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Students who will fail to submit their assignment as per the deadline given are required to make an online appeal along with the valid excuses as the guidelines which will be announced through the college website or e-learning portal within three days from the date of submission deadline. (Suggested time: 48 hours) Instructions: Read and analyze each case carefully. Answer all the questions. Case 1 : 10 Marks each The owner of ABC Company in Oman is motivating his sales people with good compensation and rewarding methods every period of time. The team was formed with a good skilled sales people from different backgrounds and places. They were in this company away from their families and always were in trips to finish their sales duties. However, one of the ways used by the manager is giving a bonus for the team when they reach the target sat monthly. This method was affective but one of the sales people used to say that he miss his family and the bonus is not affective as much as giving a holiday to travel and see his family. The manager of the company said that is will be difficult to give holidays because they are having a shortage in the number of employees. The team continued to work with good skills and they were motivated but this month they did not reach the target sat. The manager called up a meeting to check why they didn’t reach their target and they found that the employee who was demanding the holiday was the reason behind the failure of reaching the target. 1- From the decision of the manager about the compensation, what do you think of the manager decision? If you were in the place of this manager, what are the benefits planned by you? ( min 150 words / 5 marks) 2- What was the reason behind the failure if reaching target. How can you solve this problem as a sales manager? ( min 150 words / 5 marks) Case No 2 : 10 Marks Ms. Shaima was in the process of establishing a new small company in Muscat, the company is mainly manufacturing cosmetics, makeup skincare products and perfumes. She tried to minimize the costs as much as she can and tried to get the cheapest sources for equipment’s and for labor. Her idea was to start the business with minimizing the costs and maximizing the profit and sales. Ms. Shaima was seeking for employees and posted an ad on Facebook with a lower payment. Ms. Shaima was happy because she got sales people with lower cost and they accepted the offer posted on Facebook. She did not focus on choosing experienced sales people and did not conduct any interviews because this will cost more. They started the business and they produced the first batch of Cosmetics and she sent the sales people to make contracts with other companies and trying to sell large quantities of products. The sales were slaw in the first few months and the manager hoped that coming months will be better. Moreover, she decided to send her employees for training. 1- If you are a manager, will you do the same way of recruitment? Suggest different ways of recruitment, and what are the different sources you will choose? Justify your answer. ( min 150 words / 5 marks) 2- Give your opinion of the statement in the case when Ms. Shaima’s said that her main goal is to maximize the profit and minimize the costs . Do you agree or not? Justify your opinion. ( min 150 words / 5 marks) . Case No 3: 10 Marks The world is facing new pandemic of COVID19 and many businesses are affected by this situation. The manager of ABC Company based in Oman mainly depends on sales people in selling products and making deals. Most of the times, the employee approaches customers with broachers and many offers and try to make good conversation and persuade the customer to buy. The manager of the company made a decision that all the direct selling will stop and assured his team members that everything is under control and he made this decision because he care about the safety of his employees. However, followed this decision, the manager mentioned strictly that he can’t handle the expenses of the company so he will not be able to pay their salaries till the situation ends . One of the employees mentioned that he got loans from the bank and he got family expenses so its difficult for him to accept the decision of NO WORK , NO PAY . Eventually, the manager said it’s out of his hand and he will not give them salaries as there is no sales in the company and they were under budget and can’t handle the expenses of salaries . 1- From the situation of No WORK NO PAY, how can you solve this problem if you were a sales manager? What are the different alternatives will you give to help your company and employees? ( min 150 words / 5 marks) 2- Do you think that Sales Management and work in organizations will be changed after COVID19? Give your opinion ( min 150 words / 5 marks) Case No 4 10 Marks Ahmed is a hardworking salesperson , selling different types of perfumes with different names and brands. He gets commission for each time he sells and it motivates him to sale more and more. Ahmed thought that if he can persuade the customer to immediately buy, he will have more sales and his boss will be proud and thankful. His approach was to give more information about the perfume and forcing customers to come and try his perfumes. Some of the customers were annoyed by his way but he continued fetching. He said that the ingredients were imported from France and its along lasting perfume. Sometimes he is manipulating and mixing perfumes to attract customers and eventually he gives another one .Ahmed’s goal was to get more sales and at the end of the day he actually reach his target and he gets more than what he expected. He continued to do this selling approach and after three months the sales decreased and he was wondering why. 1- Give your opinion about Ahmed’s selling approach. Suggest different types of selling approaches for sales people ( min 150 words / 5 marks) 2- Give your opinion and justify why the sales declined with Ahmed after 3 months of good sales ( min 150 words / 5 marks) Case No 5 10 Marks The Global AB Company located in Oman is selling electronic equipment’s and focusing on training its employees to perform well with the customers, the company started its business in Oman 10 years ago and faced many challenges in the beginning to position itself in the market and to gain a big market share. The company believes that spending money on training its sales people will result of a good communication with customers and will get more profit. One of the training methods done by the company is to give seminars on selling electronic equipment by “canned talk†and by giving a structured way of information to the customers. However, the company faced some challenges in the past few years after the global crises and after facing many competitors entering the Omani markets. 1- From your opinion, explain the benefit of emphasizing training on sales people. What are the different types of training? Which one do you think is better and why? (Min 150 words / 5 marks) 2- Express the advantages and disadvantages of "canned talk†do you think this method is affective for this business or no? Justify your answer. (Min 150 words / 5 marks)
Paper For Above instruction
The given cases explore various dimensions of sales management, emphasizing motivation, recruitment, adaptation to crises, ethical selling, and training strategies in organizational contexts. Each scenario highlights unique challenges faced by managers and provides insight into effective and ineffective practices influencing sales performance and organizational sustainability.
Case 1: Compensation Strategies and Team Motivation
The manager’s decision to reward the team with a bonus for reaching monthly targets reflects a traditional extrinsic motivation approach. While monetary rewards can incentivize sales performance, they may overlook individual needs such as the desire for personal recognition or time-off via holidays. In this case, the employee’s request for a holiday indicates a deeper motivational need that monetary bonuses alone cannot fulfill. If I were the manager, I would adopt a more holistic motivation strategy, combining financial rewards with personalized incentives like holidays or flexible schedules, especially considering the team’s ongoing trips and separation from their families. Such strategies foster loyalty, enhance morale, and promote long-term engagement. Recognizing personal circumstances and providing tailored benefits can effectively address individual motivational drivers, ultimately improving team performance and satisfaction.
Case 2: Recruitment and Cost-Effective Staffing
Recruiting employees through low-cost channels such as Facebook advertisements can be a quick solution, but it often risks selecting underqualified candidates, affecting sales effectiveness and customer satisfaction. As a manager, I would diversify recruitment sources by including professional job portals, university placements, industry referrals, and recruitment agencies specializing in cosmetics and sales roles. These channels tend to attract candidates with relevant experience, skills, and a better understanding of market needs. Conducting structured interviews and skill assessments would ensure alignment with the company's quality standards. Prioritizing experience, even at higher initial costs, may lead to higher productivity and quicker sales growth, outweighing the short-term savings from low-cost recruitment. Investing in competent staff enhances brand reputation, customer trust, and ultimately profits, supporting sustainable business growth.
Case 3: Managing Financial Strains during a Pandemic
In a crisis like COVID-19, the “No Work, No Pay” policy can strain employee morale and financial stability. As a sales manager, I would explore alternatives such as temporary salary reductions with clear communication, flexible working arrangements such as remote selling or digital engagement, and government grant programs or financial aid packages. Establishing open dialogue with employees to explain the situation transparently fosters trust. Additionally, shifting to online sales channels and virtual customer engagement can maintain revenue streams without risking health. Implementing performance-based incentives linked to new digital strategies could motivate employees despite reduced salaries. These measures not only help the company survive financial challenges but also preserve employee loyalty and morale, which are crucial for long-term recovery post-crisis.
Case 4: Ethical Selling and Customer Trust
Ahmed’s aggressive and manipulative selling approach raises ethical concerns. While his tactics may boost short-term sales, they risk damaging customer trust and tarnishing the company’s reputation. Effective sales strategies should focus on consultative selling, understanding customer needs, and offering genuine solutions. Alternative approaches include relationship-based selling, where building rapport and trust with customers leads to repeat business. Another method is solution selling, where capturing customer pain points and offering tailored products creates value. Diverse approaches such as inbound marketing, social selling, and value-selling can also be effective. Ethical and customer-centric methods foster long-term loyalty, reduce complaints, and sustain sales levels, preventing declines observed after initial success.
Case 5: Training and Sales Effectiveness
Ongoing training enhances sales performance by improving product knowledge, communication skills, and customer handling. Various training types include on-the-job, classroom, e-learning, and simulation-based training. In this context, blended training combining e-learning with practical exercises offers flexibility and comprehensive skill development. Structured programs like seminars using canned talk provide consistency but may limit adaptability to customer needs. While structured training ensures uniformity, overly scripted interactions can reduce personalization and authenticity. Therefore, a combination allowing salespeople to learn structured presentations while developing improvisation skills is preferable. This approach fosters better customer engagement and adaptability in competitive markets.
“Canned talk” offers consistency and efficiency but lacks personalization, which may hinder customer rapport and trust. Excessive reliance on scripted pitches can result in robotic interactions, reducing authentic engagement. Conversely, it simplifies training and ensures key messages are delivered uniformly across the team. Its effectiveness depends on context: in highly standardized products or services, canned messages may be sufficient; in consultative sales, less scripted approaches are more effective. For electronic equipment sales, blending canned talks with interactive, customer-focused techniques may optimize results. Therefore, while canned talk can be a useful tool, it should be complemented with adaptive and personalized communication, especially in a competitive environment with evolving customer expectations.
References
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