Professional Documents
Culture Documents
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................2
TASK 2:-........................................................................................................................................12
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................15
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................29
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................32
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Sales, is the name of the game in many businesses and organizations. To have a successful
business you must have profitable sales. In the first phase of this assignment Personal selling is
evaluated in depth. Communication mix is described in every aspect of sales by giving examples,
IPSOS two organizations from the market Identified environmental and managerial forces
affecting selling and well described personal selling. In the second phase of the assignment
selling process is well described pointing out its principals. Each stage well evaluated and
suggestions given in order to make new improvements. In the third phase sales strategies and
corporate objectives of IPSOS 2 organizations well explained. Appropriate recruitment and
IPSOS procedures devised accordingly. Motivation, remuneration and training is well discussed
in this phase.
In the fourth phase of this assignment assessed the implications of operating in different sales
environment and contexts. Its well evaluated by pointing realistic examples from the current
business environment, and assessing theories and techniques
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TASK 1
1.1 Introduction on Sales and Operations Planning
Sales and operations planning, sometimes known as aggregate planning, is a process where
executive level management regularly meets and reviews projections for demand, supply and the
resulting financial impact. S&OP is a decision making process that makes certain that tactical
plans in every business area are in line with the overall view of the companys business plan. The
overall result of the S&OP process is that a single operating plan is created that identifies the
allocation of company resources, including time, money and employees.
Sales and operations planning is an integrated business management process through which the
executive/leadership team continually achieves focus, alignment and synchronization among all
functions of the organization. The S&OP plan includes an updated sales plan, production plan,
inventory plan, customer lead time (backlog) plan, new product development plan, strategic
initiative plan and resulting financial plan. Plan frequency and planning horizon depend on the
specifics of the industry. Short product life cycles and high demand volatility require a tighter
S&OP planning as steadily consumed products. Done well, the S&OP process also enables
effective supply chain management.
A properly implemented Sales and operations planning process routinely reviews customer
demand and supply resources and re-plan quantitatively across an agreed rolling horizon. The
re-planning process focuses on changes from the previously agreed sales and operations plan.
While it helps the management team to understand how the company achieved its current level
of performance, its primary focus is on future actions and anticipated results. Companies that
have an integrated business management process use the S&OP process to monitor the execution
of the companys strategies.
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"eyes and/or ears" can be a venue for advertising and you can see examples of successful
promotion in the most unlikely places.
Direct Marketing
This marketing communication competency enables companies to reach out directly to
consumers without intermediary channels such as those required for advertising. This component
of the marketing communication process includes direct mail, catalogs, coupons and inserts,
telemarketing, online marketing and television infomercials. Done correctly, Direct Marketing is
extremely effective in the long run and allows for a targeted marketing approach to specific
consumers to create valuable lasting relationships.
Direct Marketing is the marketing communication method that enables companies to interact
with a relatively large number of customers and encourage a "call to action" or "most wanted
response" which is usually a purchase. The downside of Direct Marketing is that it is usually
unsolicited and seen as a nuisance by the general public. Telemarketing, e-mail spamming and
junk mail are universally despised and so Direct Marketing tools should be used with thought
and caution.
Personal Selling
This is the most dreaded as well as the most expensive of all methods in the marketing
communication process. However, if you are a small business owner or otherwise have the
ability to personally sell and build relationships with customers, it can be one of the most
rewarding aspects of the marketing process, both personally and professionally.
Just as with traditional marketing, successful selling begins and ends with the customer. The
whole objective is to ascertain needs and create the best solution for customers. Along the way
you build relationships and continue to gather information about how you can better serve
customers which is your reason for being in business in the first place.
Sales and marketing are fundamental to the survival of any business and both involve creating
customers for the business value you have created. The former targets one person (or entity)
whereas the latter targets many. Both engage, inform and persuade through a variety of
communicational tools. Aligning both will increase your success regardless of conditions.
Successful sales and successful marketing both begin with an attitude and that attitude is
customers first
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Public Relation
This refers to how you handle your relationships and the flow of information with your various
"publics" or the people who have a stake in or are affected by your business. This includes the
general public, consumers, shareholders, employees, partners, competitors and the government.
PR becomes a more and more crucial element of the marketing communication mix as a business
or organization grows larger. That being said, it is still a vital component of the marketing
communication process to think about for smaller businesses as well. PR tools include press and
media releases, lobbying, charitable and public events, advertorials, financial reports,
promotional collateral, facility tours, sponsorships, interviews and any other method for the
promotion of a positive image to people.
Being "people conscious" starts with the individual and carries through to the organization. Once
again, people buy from people at the end of the day and the most successful people and
organizations are those that benefit other people the most. As with many facets of sales and
marketing, PR also has a "good" and "bad" side.
The good side of PR is fostering socially conscious business practices whereas the bad side is
epitomized in shady political lobbying, "spin doctors" and so forth that divert from the truth as
opposed to promote it. Suffice it to say that in today's connected world, more than ever, any sized
organization needs to be cognizant that it operates within the larger framework of society and has
corresponding responsibilities.
Sales Promotion
This is the last traditional component of the marketing communication mix that is discussed here
as part of the marketing communication process. Sales promotion simply refers to purchase
incentives that you provide your customer with. These can assume a number of forms including
offering free goods or services, coupons and vouchers, gifts and prizes, discounts, samples,
financial incentives, charitable promotions and any other value-add over and above your
standard product or services.
Sales Promotions are generally short-lived; "one off" incentives intended to provide consumers
with that last "push" to buy. The main takeaway is that regardless of the size and type of your
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business, you should continually look at ways in which to create additional value for customers.
Your customers will appreciate it and, in facts, customers have been shown to pay premium
prices for real value and real service.
Role of Personal Selling on my SIPSOSted Organization
Personal selling is all about Delivery of a specially designed message to a prospect by a seller,
usually in the form of face-to-face communication, personal correspondence, or a personal
telephone conversation. Unlike advertising, a personal sales message can be more specifically
targeted to individual prospects and easily altered if the desired behavior does not occur. Personal
selling, however, is far more costly than advertising and is generally used only when its high
expenditure can be justified. For example, the marketing of a sophisticated computer system may
require the use of personal selling, while the introduction of a new product to millions of
consumers would not. Two other forms of personal selling that are not used with high-end
products are door-to-door selling and home demonstration parties. These two personal selling
methods are primarily used for personal care products, cosmetics, cookware, encyclopedias,
books, toys, food, and other items of special interest to homemakers. Ideally, personal selling
should be supported by advertising to strengthen its impact.
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complete the final garment product. 99% of Union internationals business is to the manufactures,
not to the final Customers.
One major reason for the popularity of B2B sales and services is sheer volume. An individual
customer may visit a clothing manufacturer's website catalog and order two pairs of shoes or a
sweater. The buyer for a national chain of clothing stores, however, may order 5,000 pairs of
shoes and 2,000 sweaters. Without a B2B component, the manufacturer would have lost out on a
very lucrative sale. This is why many companies provide B2B options alongside the B2C
offerings at their websites and other outlets.
B2B sales are also generated by providing a specialized product line or service not available to
the general public. This form of B2B transaction is very common in the manufacturing world. A
company which produces shaving cream in cans, for example, may need a specific plastic
nozzle. Several plastic injection molding companies would send sales representatives to pitch
their particular designs. These nozzles would be useless for individual customers, but a
manufacturer may order thousands of them.
Union International is in garment Accessories based business and most of the time the
organization deal with the Garment Factories by supplying them the accessories which needed to
complete the final garment product. 99% of Union internationals business is to the manufactures,
not to the final Customers
B2B Focus on
Relationship driven
Maximize the value of the relationship
Small, focused target market
Multi-step buying process, longer sales cycle
Brand identity created on personal relationship
Educational and awareness building activities
Rational buying decision based on business value
B2C Selling
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B2C. A transaction that occurs between a company and a consumer, as opposed to a transaction
between companies (called B2B). The term may also describe a company that provides goods or
services for consumers.
Union International does is business only to Manufactures but not to customers directly.
Product driven
Maximize the value of the transaction
Large target market
Single step buying process, shorter sales cycle
Brand identity created through repetition and imagery
Merchandising and point of purchase activities
Emotional buying decision based on status, desire, or price
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TASK 2:2.1 The personal selling process consists of the following steps:
1) Prospecting
Prospecting refers to identifying and developing a list of potential clients. Sales people can seek
the names of prospects from a variety of sources including trade shows, commercially-available
databases or mail lists, company sales records and in-house databases, website registrations,
public records, referrals, directories and a wide variety of other sources. Prospecting activities
should be structured so that they identify only potential clients who fit the profile and are able,
willing and authorized to buy the product or service.
This activity is greatly enhanced today using websites with specially-coded pages optimized with
key words so that prospects may easily find you when they search the web for certain key words
related to your offering. Once prospecting is underway, it then is up to the sales professional to
qualify those prospects to further identify likely customers and screen out poor leads. Modern
websites can go a long way in not only identifying potential prospects but also starting this
qualification process.
2) Pre-approach
Before engaging in the actual personal selling process, sales professionals first analyze all the
information they have available to them about a prospect to understand as much about the
prospect as possible. During the Pre-approach phase of the personal selling process, sales
professionals try to understand the prospect's current needs, current use of brands and feelings
about all available brands, as well as identify key decision makers, review account histories (if
any), assess product needs, plan/create a sales presentation to address the identified and likely
concerns of the prospect, and set call objectives. The sales professional also develops a
preliminary overall strategy for the sales process during this phase, keeping in mind that the
strategy may have to be refined as he or she learns more about the prospect.
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3) Approach
The approach is the actual contact the sales professional has with the prospect. This is the point
of the selling process where the sales professional meets and greets the prospect, provides an
introduction, establishes rapport that sets the foundation of the relationship, and asks open-ended
questions to learn more about the prospect and his or her needs.
4) Making the Presentation
During the presentation portion of the selling process, the sales professional tells that product
"story" in a way that speaks directly to the identified needs and wants of the prospect. A highly
customized presentation is the key component of this step. At this point in the process, prospects
are often allowed to hold and/or inspect the product and the sales professional may also actually
demonstrate the product. Audio visual presentations and/or slide presentations may be
incorporated at this stage and this is usually when sales brochures or booklets are presented to
the prospect. Sales professionals should strive to let the prospect do most of the talking during
the presentation and address the needs of the prospect as fully as possible by showing that he or
she truly understands and cares about the needs of the prospect.
5) Overcoming Objections
Professional sales people seek out prospects' objections in order to try to address and overcome
them. When prospects offer objections, it often signals that they need and want to hear more in
order to make a fully-informed decision. If objections are not uncovered and identified, then
sales professionals cannot effectively manage them. Uncovering objections, asking clarifying
questions, and overcoming objections is a critical part of training for professional sellers and is a
skill area that must be continually developed because there will always be objections. Trust me
when I tell you that as soon as a sales professional finds a way to successfully handle "all" his or
her prospects' objections, some prospect will find a new, unanticipated objection-- if for no other
reason than to test the mettle of the sales person.
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Task 3
3.1 Proposed Hierarchy of the Sales Department at IPSOS Company
Country Head
Country head for sales should be responsible for overall sales planning and budgeting of the
department. The country head will be a member of the senior management team and will have
the sales planning with the corporate objectives. He will play a major role in communicating the
overall organizational expectations with the sales unit staff. He should have the capacity to
develop a sales design and make rapid decisions based on the customer and corporate demands.
Senior Manager Key Accounts
Senior Key accounts Manager will be handling a team of Key account managers who will be
responsible for delivering the set profit targets and achieving the organizational goals. Further
the managers will be responsible to manage the account managers reporting to him and to
provide them better guidance in delivering satisfactory performance. Further the senior account
manager will also have occasional liaisons with the key clients.
Senior Manager Customer Accounts Management
Senior Manager will be responsible for handling the staff directly reporting to him and growing
the unit performance. Also increasing the profitability of the sales team will be a major goal of
the manager. Managers will also handle the customer grievances and provide professional
guidance to the team members in personality development and business development.
Key Accounts Manager
Key account managers will have the direct liaison with the key customers assign to them and
increase the companys profitability and developing the brand presence in the assigned region.
Also they will be responsible to retain the customers and grow the portfolio size.
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Human resources planning will have several sensitive steps which need to be carried out with
strategic thoughts and information.
the availability of staff power. And the skills of the employees should be also identified.
Evaluating the gap between supply and demand.
The management should evaluate the gap existing with the demand and supply of human
If the supply and demand is matching the company could focus on training and developing the
employees to achieve the goals.
If the company has staff surplus, it should implement strategies to downsize the human capital, if
not they can reduce the working hours of the employees or prepare rosters for working. But the
company may focus on new account adoption and increase the targets of the staff that are with
little portfolios.
If the company has a staff shortage the company can increase the working hours of the staff and
pay overtime or if the need is a long term oriented, they can recruit new employees. Also they
can outsource few functions which are not core activities of the business.
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Implementation of the plan and monitoring the process as a continuous cycle. The activities
planned should be implemented and monitored to assure the execution aligns with the planning.
And the planning process is a recurrent process which needs to be carried out frequently to
assure the human capital is utilised effectively.
The above HR planning process should be carried out on a frequent manner to understand the
companys sales departments position based on the human resources need. This will help the
managers to understand the over heads and shortfalls in the unit.
3.2 Recruitment and Selection Process
The need for recruitment would be identified through an effective HR planning process. IPSOS
should make their recruitment decisions by carrying out HR Planning activity. If the recruitment
is done just for the request of the department managers the company may have to suffer
unnecessary financial losses.
The recruitment and Selection process of the company should be strategically designed to match
with the company culture and the industry they operate in. Recruitment and Selection process
may have the following steps in general.
Analysing the vacancy identifying the job role and specialities need for the job role.
Analysing the skills and qualifications expected to meet the vacancy. Identify the personality
needed from the individual for the position vacancy.
Identifying the recruitment method whether the company is planning to fill the vacancy from
the internal staff or looking from outside. The company can call applications though education
and professional bodies, via referrals and public advertising, etc.
Selection process
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IPSOS can recruit staff with experience in the same industry and can attract staff members from
their competitors by giving better benefits for their staff members. SIPSOSting and recruiting the
most suitable candidates will help the company to have a committed staff force who will help the
company in achieving the competitive advantage over the competitors.
3.3 Employees Motivation
IPSOS Company should implement a better employee motivation system as the current system in
the company is not very competitive to have a satisfied and motivated sales force. In order to
have a motivated sales team the company should focus to develop a satisfied sales force and then
motivating the sales team. If the company invests on employee motivations without achieving
the employee satisfaction the company many suffer unnecessary losses.
The company should make the employees to feel that they are being taken cared by the company
and if they perform more the company will reward for their additional contribution. Company
should take initiatives to hear the employee grievances and provide proper solutions to match
their needs. The company can include employee protection schemes with insurance benefits and
health protection for the staff and immediate family members.
Also the company should introduce a competitive rewarding scheme based on the account
management profits generated by each account manager. This will give them the motivation to
focus on increasing the sales and build a strong business portfolio for their benefits and
organizations benefit.
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In addition IPSOS can introduce a sales tracking mechanism which will provide the staff real
time updates on their portfolio position and how their monthly incentives are going to be. Also if
the company can introduce Tabs or laptops for the sales staff to have communication medium
with the head office and to see the stock in demand and orders to the stores based on the clients
needs. This will reduce the companys operational cost on communication medium though the
initial investment may look higher.
Further the company should have employee get together, family outings and special value adding
rewards such as MDs awards to recognize the employees for their extraordinary contribution to
the company growth.
In addition to the above the company should invest more on the employees training and
development. This will help the employees to have a trust on the company. Also they will be
happy to see themselves growing within the company.
3.4Marketing Mix and Business Development
Company should develop a marketing mix based on the corporate strategy of the company. The
marketing mix will focus on the competitive advantage over the competitors. The IPSOS
products are tangible and the consumers always want to have key benefits and values to be
matched for the money they pay.
V IPSOS should evaluate the cost benefits before designing the marketing mix of the company.
The marketing mix will be more focused of reaching the shop owners than the end users as the
shop owners will be focused on sales growth to end users. IPSOS should build good rapport with
the shop owners and identify the product movement style and analyze the best markets places for
the range of products they have. They should provide the right products and the right quantity to
the right shop to avoid returns of the goods which will cost extra on transport.
Further the company should fix a price which will give better yield for itself, shop owners and
cost advantage for the end users. Also they should match their prices with the main competitors
to win in the price competition. The Company will have their main stores based on the head
office and distribute the goods every fortnight based on the orders received. This system will
help them to enjoy the cost advantage again without having many distribution centers.
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The market placing will be done through the account managers to the shops they manage. And
the end users can buy the products from the shops hence the company doesnt need to meet the
end user directly. Further the company could train the shop technical staff on the repairs and
damage complain handling which will help IPSOS to have a professionalism in the shop level as
well in treating the customers fairly. Also this will help the shops to be satisfied with the support
given by IPSOS.
Promotional activities related to the product range will be handled by the IPSOS corporate office.
The promotional activities of the company will have 2 phases where one phase will be focused
on the shops and the other phase will be focused on the end users. The public media advertising
will have more focus on the general public and end users. But the advertisements done for the
end users may have considerable influence on the decision making of the shop owners as well;
hence the message received from the media will create a stereo typing on the shop owners mind.
The company will carry out personal marketing to the shop owners with the support of the
technical sales team and the account manager. Also the senior managers will be getting involved
in negotiating the wholesales pricing and the profit margins with the shop owners.
International movement of the company is pretty competitive. As the company is still focusing
on establishing the brand in QATAR they should do a feasibility study on the competitiveness
and profit advantage of entering a new international market.
Participating in Trade fairs will help the company to meet the end users in the sIPSOSted area
and identify the real needs and demands of the end users than they learning from an
intermediary. Also they can learn about the influences of the other brand in the customer decision
making process.
Sales manager Job description and activities
Sales managers organize, motivate and lead sales teams in a wide range of sectors, including
pharmaceuticals, fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) and finance. They are responsible for
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the combined performance of the team and for ensuring that everyone within their team reaches
their targets. They may set the targets themselves or receive them from the sales director. They
may also operate incentive schemes that motivate members of their team to reach or exceed sales
targets.
Typically, sales managers direct a company's sales program. They assign sales territories, set
goals, and establish training programs for their sales representatives. Sales managers may also
advise their sales representatives on ways to improve their sales performance achieve goals and
obtain expected quotas.
Whilst management structures vary significantly between companies and sectors, most sales
managers will be responsible either for specific geographical areas (area sales managers) and/or
particular products, or for specific types of customer.
Sales managers will usually be responsible for:
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A good sales manager commands with authority, but in a way that draws respect rather than
contempt. A good sales manager corrects poor attitude with skill and understanding, at the level
of firmness required by the circumstances at hand. A good sales manager continues to become
more and more expert on the theory and application of all five steps of a sale, as detailed in the
book, HOW TO SELL Clear and Simple, and guides his sales force in the successful use of
these steps. A good sales manager effectively uses his knowledge of the five-step procedure as
his primary tool for improve poor performance. And a good sales manager sets real, though
challenging goals and then does everything necessary to assist all concerned to reach and exceed
those goals.
If a salesman were ambitious and was looking for one of the most demanding, and most
rewarding challenges in the world of business, he would do well to aspire to become a part of
sales management.
(http://www.evancarmichael.com/Sales/452/What-Makes-a-Great-Sales-Manager.html)
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3.4
The traditional filing system (TFS) is a method of storing and arranging computer files and the
information in the file (data). Basically it organizes these files into a database for the storage,
organization, manipulation, and retrieval by the computer's operating system.
(DBMS) consists of software that operates databases, providing storage, access, security, backup
and other facilities. This system can be categorized according to the database model and the type
of computer that they support such as a server cluster or a mobile phone, the query language(s)
that access the database, such as SQL or XQuery, performance trade-offs, such as maximum
scale or maximum speed or others. Some DBMS cover more than one entry in these categories,
e.g., supporting multiple query languages.
Meanwhile database management systems are usually accessed in a client-server manner, where
the database client and the server are located on different machines (in a local area network).
Both systems deal with information management.
File-based System
File-based systems were an early attempt to computerize the manual filing system. File-based
system is a collection of application programs that perform services for the end-users, such as
updating, insertion, deletion adding new files to database etc. Each program defines and manages
its data.
When a computer user wants to store data IPSOStronically they must do so by placing data in
files. Files are stored in specific locations on the hard disk (directories). The user can create new
files to place data in, delete a file that contains data, rename the file, etc which is known as file
management; a function provided by the Operating System (OS).
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Advantages of traditional file based system & Disadvantages of traditional file based
system
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Task 4
4.1 Sales Issues which occur when selling in different Territories
Objection Handling
During the sales process, most of the organizations face objections. Objections are prospects'
comments or feedbacks about the reasons why they don't plan to buy your product or service. It
may be something like "I already buy those products from ABC Company and am happy with
their product."
Organizations shouldnt be put off by an objection; it is a normal part of the sales process. In
fact, objections sometimes are a signal that the sale is progressing and you're getting closer to a
positive response. When a prospect voices an objection, they may simply be asking for more
information about your product - and their objection tells you in what area they need more
information. For instance, if they say they are happy with a product from another competitor that
is your opening to explain how your product differs from your competitor's product.
Anticipate objections. Rehearse answers to standard objections. Learn to ask questions of
prospects to get to their real questions.
Here are a few proven techniques for overcoming objections. Treat every objection with respect
and a thoughtful response.
Acknowledge your customers' position and then offer them new information.
Question prospects when they make statements about why they won't buy or what they don't like
about your product. Try to learn why they feel as they do; this will help you get to the root cause
of their concerns.
Restate the objection so the customer can hear it. This tends to reduce the magnitude of an
objection and allows prospects to modify your statement to more accurately express their true
objection.
Tactfully respond directly to the customer's statement. If you must contradict what they are
saying because you honestly believe they are wrong, provide factual information that can help
them see where they may have a misunderstanding
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Clarify your objectives design your exhibition stand in line with those objectives
Attract visitors to your stand use pre-exhibition mailers, competitions and prize draws
to best effect
Sell effectively from your stand when you do attract visitors to your stand, open the
conversation, establish the degree of interest early on and retain relevant information to
follow up
Motivate those working on your stand keep them incentivized throughout the show
Measure the success of the exhibition against your original objectives to gain maximum
return on your marketing investment
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CONCLUSION
In summary IPSOS should develop a sales plan focused on account management concept and
differentiate the account based on the profitability and turnover. The high profitable accounts
will be managed by the key account managers and the other accounts should be managed by the
customer account managers. The company may have to invest more on developing a professional
account management team. Further the company has to invest in recruiting the best candidates
and training them.
The marketing mix of the company should be restructured to match the organizational overall
expectation and the company can have products distribution strategies to match the regional
demands. Also the whole sale pricing should be negotiated with the key customers and the senior
managements involvement is much appreciated on this. Also the company moving international
is not recommendable at this point of time hence the company is in need of more cash to stabilize
themselves in the local market.
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