Abstract:
The purposes of this research were to examine the behaviours of the operators involving in the construction business when buying building stones, and to study the marketing mix factors affecting them in their choice of building stone company, and to propose some suggestions for improvement. The sample subjects consisted of 89 people in the construction business in Phuket, were divided into 8 groups as follows: 1) construction contractors 2) ready-mixed concrete business operators 3) building stone retailers 4) block manufacturers 5) super block manufacturers 6) foundation pile manufacturers 7) floor slab manufacturers 8) stone table and bench manufacturers. Questionnaires were used in to collect data for this study. The data was then analyzed and shown as frequency, percentages, S.D., and One way ANOWA analysis. The results of the analysis were as follows : The behaviours of most of the construction operators in Phuket in buying building stones were as follows: they preferred to buy stones of good quality and accurate weight. The most popular size of stones bought was ¾ unit. The person who made the buying decision was the owner of each business. The operators preferred to order from a company which offered a prompt and reliable service. Transportation was considered the most significant factor for the stone company. Most buyers did not think the advertising and promotion of the stone company would influence their decision. Regarding the marketing mix factors, it was found as follows: The product factor was found to be the accuracy of the stones weight. The price factor was a reasonable cost. The distribution factor was that the company was convenient to contact. The promotion factor was found to be word of mouth among the operators. The personnel factor was found to be staff willing to provide transportation service. The service factor was qualified service officers who could give advice. The physical factor was the location of the company and that the storehouses were convenient for transportation of stones. The results of this research will be beneficial for building stone companies in Phuket in getting to know the needs of their customers as follows : Product factor : a stone company should offer stones of good quality and accurate weight. Price factors : a company should have standard prices for their products, and transportation, as well as payment fees . Distribution factors : most customers think that the stone company should be located in a place where it is easy to contact them and transport the stones. Promotion factors : the company should be reliable and maintain the quality of its products, so that the customers can trust them. Personnel factors : personnel in the company should be friendly and willing to offer service. Service process factors : the center should provide advice and assistance to customers . Physical factor : the location of the company was considered very important.