Present day computer networks enable marketers to access data sources and customers with immediate information about products and performance. Through such networks, marketers can exchange e-mails with employees, customers, and suppliers.
Online information services such as Compu Serve and America Online typically offer their subscribers access to e-mail, discussion groups, files for downloading, chat rooms, and databases and other related research materials. Marketers can subscribe to “mailing lists” that periodically deliver electronic newsletters to their computer screens.
This helps increased communication with a marketer’s customers, suppliers, and employees and boosts the capabilities of a company’s marketing information system. Online information services are available only to subscribers.
However, the Internet allows global exchange of e-mails, discussion through newsgroups on almost any subject, downloading of files, chat rooms, etc. A well-maintained database enables a company to analyse customer needs, preferences, and behaviour.
It also helps in identifying right target customers for its direct marketing efforts.