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Customer Relationship Marketing

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Task.1. The use of IT in support of the sales force and its development in the next few
years.
Information technology has influenced the sales management by aiding the sales force in
several ways. IT is helpful in sales management to enable the sales force by way of
communication, information providing, customer service, order processing, sales advising
and reporting. Several studies has been conducted on the impact of IT on sales force
(Jones et al, 2002)
First, the internet technology is helpful in enabling the sales staff in providing information
through web , accepting orders, order processing, invoicing, shipping and delivery etc.
internet technology is very helpful in making online sales by enabling fast and secure online
payments.
Internet technology has also helped sales force to communicate with the customers through
online by way of email, online chatting help and advice, communicating and selling through
social marketing networks etc. Internet is also helpful in communicating and providing after
sales service to customers.
Mobile technology has helped the sales force in communicating to the customers and the
colleagues by way of mobile phone, wireless devices etc. information about orders,
invoicing, etc and all type of communication with the staff and management can be made
possible over the mobile devices.
Other Information technology devices like desktop computers, laptops, etc are helpful in
storing information of sales and sales data processing. Printers aid the billing process and
invoicing. Information technology has revolutionised the office automation and
administration process in sales.
Pricing, stock information, shrinking etc are aided nowadays by way of information
technology applications like scanning and printing devices.
IT is helpful at the point of sales in billing, self-service check-out services, and card payment
facilities. These facilities improve speed of transactions and process and make billing and
checkout more accurate. Sales graphical displays are also possible by ay of IT facilities.
Automated inventory tracking procedure is made possible with the help of IT devices.
Further, staff can make informed decisions using IT devices.
Implementation of IT facilities helps in operational activities of the sales force. Sales calls are
made possible with the help of voice calling and text messaging services.
In future, IT will influence the self service checkout systems with more functionality including
booking of products and self serviced packing and delivery.
Task.2. Review the pros and cons of allocating sales responsibilities on the basis of a)
geographic regions b) product-based criteria and c) customer-based criteria.

Sales management involves allocating sales responsibilities on different basis according to


the potential benefits. This can be based on geography, product or customer oriented. Each
factor has its own merits and defects.
Allocating sales responsibilities on the basis of geographic region: Allocating sales
responsibilities on the basis of geographic region can be done on the profile and qualities of
sales force. This can be made on the basis of the language skill of the sales force and
proximity of the sales force to the sales centre. Sales forces can be geographically divided
when the customers of a geographical region have similar needs, the product line is
narrow, and the selling tasks and skills required are similar to that particular geographic
area. Allocating sales responsibilities on the basis of geographic region may adversely
affect the customer interest.
Allocating sales responsibilities based on customers: The allocation of sales
responsibilities based on customers is feasible when the needs of the customers are
different, narrow product line and selling required skills for attending each customer are
same. Sales personnel who are skilled to serve customers based on their customer profile
of age, interest and other demographic features are suited for selling among them. for
example, sales of women`s cosmetics are best sold by women sales force.
The cons for allocating sales responsibilities based on customers are that sales force who
are suited for customer oriented selling may not be suited for selling product oriented and
geography oriented goods.
Allocating sales responsibilities based on product: The sales responsibilities allocating
on the basis of product is viable if the product line is very broad and complex and the
selling skills required is similar. The sales personnel who are skilled to sell particular
products line should be given responsibility to sell them. For example, sales personnel who
are skilled in using cosmetics and beauty therapy are suited to sell cosmetic products.
Allocating sales responsibilities based on products result in lack of focussing on the
customers and their interests which may adversely affect the sales.

Task.3. Implementation and importance of each of the sales representative tasks


related to organisational and consumer markets
The sales representative tasks to organisation and consumer, markets vary in strategy and
approach. Sales tasks to the consumer markets require person specific and customer
focused approach with an understanding of the consumer psychology. The sales personnel
should be able to adapt him according to different occasion and for different customers. In
consumer markets, the sales personnel have to be flexible according to the needs and

demands of the customers. Customer relationship marketing and sales in consumer


markets should include maintaining customer loyalty as well.
Sales tasks among organisational market require establishing business relationship with
organisational customers. Mostly, selling among organisational markets requires not only
skill, but the sales representative must be able to convince the pros and cones and the
benefits accrued in buying the product and also the after sales service provided by the
company organisation.

References

Jones, E., S. Sundaram, and W. Chin (2002). Factors leading to sales force
automation use: A longitudinal analysis, Journal of Personal Selling and Sales

Management, 22 (2002): 145 - 156.


Keillor, B., E. Barshaw, and C. Pettijohn (1997). Sales force automation issues prior
to implementation: The relationship between attitudes toward technology, experience

and productivity. Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, 13, 3/4. 209 - 219.
Ko, D. G., and A. R. Dennis (2004). Sales Force Automation and Sales Performance:
Do Experience and Expertise Matter?. Journal of Personal Selling and Sales
Management, 24, 4. 311 - 322.

Bejou, David (1997), "Relationship Marketing: Evolution, Present State, and Future",
Psychology & Marketing, Vol. 14(8), pp. 727-736

Christopher, M., Payne, A. and Ballantyne, D. (1991), Relationship Marketing:


Bringing Quality, Customer Service and Marketing Together, Butterworth Heinemann,
Oxford

Christy, R., Oliver, G. and Penn, J. (1996), Relationship marketing in consumer


markets, Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. 12, pp. 175-187

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