In the central role of strategic planning, only a handful of companies stand out as master marketers—Procter & Gamble, Southwest Airlines, Nike, Disney, Nordstrom, Walmart, and McDonald's to name a few. From a consumer's perspective why do you think they stand out? Explain.
Answer: Students should explain that these companies focus on the customer and are organized to respond effectively to changing customer needs. They all have well-staffed marketing departments, and all their other departments—manufacturing, finance, research and development, personnel, purchasing—also accept the concept that the customer is king.