The purpose of this study was to investigate internal marketing at selected insuranceenterprises. This study examines an approach to internal marketing. In theintroduction, relevant concepts are explained and background information regardingmarketing, the marketing concept, the marketing environment and relationshipmarketing is discussed. In addition, an overview of the systems approach, theinternal marketing synthesis and the internal marketing purpose is given, theadvantages of internal marketing are shown, and internal market research, internalmarket segmentation and internal target market choice are discussed.After the summary of the internal marketing mix, the internal product elements arediscussed. These elements include management tools, such as the vision, mission,goals and strategy of an enterprise. The internal environment, which consists of theenterprise's values, principles and internal culture, also forms part of the internalproduct. The management's leadership style, training and development, employeesupport services and staff compensation are explored as part of the internal product.Bearing the internal product in mind, the internal price is studied. This part of theinternal marketing mix is discussed in terms of staff sacrifices and contributionsweighing up staff sacrifices against staff rewards. Other internal price elements, suchas staff commitment, risk, stress and work pressure, are analysed in addition to timeand family sacrifices and staff responsibility.After comparing the internal product and the internal price, the internal distributionelements are analysed as components of the internal marketing mix. These includethe type of internal distribution channel, the choice of distribution channel and therole players during internal distribution. Thereafter, physical distribution is discussedas an internal distribution element.Subsequently, internal marketing communications, the fourth element of the internalmarketing mix, is discussed. This part of the study looks at internal advertising,internal personal selling, internal sales promotions and internal publicity. Itfurthermore evaluates the various requirements for effective internal marketingcommunication and internal marketing messages. The internal support processesnecessary for effective internal marketing such as staff participation, changemanagement, internal conflict management and innovation and creativity processesare identified and discussed.Lastly, this section of the study considers internal customer service as a prerequisitefor internal marketing and also analyses aspects of this service such as internalservice culture, total quality management and internal relationship management. Italso delineates the requirements and principles for internal customer service and theadvantages and disadvantages of an internal customer service strategy.The theoretical section of the study is followed by an exposition of the relevantfindings of the empirical study. The most salient of these include:All the respondents from selected insurance enterprises found the internal marketresearch, internal market segmentation and internal target market choice to beunsatisfactory;The internal product of the big enterprise (number 6) is more successful thanthose of the other enterprises;Internal price is not as big a problem for these enterprises as the other elementsof internal marketing are;The small enterprises are more successful with internal distribution than the otherenterprises are;Internal market communication is a problem for all the selected enterprises, butthe respondents from enterprises 1 and 6 are more satisfied with it than therespondents from the other enterprises;The internal processes and internal customer service are more successful at thesmall enterprises than they are at the big enterprises.In the light of these findings, the study makes a number of appropriaterecommendations to improve the internal marketing of the selected insuranceenterprises.
