Sales planning & operation

Acknowledgment

I desire to convey my sincere thanks and deepest appreciation in the initial order to my lecturer Mr.................... She/ He
gave a filled hold up for the preparation of this job. She/ He spent her/his patient and precious time, and precious
suggestion, which no doubt resulted in my successful completion of this assignment.

I also wish to thank everyone who helped me in many ways to hold on my subject matter work easily and make the
revision a huge achievement.

Simple words cannot express the thanks that I owe to my lecturer, friends, and my parents, for giving me the essential
suitable, force and support, which made the study a grand achievement

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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Sales are 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, selecting 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 selected two
organizations well explained. Appropriate recruitment and selection procedures devised accordingly.

Motivation, remuneration and training are well discussed in this phase. In the fourth task of this assignment assessed the
implications of operating in different sales environment and contents. Its well evaluated by pointing realistic examples
from the current business environment, and assessing theories and techniques.

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INTRODUCTION

A set of business activities that support companies to run efficiently is called sales operations. Sales planning play a
critical function for growing selling of services and products. Companies can flourish income of products way of taking
effective sales planning and operations. Here we discuss about sales planning and operations on the basis of company
activities.

Plastic Products Ltd is a company that produces and markets plastic cups, teaspoons, knives and forks for the catering
industry. The company was established in early 2000s in response to the changes taking place in the catering industry.
The growth of the fast food sector of the market was seen as an opportunity to provide disposable eating utensils which
would save on human resources and allow the speedy provision of utensils for fast customer flow. In addition, Plastic
Products has benefited from the growth in supermarkets and sells consumer packs through four of the large supermarket
groups.

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Task - 01
1. Explain how the personal selling functions of this company

1.1. Personal selling

Personal selling is the oral presentation in a conversation with one or more prospective purchasers for the purpose of
making sales. (Philip Kotler) Personal selling is the process of achieving mutually profitable economic exchanges
between buyer and seller, based on interpersonal contact between buyer and seller, and on the sellers persuasive
communication of his product or service qualities and benefits to the buyer.

1.2. How personal selling support to promotion mix

It is not enough for a business to have good products sold at attractive prices. To generate sales and profits, the benefits of
products have to be communicated to customers. In marketing, this is commonly known as "promotion".

Promotion is all about companies communicating with customers.

A business' total marketing communications programme is called the "promotional mix" and consists of a blend of
advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and public relations tools. In this revision note, we describe the four key
elements of the promotional mix in more detail. It is helpful to define the four main elements of the promotional mix
before considering their strengths and limitations.

Advertising

Any paid form of non-personal communication of ideas or products in the "prime media": i.e. Television,
newspapers, magazines, billboard posters, radio, cinema etc. Advertising is intended to persuade and to inform.
The two basic aspects of advertising are the message

Personal Selling

Oral communication with potential buyers of a product with the intention of making a sale the personal selling
may focus initially on developing a relationship with the potential buyer, but will always ultimately end with an
attempt to "close the sale".

Sales Promotion

Providing incentives to customers or to the distribution channel to stimulate demand for a Sri Lanka Insurance.

Publicity

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The communication of a product, brand or business by placing information about it in the media without paying
for the time or media space directly. Otherwise known as "public relations" or PR

2. Compare buyer Behaviour and the decision making process in different

situations

Buying Behaviour carry out and mind-set of customer in phrases of buying services and products Exquisite business
enterprise is customary super in client conduct. To understand the shopping for behaviour companies need to recognize
about consumption approach and customers Perception of product software. Plastic Products Ltd organization examines
the client conduct to recognize the purchasers reactions to corporations advertising technique and the manner patron
reply those techniques (Kim and others 2008).

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Consumer buying Behaviour is more complexes due to cultural factors, demographical factors, environmental factors,
financial factors, and geographical factors.

Organizational buying Behaviour is more rational because the members of the organization cannot take a decision easily,
and have to justify their decisions to other members of their organization.

B2C B2B
Family involvement Interpersonal, Stable
Relation
Many buyers from the Buyers are limited in
Buying Behaviour
cities, towns and number
villages are widespread.
Less Technical Technical Expertise
Individuals, friends and Less people buying as a
families buying for own group for the
consumption organization

Figure 2: Buying Behaviour

3. Role of sales teams within their marketing strategy

The sales team is responsible for researching and analyzing the business and the market. Using the information gathered,
the marketing plan, budget and key performance indicators are developed. Action plans are devised and the marketing
strategy is implemented. The marketing department measures and reports on the results of the marketing strategy. Staff in
the marketing department train staff in other departments so they are conscious of current campaigns. The purpose of their
activity is to manage the four Ps of marketing. The aim is to stimulate demand for the business goods and services and to
generate leads. Leads are customers who are likely to make a purchase.

Leads are identified by collecting the details of people who contact the business to ask about products or services, or by
gathering details of prospective customers from online surveys, competition entries or newsletter subscriptions. Lists of
potential customers can be purchased and classified into ranges of income, location and purchasing preferences. The

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marketing department can analyse their customer database to highlight customers and their preferences, those who make
regular purchases or those who are due for upgrades or replacements.

After raising interest and demand for the products and services, the leads that are generated are passed on to the sales
department. Leads are people who may make a purchase. It is up to sales staff to contact people, identify their needs and
help them make a purchasing decision. Sales staff deal directly with customers and they must build a good relationship.

Sales staffs also deal with people who walk in off the street or contact the business through their website. The role of sales
staff is to make sure the business gets a return from its investment in marketing and to turn demand into sales.

After information series Plastic Products Ltd develops the advertising plan price range and different key universal overall
performance signs

Plastic Products Ltd has a sales team that keeps a few duties to complete their works properly and people duties are
amassing facts gathering customers response growing patrons database allocating inventory making income report and
retaining courting with sales workplace. The collect details of customers who communicate or ask approximately services
or products after which the accumulate facts of capability clients through online surveys. (Eisenhardt & others 1998)

Task 02
Group Presentation

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Task - 03
1. How sales strategies are developed in line while corporate objective

2.1. Sales strategies

Sales strategy can be defined as the planned approach to the account management policy formation, prospect
identification and qualification, sales presentation, and order generation aimed at achieving a firm's sales quotas or targets.

Following are sales strategy Objectives:

1. Helps in improving client loyalty

2. Increases the closeting ratio by knowing clients hot buttons
3. Helps in shorting the sales cycle with outside recommendations.
4. Proper sales strategy helps in offering best solutions to outsell the competitors
5. Helps in establishing a specific plan to strengthen and enhance the lead generation

Plastic Products Ltd should start with a planning process; the corporate level management have to set the objectives of the
organization. Then, the Plastic Products Ltd has to determine the operations that are needed to meet the objectives.

There will be a preparation for action followed by the implementation which is the most vital and difficult process. The
outcomes are then measured and controlled against the standards that had been set and after that if there is a problem, it is
re-evaluated and objectives are reset again. Therefore, it is fundamentally a cycle.

Afterwards, cooperate strategies will be Plastic Products Ltd Products plan of action in which when put into action, it will
lead to Plastic Products Ltd completing its cooperate objectives.

Furthermore, Plastic Products Ltd should also consider using sales strategy which is an operating plan for a company such
as Plastic Products Ltd sales force. This will help Plastic Products Ltd to assign its revenues, significantly to reduce its
selling costs and augment its revenue

2. Explain the importance of recruitment and selection procedures when it comes

to sales management

Recruiting and Selecting Sales People At the heart of any successful sales force operation is the recruitment and selection
of good salespeople. The best salespeople possess four key talents: intrinsic motivation, disciplined work style, the ability
to close a sale and the ability to build relationships with customers. When recruiting, Plastic Products Ltd Company

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should analyze the sales job itself and the characteristics of its most successful salespeople to identify the traits needed by
a successful salesperson in their industry.

Figure 4: Recruit and Selection Process

2.2. Recruit method of Plastic Products Ltd Company.

Assessment of the job: human resource manager needs to gather and collect all appropriate information regarding the
position or job; also will gather information about the task and activities the job involves and the conditions in which the
job will be done. Afterwards, human resource manager has to provide a job description that will hold a summary of the
job, the working conditions and the contents of the job.

Person specification: at this point, the information is carry out on the educational requirements, qualifications, trainings
that the expected new recruit should have in order to perform the job effectively. Then human resource manager should
translate the job tasks and activities into the required skills and abilities

Attracting the applicants: here the key is to intend at attracting a suitable pool of applicants, advertising or promoting the
job in such manner that it attracts some of qualified and suitable candidates. This is to help pull a variety of people in
order to select the best (Breech, E.F.L., 1965)

2.3. Selection procedure

1. Initial step: - Collection of all applications receives via post, email & by hand.

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2. Shortlisting of the applications: - Applications that are in the possible group should be reviewed in order to shortlist the
candidates in order to call them for interviews.

3. Inviting for the interviews: - Applicants who are selected for the first round of interviews should be informed of
interview days by telephone, email or post as soon as possible.

2.4. Importance of Recruit Sales People in Organization

1. Recruitment is the process which links the employers with the employees.
2. Identifies and prepares potential job applicants who will be appropriate candidates.
3. Creates a talent pool of candidates to enable the selection of best candidates for the organization
4. Attracts and encourages more and more candidates to apply in the organization.
5. Increases the pool of job candidates at minimum cost
6. Determines present and future requirements of the organization in conjunction with its personnel planning and job
analysis activities.

3. Evaluate the role of motivation, remuneration and training of sales-personnel

Motivation is the process that drives people to act promptly in order to achieve goals; this can be done through desire for
money or success Kreiner (1995). Both (desire for money and success) rely on Maslows Hierarchy of Needs. Motivation
enables managers or leaders to become better at transforming the environmental atmosphere enjoyable through
recognition. People give their best when their efforts are recognized.

Motivation is the effort the salesperson makes to complete various activities of the sales job 10-15 percent salespeople are
self-motivated Majority of salespeople are not adequately motivated Importance of motivating salespeople is recognised,
because financial performance of the company depends upon the achievement of sales volume objective

2.3.2. The Role of Training in Sales Management

Sales supervisors involvement is needed to educate employees. Plastic Products Ltd company sales manager arranges
training session to increase the promoting abilities of organization. A newly recruited person does no longer understand

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the capabilities of industrial business enterprise groups. So education session can help personnel to apprehend the
organizational works. Sales manager can select ongoing training and non-forestall professional development to make
employees professional one.

It is important that an organization train its employees; both new and experienced employees. Effectively train the new
employees will help them to know exactly what they are doing, save time, have a good feeling about the company, get off
to a good start, being able to technology, ensuring competitive edge in the market, helping employers comply with laws
and regulations, and improving productivity and profitability. Training and motivation are essential in helping the increase
sales performance. Plastic Products Ltd manager should have knowledge as to what makes each of his employees
motivated and to make sure he gives the appropriate motivation.

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4. Explain how sales managers should organize sales activity and control sales
output

An organizational structure defines how activities such as task allocation, coordination and supervision are directed
toward the achievement of organizational aims. It can also be considered as the viewing glass or perspective through
which individuals see their organization and its environment

Organizations are a variant of clustered entities.

An organization can be structured in many different ways, depending on its objectives. The structure of an organization
will determine the modes in which it operates and performs.

Organizational structure allows the expressed allocation of responsibilities for different functions and processes to
different entities such as the branch, department, workgroup and individual.

2.4. Organization Structure of sales Department in Plastic Products Ltd Organization

Figure 5 Organization Structure of sales Department in Plastic Products Ltd Organization

Sales Departments are responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with customers. They work with the
Marketing function to nurture leads through the sales funnel, from the discovery of a product or service down through
purchase (and repeat purchases).

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Therefore, Plastic Products Ltd sales man will be assigned an individual territory in which the sales man will have to be
responsible in carrying out sales there. The sales man would have to acquaint himself with the costumers in those areas
which will build a good customer relationship. Also, it is good that sales men or team can learn about the culture or
language of the costumers of that area. This is a part of motivating the costumers to be willing to interact with the sales
team; this is simple structure that could be easily integrated inside the organization. (Shackle ton, 1995)

5. Explain the use of data bases in effective sales management

Databases help sales management to identify trends in the market and to analyze consumer preferences, and to identify the
effectiveness of the companys marketing strategy (Blythe 2004). As a result, sales management can restructure its
strategies and business offerings to suit them to the market demographics and trends.

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In todays world, one of the vital parts of sales department, especially in large organization, is having database for
successful and effective management of sales. Besides effective sales management, use of database may benefit a firm, no
matter if it is a large or small organization, in several ways.

This data base may help a firm to effectively manages all the information about the customers and design and deliver the
products according to individual client need and in a customized way. This database may also help a firm to determine its
lead and generate sufficient customers to achieve that lead. Besides it can provide all the relevant information about the
buying trend of the customers which may help the firm to improve its sales continuously. Besides it can save time and
increase efficiency over the firm that still uses manual methods instead of latest database system.

There are four main key database marketing requirements which any successful project should achieve: Firstly,
developing segmentation schemes that divide customers into useful and actionable segments based on profitability.

Plastic Products Ltd uses Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to increase sales by systematically identifying and
managing sales leads; design effective customer service programmes; feed data on customer preferences and problems to
product designers; improve customer retention; enable sales reps to see financial impact of different product
configurations before they set prices; coordinate information quickly between sales staff and customer support reps,
increasing their effectiveness; generate more reliable sales forecasts

Task - 04
1. Develop a sales plan for Plastic Products Ltd

Most Companies have a Business Plan and a Marketing plan, however, a Sales Plan is the greatest tool that an
organisation can produce and implement. Without a sales plan, we may not be in a position to create the necessary
revenue to keep the business meeting its cash flow objectives. Furthermore, regular review of the sales plan is necessary
on a regular basis to ensure that the elements of the plan are working.

Sales plan should be short, simple and to the point. Its basically our strategic and tactical plan for acquiring new business,
growing our existing book of business and making and/or exceeding our sales quota within our sales territory. To sell to
our customers, we first must understand why they would want to buy our product. Market segmentation allows for the

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development of profiles of the many different kinds of customer groups who buy our products. We can use this
information to create better marketing programs. It also can be used to develop products for your target audience. Market
segmentation also assists companies in developing more well-organized distribution networks.

Sales Strategy
Outdoor advertising hoarding and banners
Online advertising
Open Day Seminar
Educational exhibitions and fairs
Refer & reward scheme
Internal Marketing
Conducting motivation programs at schools
Conducting career guidance programs

2. Investigate opportunities for this company for selling internationally.

International marketing, also known as global marketing is the process of overseas advertising of the products that the
company sells. International marketing provides a host of benefits to a business, from helping to broaden the customer
base to improving the reputation of the brand. Understanding these advantages can help businesses of all sizes to plan
their international sales strategies and to focus their customer service efforts.

1. Market Expansion

The most obvious advantage of marketing internationally is the expansion of the company's market. Expanding the places
where the company does business and advertises its products and services opens up a larger customer base and potentially
greater profit margins.

While businesses may find that marketing internationally is cost prohibitive, technology such as social media and online
newspapers and advertising services have made the process of international marketing even more attractive.

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Customers can now buy from virtually anywhere in the world via the Internet, making market expansion through
international marketing a highly useful skill for businesses to master.

2. Brand Reputation

International marketing can have a unique advantage of helping to boost a brand's reputation. Right or wrong, customers
perceive a brand that's selling in multiple markets to be of higher quality and better service than brands that just sell
locally. Major technology companies, global automobile models and multinational banks are proof of this. People are
keen to buy products that are widely available.

3. Opening the Door for Future Opportunities

International marketing can also open the door to future business expansion opportunities. Not only does global marketing
expand a company's sales base, it also helps the business to connect to new vendors, a larger workforce and new
technologies and ways of doing business.

2. Investigate opportunities for using exhibitions or trade fairs

Exhibition has the least of sales elements in it: the primary objective is to showcase products and services. Usually
exhibitions cover one industry at a time and are geared towards building general image of a company /brand.

An exhibition is a display of items in a public place, allowing a specific industry to showcase and demonstrate their latest
products.

Trade fairs, on the other hand, are more business-to-client or customer (not only consumer) type of event. Companies
gather not only to showcase their products and services, but also to sell and market them. Trade fairs (or simply fairs) are
open to anyone interested and can cover a few industries at the same time. They tend to take place over 3 to 5 days,
sometimes even longer.

A trade fair is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest
products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent market trends and opportunities.

While a begin-up comes to enter market they need to go through a few tools like exhibitions or exchange galas. It is miles
to make human beings inform about their gadgets or offerings how the company can use the opportunities of exhibitions
and change fairs to spread among humans. They are able to set up exhibition on the notable worldwide places.

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Once in a while corporations may additionally dispose trade fair or selling fair. Trade fair is likewise a kind of exhibition
however here there may be different competition too. Via these fairs groups like the company deliver messages to humans
and effort to get their recognition. Truth is this is era of opposition and to head in advance exhibition change sincere and
so forth is advertising and advertising and marketing and sales tools

CONCLUSION
In the term of business; sales planning, sales operation, sales management, and selling process are very important for any
kind of organizations that are relying on profitability. For a business to become successful, all these four key elements
have to be linked and worked together in an effective and efficient ways because if one element falls apart, the whole
organization will fail to reach its goals.

At the end of this report we can say that promotional tasks play a crucial position for growing promoting of product and
services. Plastic Products Ltd maintain sales planning and operation due to the reality purchaser conduct has certainly one
of a type formed. The managers of sales can talk with their customers with the resource of non-public interactions manner
conversation maintains suitable relationship and preserve products qualities. The organization must deliver extra attention
on motivation ruminations and training sports to growth sales common performance. Database systems moreover permit
business enterprise to efficaciously file and growth suitable advertising techniques

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1854182234
Belch et al., (2012) sales and operation planning-best practice: lessons learned from worldwide companies.

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Breech, E.F.L., (1965) personal selling. Juta co. landsowne.
Ethan M. Rasiel, Paul N. Friga - The McKinsey Mind: Understanding and Implementing the Problem-Solving

Tools and Management

Derek Abell, The business. The starting point of Strategic. (Upper saddle River NJ)Prentice Hall 1980. Chap 3.
Gold J, Thorpe R and Mumford A Leadership and Management Development (CIPD, 2010) ISBN 1843982447
Jobber.D and Chadwick F.E (2013), Principles and Practice of Marketing. New York: McGraw Hill.
Lussier & Achua (2009) management of a sales force, 12th Edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin, Boston, pp. 134-137
Weber, D 2006, Developing a sales strategy in an international organization designed for a key account customer,

Grin Verlag, Munich

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