Discussion
Leadership Challenge: Internal or Outsourced Sales Force"
1.For your initial post, using the information provided in the case, write a short narrative explaining the advantages and disadvantages of having your own sales force versus hiring outside agents. Explain your recommendation and the reasons you selected the approach you chose
2. Read the mini-case "Lasting Impressions" and review Exhibit 5.3 "Summary of advantages and disadvantages of various sales forecasting techniques."
For your initial post, write a short narrative on the forecast methods Rajiv should have considered besides the sales force composite moving. Additionally, discuss the sales quota method that Rajiv used and determine if he set an appropriate quota level. Why or why not?
3. Read "Leadership Challenge: Characteristics of the Great Salesperson" Consider: What qualities and characteristics do you think are important for a new salesperson at Logistics Logic? Why?
For your initial post, discuss the kind of person you would recruit (experienced versus less experience, age, education, background, etc.) for Logistics Logic. Research legal constraints for your criteria. Be sure to cite your sources that will support your hiring profile.
Please note: It is important that we use legal positions on these characteristics and differentiate opinion from fact. Also, as always, use respectful language as you discuss differences in opinion on these positions.
4.Read the Ethical Norms and Values for Marketers on the American Marketing Association website.
For your initial post, consider the ethical issues related to sales and the values you would like your sales force to embrace. For each value, describe how you would train the salespeople in consistently conducting their sales activities based on these values and how you would evaluate and reward ethical behavior
5. For your initial post, create a Sales Compensation Plan for your company/salesforce. Briefly (less than ½ page, single-spaced) describe the key components of the plan (base pay, commission and/or bonus), any limits you might place on the compensation, and how it would be administered
6.Read the "Takamatsu Sports" minicase at the end of the Chapter 12. Using the tools in Chapter 12, evaluate and rank each salesperson's performance based on profitability.
For your initial post, create a table with your results and post your plan. Based on those results, discuss how you would improve each salesperson's performance.
7. Review Exhibit 13.2 "Common ratios used to evaluate salespeople." Select the three measures you feel are most useful to the company you are working on