Once the product is launched to the consumers, there is not time to sit back and relax; there is constant checking of product, production, distribution, marketing, sales and costs. The checking will show up any problems that are occurring so that they can be rectified quickly. Are the sales increasing more slowly than predicted? Is this caused by lack of consumer interest in the product, consumer lack of acceptance of the product or retailers' lack of promotion or shelf space? The checking also collects the qualitative and quantitative information needed for the post-launch evaluation.

The post-launch evaluation leads into the final analysis which will decide the product's future - to be dropped, improved, or accepted immediately into the company's product mix. But during this time of evaluation, there is a need to continue the improvement and the stabilisation of the product qualities, the marketing, the production and the costs.

The activities and the outcomes in the four stages of launch and the post-launch evaluation are shown in Figure 7.1. Within these stages, the activities are organised as suits the company and the project, but the marketing and product organisation are not separate as shown in the Figure but are integrated and coordinated.

Figure 7.1 Activities and outcomes in the product launch and post-launch

Marketing organisation   Production organisation OPERATIONAL PLAN           Launch to the company   Finalise promotion Media advertising contracted In-store material prepared Sales presentation to staff First introduction to retailers   Design, build, commission plant Quality assurance finalised Raw materials contracts Physical distribution contracts Production finalised   Market channel/physical distribution organisation COMPLETED COMPANY ORGANISATION         Launch to the market     Launch targets finalised   Complete selling to retailer In-store material distributed Merchandising in supermarket Release advertising   Produce the product Distribute the product Check product quality in supermarket Check product safety   Release product for sale   PRODUCT LAUNCH         Launch to the consumers Merchandising Advertising Sales recording Buyers' surveys Competition study Marketing costing   Improving production efficiency Reduce product quality variation Checking product in distribution Checking product in retailers Production costing Distribution costing   Financial analysis of costs, revenues Analysis of production, distribution, marketing Comparison of actual results with targets PRODUCT LAUNCH EVALUATION         Post Launch New phase of advertising New phase of in-store promotion Pricing revamping Sales recording Sales analysis Buyers' studies Standardising production TQM in place Raw material procurement revised Future costing Future developments of product, production, marketing Financial analysis of investment, costs, revenues and profits Future returns on investment predicted FINAL EVALUATION REPORT         ADOPTION OF PRODUCT INTO PRODUCT MIX