omer surveys are a useful scanning tool to measure current customer satisfaction conditions before, during and after planning a strategy which aims to improve customer service. Customer surveys often reveal needs and suggestions for a business which can be incorporated into a strategy. Positive feedback can act as a qualitative and quantitative measure for a strategy’s effectiveness.

3.1 Analyse the relationship between strategic intentions, strategic choice and strategy formulation

Strategic Intention

Strategic intention embodies the reasoning for the strategic plan, the objectives it is required to meet and conditions that accompany it. An example of strategic intention might be to raise brand awareness towards a specific demographic of people though a marketing campaign.

Strategic Choice

Strategic choice is the process of preparing feasible options which will allow the strategy objectives to be met. The choices are evaluated and analysed with respect to PESTLE, Cost / Benefit and stakeholder ranking etc. For the advertising campaign to raise brand awareness, strategic choices might be; A Social media campaign, a radio advert or sponsoring a sports team. It may be decided that social media marketing would yield the best cost/benefit but one of the stakeholders were keen to sponsor a local football team with a pitch side banner.

Strategy Formation

The strategy formation stage of strategic planning take the outcomes of strategic intention and strategic choice process and culminate in a comprehensive strategic plan.

Strategic intentions, strategic choice and the final formulation of a strategic plan are in my own opinion, organic stages of a strategic planning process which does not need to be formally considered. I think these steps are an integral foundation of strategic planning which do not need to be given their own process terminology.