information revolution. The rapidly declining costs of and increasing.
power of information processing technology is altering the in which.
customers and businesses relate to each other. Marketers, however should.
be cautious not to attempt a quantum leap from more traditional meth ods.
as this is sure to bring issues such as lack expertise to the fore which.
could prove disastrous (Steyn, 1996). Essentially, the point is that as a.
marketing drive, the additional services supplied by technology provides.
the marketer with the opportunity to gain an edge in the race to win the.
consumer. More and more, new technology appears to be focusing on the add.
ition of value. On an individual level, for example, the marketer may use.
the technology to make himself more accessible to the consumer thus adding.
to his service levels. A company may realise added value by investing in.
expensive multimedia kiosks which.
introduce the subject of interactive marketing (Joseph, 1996). The.
emergence of new and revolutionary technology forms a double-bladed sword,.
as it can represent both an opportunity and a threat to the business. In.
particular, this technology places an interesting and novel challenge on.
the shoulders of the modern da y marketer. The failure to utilise these.
developments can put the business at a great competitive disadvantage.
while even the practical application of the technology can provide major.
problems caused simply by the novelty of the options, a general lack of.
expertise and the difficulty of accurate prediction (David, 1997). The.
process must begin with the individual himself. A marketer who is not.
pushing the bounds of personal technological progression is most likely.
not inclined to do the same for the company (Joseph, 1996). Joseph (1996,.
p.29) concluded that 'The Internet, multi-faceted appliances and even the.
creation of new applications for old technology are all the domain of the.
marketing visionary.'.
3) THE INTRODUCTION OF INTERACTIVE MARKETING ON THE INTERNET.