direct marketing inc dmi offers database marketing strategies to help companies incr 544637

The Value Chain and Process Value Analysis

Direct Marketing Inc. (DMI) offers database marketing strategies to help companies increase their sales. DMI’s basic package of services includes the design of a mailing piece (either a Direct Mailer or a Store Mailer), creation and maintenance of marketing databases containing information about the client’s target group, and a production process that prints a promotional piece and prepares it for mailing. In its marketing strategies, DMI targets working women ages 25 to 54 who are married with children and who have an annual household income in excess of $50,000. DMI has adopted activity-based management, and its controller is in the process of developing an ABC system. The controller has identified the following primary activities of the company:

Required

1. Identify the activities that do not add value to DMI’s services.

2. Assist the controller’s analysis by grouping the value-adding activities into the activity areas of the value chain

3. State whether each non-value-adding activity is necessary or unnecessary. Suggest how each unnecessary activity could be reduced or eliminated.