Please see attached screenshot for the problem. The book being referenced is: Se

Question

Please see attached screenshot for the problem. The book being referenced is: Selling Today (12th Edition) by authors - Michael Ahearne, Gerald L Manning, Barry L Reece. ISBN - 0132109867. Reference Chapters - five (5) and sixteen (16). Thanks!

1. Your boss has told you to provide a recommendation for either an in-house or a contract telemarketing operation. Your company has never used telemarketing as a sales approach. Which would you recommend and why? 2. As a sales manager, you have always told your sales personnel to resist the temptation to mix business and personal matters on their expense reports. Recently, you took an old college friend to dinner and put the expense on your account because you compared career notes. A secretary in the department mentioned the dinner expense to one of your salespeople, who told the others that you were doing exactly what you told them not to do. What will you do? What will you say to your salespeople?

Explanation / Answer

1. I would recommend contract telemarketing as a sales approach over in-house efforts. There are professional agencies who specialize in telemarketing and have trained personnel to take up the job. They are much better equipped, experienced and qualified to handle telemarketing as compared to any in-house effort.

Tele marketing has evolved over the years as one of the most effective medium to directly sell goods to the consumers. The approach though is often accused as harassment to the prospective consumers as telemarketing calls are often unsolicited. To offset this accusation and also to provide something additional in terms of benefits which a consumer would not normally receive in case of direct purchases, is to offer discounts or promotions and make the offer as attractive. Tele marketing is mostly used to sell bank related products such as offers for loan at better interests, credit card offers and bank deposits at good rate. It is also used to sell insurance policies, mutual funds and tour packages. There is also another follow up market that is increasing used by telemarketers. Follow up calls are made to consumers after they have purchased some high value items like cars, bikes, electronic equipments and home appliances. The calls are to entice and persuade the consumers for servicing of products and maintenance offers.

2. It is indeed unethical to mix business and personal matters on expense sheet. Though there are often grey areas wherein a friend may also be of business interest and the dual role may be accepted as legitimate business expense. I would continue to insist to my sales people to resist the temptation to mix business and personal expenses and would explain my conduct as legitimate. The person I took for dinner may be my old friend but that does not exclude his/her value to my business goals. We exchanged career notes and explored potential leads for mutual benefits. In sales one does not know from where a deal may materialize and hence who knows the dinner meeting with my friend may eventually turn out to be beneficial for the business. I would encourage them to also explore their friends who may similarly give leads for business enhancements. In sales we happen to meet many people and some may be known too who could be prospects or could provide crucial leads. It is in our wisdom to judge and decide accordingly before claiming expenses. The company will not mind paying dinner expenses for a couple of people if it is for a cause that may lead to sales opportunities. I would also say that every meeting or call does not lead to sales and we have to keep trying to maximize conversions.

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