Training Program

Module One
–New Consultant Skill Building
April 16, 2000

Module 5
 Training Program
Agenda

• Questionnaire Design
• Interview Skill
• Interview Note
• Basics of Spreadsheet
• Appendix: Source of Information

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 Questionnaire Design
Questionnaire Format
C:\training\sh\questionnaire.doc
Distributor Interview Questionnaire

General background (fill in after interview):

Store Name:
Address:
Telephone and fax:
Type of player:
Ownership Type:
chain store___ drug store in supermarket___
state-owned public private JV foreign
independent drug store___
other:
•Filing and pathing-Header
Size:
Company revenue(1998)
Approximate square meter:
Total sales (RMB):
and Footer
(please specify : annual or
monthly or daily)
Sales in pharmaceuticals (RMB):
− TCM (%):
•Questionnaire title
− Western drugs (%):
Typical first half year of total sales (%): •Subsection title
Physical location:
Company starting year :
Residential Commercial
•Interviewing information
Total number of employee s:
Total number of employees in OTC: •Background of interviewee
Interviewee and Title:
Interviewer : organisation
Sales volumes: •questions
1A. Sales in each category Total sales of 1998 (RMB) Total sales of 991H (RMB)
Total sales of business
Total sales of western medicine and TCM
Pain & Fever
G.I
Fungicides (Vaginal treatment)
Multi-Vitamins & Minerals
1B. What are your main categories of western drugs besides the four mentioned above:
1) ________ 2) _________ 3) _________

2. What is your overall split in sales of drug s:

TCM ____% and Western: domestic ______% JV ______% imports ______%

3. Please provide more details for each product category

A. Pain & Fever
3.A How many brands do you carry? Domestic ______ JV ______ Imported ______
Top 4 brands Total Sales 1998 (RMB or Units?) Total Sales 1999E (RMB or Units?)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Others (specify)

B. G.I
3.B How many brands do you carry? Domestic ______ JV ______ Imported ______

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 Questionnaire Design
Designing

Prepare for writing Write questionnaire

• Understand objectives of: • Translate blanks into

• case survey content
• workstream • Develop a logical structure
• interviews • Obtain feedback from
• Preview blank slides manager, case team
• Determine information to • Consider potential
be gathered from sensitivities when writing
interviews (quantitative for questions
graphs, qualitative for
quotes)

*Ask the Bain Research and Data Analysis Group in Boston for help in designing complex questionnaires
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 Questionnaire Design
How to Write a Questionnaire (1 of 2)

Content Structure Design

• Write a short introduction (your name, purpose • Group questions logically • Facilitate data entry
of Interview, flattery). Mention any contact – prices, costs, market size – number questions
name that you may have
• Place “must-know” questions – standardize format
– “My name is Ruma Sanyal from Sinotrust. before “nice-to-know” ones • Facilitate note taking
I spoke with Ray Gonzalez in your sales
department; he gave me your name as
• Start with an easy or intriguing – add lines/check boxes
question
someone who really understands the – leave space after each
importance of managing supplier – “How long have you been in question for taking notes
the business?”
relationships.” – highlight key
• Tie each question to a blank slide • Put most difficult/sensitive words/phrases
• Write unbiased questions and offer ranges if questions toward the end
possible – “What is your gross margin
– “Would you say growth is less than 25%, on ceramic tile?”
25-49%, or 50% or more? Not would you • Add prompts for difficult
say growth is, 25%” questions
• Avoid jargon – “Can you give me an
– CAGR, ROS example?”
• Ask follow-on questions – “Do you think that segment
– How? Why? is growing or shrinking?”
• Ask alienate questions, if needed
– What is the growth rate? OR
– Is growth rate between 10-20% or 20-
50%?

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 Questionnaire Design
How to Write a Questionnaire (2 of 2)
Each question should tie to a blank slide.
Situation: You have been asked to assess potential growth opportunities for China rental car
market.
Blanks: 100
100 100
100.0

Rental Car Market: Business(MM RMB)

China Rental Car Market (MM RMB)

Segment D
80.0 Leisure 80

66 Segment C
60.0 60
Leisure
Segment B
40.0 40
Business
20.0 Business 20 Segment A

$0.0 $0
1997 2000 2000
Questions: • What percentage of the current • What are the customer segments for
market is business? Leisure? the business market?
• How big do you think the market will • How much share of the market will
be in the year 2000? each segment have in the year 2000?
• In the year 2000, what percentage of • Will there be any new segments in the
the market will be business? Leisure? year 2000?
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 Training Program
Agenda

• Questionnaire Design
• Interview Skill
• Interview Note
• Basics of Spreadsheet
• Appendix: Source of Information

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 Interview Skill
Interviewing Steps
There are five basic steps for conducting an interview

Take
Set up Provide Control the End
detailed
interview introduction conversation interview
notes

• Determine best • Say your name • Keep • Capture • Make sure you
time to call/visit and reason for conversation data and have all key
Interview moving quotes information before
• Get contact ending the
name for the • set up • Anticipate • Write conservation
right person interview time responses detailed
or start notes • Thank interviewee
• Schedule interview
• Probe immediatel
interview
• Validate y after each
• Ask if you may call
or visit with follow-
interview
up questions
• Ask for more
contacts who can
answer your
questions

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Before Interview
• Review proposal/blank
slide/questionnaire to
understand the objectives of
case and interview
• Determine key information
required
• Decide whom to call/interview
• Decide which are the most
important and which are the
least important interviewees
• Decide which interviews to
make first
• Establish timeline for
completing interviews
• Rehearse/ask an experienced
team member to make the first
interviews to-gather with you ,
if you feel inexperienced
*Ask the Bain Research and Data Analysis Group in Boston for help in designing complex questionnaires
Interview Skill
Interviewing
During Interview After Interview
• Introduce yourself politely and • Write interview note immediately
confidently after interview
• Refer to contact of authority • Call or visit again if any key
• Use terminology with which the information missing
person is familiar • Prepare for next interview
• Move quickly from question to
question
• Switch conversation to relevant
topics
• Determine what the interviewee
will be able and willing to answer
• Ask for clarification
• Force interviewees to be specific
• Understand reasons behind
interviewee’s opinions
• Prompt with ranges when
specific information is not
available
• Ask for explanation of terms
• Rephrase interviewees
statement to ensure total
understanding
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 Training Program
Agenda

• Questionnaire Design
• Interview Skill
• Interview Note
• Basics of Spreadsheet
• Appendix: Source of Information

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During Interview
• Begin writing as soon as
interviewee begins answering
• Write down key words or phrases
• However, do not let note taking
interrupt the “flow” of the
connection
• Fill in questionnaire as much as
possible
Interview Note
Note Taking
After Interview
• Schedule breaks between
interviews to write notes
• Recall and fill in questionnaire
unfilled during interview
• Make “qualitative notes”. For
example, take notes to remind
yourself about the interviewer.
This will help you in choosing who
to call back, if there in needy
• Interview note summarize
interviewee opinions or insights
which questionnaire does not tell
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 Interview Note
Interview Note Format
C:\case\sh\word\LJ

Interviewee: Mr. Dai zhong, Marketing Manager

Organization: XXX Company
Telephone: 010-66043399-2250
Address :Changqiao, Ping An Street, Beijing
Interviewer: Zhang Jiangyan
Date: 2000-04-16

Summary
• The root cause for loyalty is
• filing and sourcing
• Customer switch to new competitors
• Interviewing information
Key findings
• The sales team is not so professional
• The company positioning is not clear • Highlighting summary
Customer Segmentation
• Beida Hospital is one of the largest and the famous hospital in Beijing • Highlighting key findings
• It purchased and installed 2 units of Broad absorption chillers 97
• The chiller is of ______RT each
• The chillers cover existing building of _______square meter
• It is planning to install electric chillers for another hospital area
• They are of _____ RT
• And cover existing building of ______square meter
Purchasing cost
• Total expenditure: Rmb20MM
• Chiller purchasing cost: Rmb4.7MM(two units)
• Pipeline construction: Rmb1.6MM
• Other cost related to pipeline(building dismentle and compensation for residents movement):
Rmb1.4MM
• Installation charge: Rmb12MM (including pump/water tank/labour)

Maintenance cost
• The chiller system is still within warranty

Operating cost • Interview findings

• Estimated energy cost: 365 days*Rmb5,000=Rmb1.8MM
• # of staff: 9; average wage=Rmb800/month, labor cost=Rmb
Purchasing process/criteria

• Purchasing process
• The villa visited design institutes to consult the AC system design
• Manufacturers came to the villa to present their products
• Based on discussion with institutes, it decided to use absorption chiller
• It compared the product attributes among Broad, Suangliang Trane, Sanyo and a local brand based
on purchasing criteria and other working requirement
• It visited many end users to refer to their advice about brands’ advantages and disadvantages
• Sanyo was selected
• The customer decided absorption chiller because
• It has a very good gas supply and supply network within villa area which makes it easy to operate
absorption chiller
• It would have to pay high fee for electricity expansion within the area

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 Training Program
Agenda

• Questionnaire Design
• Interview Skill
• Interview Note
• Basics of Spreadsheet
• Appendix: Source of Information

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 Training Program
Spreadsheet Format

file n a m e : C : \ s in o \ t ra in in g \ m o d u le 1 \ [ re g re s s io n . x ls ] G D P Enter:=cell(“filename”)
a u t h o r: s im o n h u
c re a t io n : 9 9 /0 5 /0 1 Enter: =now()
ve rs io n : 0 4 /1 7 /0 0
s o u rc e : S S B , E IU , C R A A a n d B a in a n a ly s is
•Filing and sourcing
a s s u m p t io n :
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
G D P g ro w t h : 7 .8 0% 7 .60 % 7 .8 0 % 8.30% 8.40%
•Assumptions
P o p u la t io n g ro w t h : 1% 0 .98 % 0 .9 2 % 0.92% 0.92%
U S t o R M B ra t e : 8 .3
•Calculations
C h in a G D P CAGR
y ear 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998E 1999E 2000E 2001E 2 0 0 2 E(9 3 -9 8 E (9
) 8 E -0 2 E )

G D P (U S $ B n ) 599 547 711 824 902 999 1075 1159 1255 1360 11% 8 .0 %

m a rk e t t re n d s
A ir-c o n (R T ) 1 , 6 8 3 , 0 614, 8 2 2 , 1 5 26 , 1 7 0 , 6 3 22 , 6 4 7 , 7 224, 6 9 9 , 4 920, 8 4 8 , 9 5 73 , 1 5 0 , 1 6 73 , 3 7 5 , 9 4 4 3 , 6 3 4 , 9 3 53 , 9 1 8 , 8 0 0 1 1 . 1 % 8 . 3 %
h o u s e h o ld (R T )
C o m m e rc ia l(R T ) 3 5 8 , 4 0 0 5 4 6 , 0 0 0 9 0 3 , 9 2 1 1 , 1 9 6 , 1 615, 4 2 6 , 0 317, 6 4 6 , 1 0 91 , 8 8 0 , 1 2 12 , 1 1 3 , 7 6 1 2 , 3 8 1 , 7 6 92 , 6 7 5 , 5 2 0 3 5 . 6 % 1 2 . 9 %
E le c t ric (R T ) 1 , 3 2 4 , 6 614, 2 7 6 , 1 5 16 , 2 6 6 , 7 1 11 , 4 5 1 , 5 519, 2 7 3 , 4 513, 2 0 2 , 8 4 81 , 2 7 0 , 0 4 61 , 2 6 2 , 1 8 4 1 , 2 5 3 , 1 6 51 , 2 4 3 , 2 8 1 -1 . 9 % 0 . 8 %

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 Training Program
Agenda

• Questionnaire Design
• Interview Skill
• Interview Note
• Basics of Spreadsheet
• Appendix: Source of Information

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 Training Program
Appendix: Sources of Information
Typically, there are several sources for the information you are seeking.

Specific facts about

General industry facts suppliers, customers, or
competitors

• Government agencies
Type of information Sources
• Trade associations
• General information Investor relations, Public relations

• Magazine editors
• Cost data
Purchasing

• Authors of articles
• Plant size and operations Manufacturing, Maintenance

• Source cited in article

• Number of employees Personnel

• Investment analysts
• Automation, new Engineering, Manufacturing,
R&D
technology

• Sales plans, distribution Sales, Marketing,

Customer service
strategy

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