[Midnight Black]

Hi everyone

I'm a third year Business and Marketing student and am trying to come up with ideas for my dissertation/ Management Project. I love cars so definitely want to do something on the car industry in the UK but am struggling to find a topic.

Some potentials themes I have so far are:

- Customer Service. Maybe look at the Mini customer service experience, before, during and after purchase
- Loyalty to a brand (e.g. Mini)
- Environmentally friendly cars. Look at how manufactures market their electric car models/

I know it may not be Mini related but I would love to do something on BMW/MINI as I have purchased a car with them.


Any suggestions or help would be really appreciated!!!!

 

[lawrothegreat]

From your list above I'd definitely choose loyalty to the brand and the "magic following" that BMW has created. I'm far from an expert in marketing but I would have thought that this would give you more scope for discussion in a dissertation.


Do you have specific criteria that you need to cover?

 

[Mindo]

Mini was once part of British Leyland so one could look into the reasons why the company failed. BMW make some high performance vehicles but why no showing in motorsport in general? Mercedes and Ferrari do it.

 

[Angib]

Rather than pick a subject, I suggest you work out where you are going to get your information from - who will agree to either provide you with access to their own organisation or their customers? To do a whole dissertation on just public information, or information you alone generate, would be hard to impossible, so you need to find a commercial partner. "I bought a Mini so Mini should now help me" isn't likely to be a winner, I should think, so finding a dealer who will work with you (and what will they get out of it?) strikes me as the best source.

 

[Midnight Black]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! There is no real criteria, just as long as I can conduct primary research on the topic. Am going to brainstorm some ideas and then take them along with me when I see my tutor soon. Will let you know how I get on Thanks again!!

 

[smoley58]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! There is no real criteria, just as long as I can conduct primary research on the topic. Am going to brainstorm some ideas and then take them along with me when I see my tutor soon. Will let you know how I get on Thanks again!!

It is very interesting to me of the paradox of the love of the Mini brand vs (based on what I have read / heard / experienced) low dealership satisfaction before and after the sale & quality & reliability issues with the vehicle.

Here in the US, we have very few dealers so one doesn't have much choice when selecting a dealer. Seems that they have very young / low cost sales & management staff & this keeps the cost of the business low. They treat customers badly, but why care? But we're still lining up at the door . . Placing orders and waiting 4 months for delivery.

 

[jeremybingham]

Yes total contrast to the uk-we wouldn't buy any other car-my wife and I both have minis-I would be happy to contribute to how they have hooked us but the car and its character speak for itself and contrary to the web we have found them FANTASTICALLY reliable and cheap to run!

 

[Chathamgirl]

If you go with the customer service angle, rather than looking at one brand you could look at three or four, then you could compare and contrast. It will give you more to work with.

How many words?

I should add to my sig:

Chathamgirl BSc (Hons) Lol

 

[Midnight Black]

Thanks for your ideas!

Unfortunately, I have to focus one particular company @Chathamgirl. I might want to look at how many of us have received poor customer service levels, despite a car being one of our biggest purchases.