Case Study on Team Development at Lombard Security Services

This case study analyzes the team-building strategies employed at Lombard Security Services for their business development managers. It addresses the needs and wants of team members, methods for gathering information to foster innovation, and suggestions for encouraging individual potential. The study also explores ways to acknowledge contributions to team performance and the importance of creating a cohesive and effective team. The analysis includes performance management plans, collaborative team-working practices, and motivational strategies to maximize sales and overall business success. Desklib provides access to this and many other solved assignments for students.

CASE STUDY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
QUESTION 1...................................................................................................................................1
1. Brief description to evaluate the needs and wants of team......................................................1
2. Gathering information about team member’s work to develop an innovative team................2
3. Suggestions to team members based on their needs to encourage their potential...................3
4. Undertaking proposed suggestions..........................................................................................4
5. Different ways to acknowledge people for contributing towards team performance..............4
QUESTION 2...................................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Increasing external market competition created complexities for the business in
maintaining their survival in the external business environment. Focus of the current report
lies on building of team for the post of business development managers. Various factors
needs to be consider in the existing report which is essential for the better performance of an
entity. Role of business development managers are analyzed in relation to various parameters
in the current report such as innovation is taken as important factor in generating higher
results in improving the overall performance of an entity within a given span of time.
QUESTION 1
1. Brief description to evaluate the needs and wants of team
Lombard Security Service is a security service provider organization who provides
installation, servicing and maintenance facilities to the clients for the electronic technology
equipment’s i.e. fire alarm, access control, security guard, property protection, GPS
equipment and other.
Being a Business Development Manager (BDM) of the firm, it is necessary for
Wendy Smith to identify the desires, needs and wants of all the four BDMs serving different
regional areas. She must have a well-defined plan in her mind and must know that what
activities she will have to conduct, what will be the objectives, how the work will be done to
get the expected outcome, so that, she can align their tasks with the overall business aims and
objectives. A well-defined review process is the most fundamental requirement for creating
and managing an iterative marketing process. For obtaining required information, Wendy
must conduct review sessions with the other team members on the current marketing plans
and strategies. Mutual discussion will also assist her in finding out the actual needs &
demand of the team members, risks in the existing marketing plan and required amendments
demanded by the members, so as to promote and advertize the company’s services more
effectively. It will help her to create operational plan, strategic plan, team-working plans and
others for the successful management. She also needs to track changes in external
environment i.e. technology breakdown, resource constraints and unforeseen changes and
create plans accordingly for the risk management. It can include updated technologies i.e.
modems, computer, scanner & others and decides that which lies under the budgeted limit.
1

Besides this, monitoring her own performance against the set targets will assist her in making
realistic plans for contributing towards success.
In this, various questions can be asked frequently to all the BDMs to evaluate the
current progress, risk and issues suffering by the individuals in effective execution of the
existing marketing plan and strategies employed to overcome such barriers. Besides this,
meeting can be held to undertake discussion with the members so that they can express and
share their actual need and demands as information is kept confidential. In the meeting, sales
staff can also be asked with the need of proposed change in the current marketing plans of the
firm, funding requirement, review existing sales targets and bonus and incentives plans as
well for devising an excellent marketing and promotional plan.
2. Gathering information about team member’s work to develop an innovative team
In order to obtain information about BDMs work, Wendy can acquire financial
information upon the sales target and current sales level in different areas along with the
comparison of budgeted and actual marketing expenditures made. By gathering sales
information, Wendy will be able to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of marketing plans
executed and identify that whether the allocated sales targets have been achieved or not by all
the BDMs.. She also needs to exercise an analysis of the marketing plan, strategies and
promotional campaign employed by all BDMs in different region and measures its success.
Success can be analyzed through comparing the quality of work, incurred cost,
offered services and the time taken with the set benchmark. Besides this, performance
management plan (PMP), performance appraisal & evaluation, performance reviews and
other tools can be used by Wendy to monitor her own performance and productivity. It can be
measured using KPIs (Key performance indicators) i.e. marketing expenditures percentage to
sales will assist Wendy to examine that whether target marketing strategies effectively
contributed or not towards sales growth.
In order to create an innovative team, Wendy must allow active participation of all the
team members in devising various marketing strategies and promotional plans at local as well
as national level, so that, they can share their innovative and creative ideas to boost Lombard
Security Service’s sales and contribute towards business success. At the same time, there are
number of issues and difficulties that might be cause while exercising the marketing plan.
2

Thus, in order to overcome such barriers, team members must be authorized to create
necessary plans to beat competitors marketing plans and maximize business sales
performance.
3. Suggestions to team members based on their needs to encourage their potential
It is necessary for the Wendy Smith to suggest their team-members so as to satisfy
their own needs and expectations and encourage their potential to a maximum level. Sales
team must be suggested with the updated marketing plan and new ways of marketing such as
online marketing, social media marketing and various ways of differentiating the existing
plans so as to attract greater consumer base for Lombard Security Service. In order to
encourage and promote their efforts, sales team must be motivated continuously and their
efforts must be recognized and rewarded by the senior authority for satisfying all the BDMs
in different region. Bonus and incentive plans on the assigned sales target definitely helps to
encourage the team potential to great extent and improve their performance.
Review is also considered as an effective way to give feedback to the team members
and motivate them to perform better. Through PMP, staff member can rate their own
performance as a method of self-appraisal and thereafter, manager verify it by either agreeing
or disagreeing based on the actual outcome or results. Further, Development objectives can
be designed by Wendy to provide direction to the team members how the things will be done
and accordingly, HR department can create training schedules for maximizing their
competencies. Conducting special trainings also encourage individuals to perform better by
acquiring required marketing skills.
Besides this, involving active participation of all the members in marketing planning
by using participative leadership style helps to promote innovativeness and creativity among
team members. It is because, with the help of this, all the BDMs can give their unique
suggestions and ideas for sales maximization. Apart from this, recognizing their sales
performance will enable Wendy to promote individual’s effort as they will desire to perform
better to get monetary i.e. incentives as well as non-monetary benefits i.e. praise by seniors.
By the way of incentives, they will be encouraged and contribute best efforts in reaching the
allocated sales target and maximize total turnover top a great extent.
3

4. Undertaking proposed suggestions
Collaborative team-working practices will definitely give assistance to Wendy Smith
to design the most effective promotional and marketing plan in order to attract greater
consumer base to the business. Besides this, as said earlier, active participation will be
considered as an innovative practice to generate creative ideas of all the members and build
an innovative sales team. It will enable her to lead an innovative sales team and take the team
to next level. She will also conduct training in which all the attendees acquire updated
knowledge & various marketing skills to implement new and creative marketing plans to
maximize their regional sales. For instance, new ways of online marketing, advertisement
practices and other promotional strategies like offering discounts will helps BDM to boost
sales to the maximum extent.
Continuous improvement process needs to be focused wherein Wendy can put focus
over necessary strategies to improve staff performance. They can also consult with the team
members via PMP, performance reviews and other techniques and devise plans for the better
performance. It encourages everyone to involve in such process and provide them an
opportunity for bringing continual improvement in their performance.
Apart from this, continuously monitoring & performance management plans will be
implemented to track work progress and thereby measure that whether marketing activities
are conducted in line with the budgeted cost or not. It helps to implement control so as to
overcome cost overrunning issues. In addition, change management plans will be created to
implement necessary changes, in this, participative leadership style will be of great
importance to build positive attitude among members to accept changes.
5. Different ways to acknowledge people for contributing towards team performance
Participative leadership style is the best way through which Wendy Smith can
motivate and encourage their team members to contribute best in exercising marketing plan
and thereby boost sales performance. It promotes innovative and creativity in the team as
everyone wants to share their creative ideas and suggestions to maximize Lombard Security
Service’s sales. Team-members will feel that their efforts are acknowledged by their
respective seniors.
4

Open communication session can be organized wherein everyone can share their
views freely at high level of transparency with the managers. It is really an effective way to
collect feedback on the process to examine that how the work is going on to get the desirable
outcomes.
Moreover, staff training programs can be conducted in which all the regional BDMs
can be guided by the marketing experts with the innovative ways about how to marketing and
advertise the firm in unique ways to generate greater sales. It will motivate people as they
will get knowledge and build competencies in their operational areas. Various motivational
plans i.e. rewarding and bonus plans can be designed based on the sales targets, so that, every
BDM can be motivated to properly execute the devised marketing plans and strategies and
reach targets to get extra monetary benefits in the form of incentives. Assigning more
responsibility & praise by the senior also acknowledge the efforts contributed by the regional
BDM in the success of the business.
QUESTION 2
Creating a good team is important process in an entity when talented people are
recruited in joining a good team in accomplishing all the aims and targets set by a leader. A
good team can be created by an entity owner when they focus on the core competencies of the
business management. Synergy will be created in a team as each and every goals and the
objectives will get achieved with the support of all the members in a team. Wendy need to
understand its responsibilities towards their team as if they take initiates in a team then all the
team members will also make their hard efforts in order to complete tough target in give span
of time. A leader will guide its followers in completing tasks in the best way in maintaining
higher accuracy in the work is the desired aim of a leader. Goals are framed especially in an
enterprise to get it completed within a short span of time as the basic motive of the business
concern is to accomplish their aims after considering each and every factor properly.
Wendy can allocate tasks among all their team members by conducting meeting and
conferences in order to know the interest of all their team members. In this way, they can
allot tasks in order to get it complete by all their members in short span of time. Team
meeting will be conducted once in a week in order to create friendly working environment in
a team. This will be helpful for Wendy in order to track the performance of all its members.
5

Allocation be leader is regarded as an important approach as in this process they will come to
know about the talent of a person. Leader will delegate duties to an employee in order to
create loyal employees who can trust on their leader and able to take initiative for risky paths
in the business. The innovation and creativity can be brought in an entity by promoting all the
skills and the capabilities of an employee.
Case study method will be used as one of the important team activity that enhances
the communication skills of all the members. With the help of this approach, they can easily
solve all the problems by taking help of all the members in a team. Helping attitude created in
a team that help Wendy in order to reduce the workload of a whole team. Work in a team will
be easily managed when Wendy launches new program of mandatory help in a team in order
to complete of all the team members.
Workload of a leader gets reduces when it delegates its work among all its users as the
ultimate aim of the business owner is to accomplish the desired market aims and targets
within a given span of time as delivering quality oriented services to its clients located in the
external business environment.
There are various factors needs to be considered by an enterprise owner while taken
into considerations in order to improve its current business performance in relation to various
parameters considered by an entity owner are given as below:
Internal factors
Analysis of the present condition of a business is required as this would help an
individual n understanding the future needs and expectations. Current role of Wendy as
business development manager is difficult as it is full of challenges which require business
strength in order to appoint the suitable candidates in order to handle tough business
conditions. Existing business condition can be managed by an enterprise owner in
recognizing the financial as well as non-financial performance that will be regulated by an
entity over a stipulated time. Resources are properly allocated by business manager by
delegating daily routine responsibilities among its personnel.
Initial team meeting conducted by a leader in order to recognizes the strengths or
weaknesses of all the team members as this wold be helpful for them in order to regulate their
6

existing business performance. Training will be provided to all the team members who are
lacking in some skills.
Creative skills of an employee are required in order to enhance the overall quality of
all the services offered by an entity to its employees. Talent recognition programs will be
launched in a team in which extra curriculum activities are conducted at workplace as in this
particular manner stress will be managed of all the team members.
External factors
The role of business development manager is to seek for both internal and external
competition in the organization as my duty is to protect the interest of my business. Wendy
need to analyze the current competition impact on its business and current designation that
can be both positive or negative and promoting positive effect will help them in order to
achieve all its desired targets. Trends and patterns of the industry will be identified by the
management as this will help in appointing the best suitable team members in improving the
existing market conditions along with generating higher returns from the business.
Research activities will be increases in a team as one day all team members given a
certain topic on which they have research thoroughly and showcase their results in front of all
the people. This will enhance their knowledge when they do research and also their fear of
speaking in public gets reduces.
Team diversity need to be treated by leader as important aspects that helps in relieving
the stress of business in order to enhance the existing quality of team members and their skills
and the capabilities that needs to be evaluated by them in order to develop desired aims and
targets of a business concern. Varied background employees in a team increase the value of a
team. Goals and objectives will get completed in team easily as team members will work
collaboratively with a common interest of achieving all aims and targets.
CONCLUSION
It can be summarized from the report that building of a team gets easy with the
consideration of various internal as well as external factors in improving the current business
conditions. Innovation is taken as his basic factor to be used in building of a team and also in
enhancing the existing team.
7