belly and Brain to replace the existing mascot Aloo Patel of Hungryzone; and various innovative promotional activities to promote www.justeat.in. The case highlights the issues and challenges faced by the management. Finally some significant challenges yet to be resolved are posed. What should be done to deal with the problem of poaching of customers by partnering restaurants? How should www.justeat.in ensure that the partnering restaurants do not perceive it as their competitor in spite of the fact that registering with www.justeat.in helps increase their revenues by 10-15 perx cent? How should www.justeat.in convince popular restaurant chains to register with it keeping in mind the fact that they are already facing excess demand situations?
Expected learning outcomes
The case is designed to enable students to understand: the concepts associated with delivering services through electronic channels; communications and the services marketing triangle; key serxvice communication challenges; the integrated services marketing communication mix; strategies to match service promises with delivery; and the services branding model.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available; please consult your librarian for access.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Please note that two final year MBA students (batch of 2012 at IBS Hyderabad, IFHE University), Ankita Misra and Varun Agarwal, were involved in preparing the first draft of the case. The authors would like to acknowledge their contribution in the published case.
This case is the winner of the EEMCS/IBS Hyderabad competition.
Citation
Paul, R. and Purkayastha, D. (2012), "Feeding the hungry surfers:
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited