Sales Planning and Operations Report for ASDA - Marketing Strategy

This report provides a detailed analysis of ASDA's sales planning and operations, focusing on various aspects of marketing and sales management. It begins by explaining how personal selling supports the promotional mix, examining buyer behavior and the decision-making process in different situations, and analyzing the role of sales teams within marketing strategy. The report then delves into sales strategies, recruitment, motivation, remuneration, and training in sales management. It further explores the organization of sales activity, control of sales output, and the use of databases in effective sales management. The report also covers the development of a sales plan, international selling opportunities, and the use of exhibitions or trade fairs. The analysis is based on the context of ASDA, a British supermarket retailer, and aims to provide an understanding of sales planning, sales management, and the selling process within different market environments.

Sales Planning and
Operations

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Explaining how personal selling supports the promotion mix...............................................3
1.2 Comparing buyer behavior and the decision
making process in different situations........................................................................................4
1.3 Analyzing the role of sales teams within
marketing strategy........................................................................................................................5
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................6
Task 3...............................................................................................................................................6
3.1 Explaining how sales strategies are developed in
line with corporate objectives.....................................................................................................6
3.2 Explaining the importance of recruitment and
selection procedures....................................................................................................................7
3.3 Evaluating the role of motivation, remuneration
and training in sales management...............................................................................................8
3.4 Explaining how sales management organise sales
activity and control sales output.................................................................................................9
3.5 Explaining the use of databases in effective sales
management..............................................................................................................................10
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................11
4.1 Developing a sales plan for a product or service.................................................................11
4.2 Investigating opportunities for selling
internationally...........................................................................................................................12
4.3 Investigating opportunities for using exhibitions
or trade fairs..............................................................................................................................13
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................13
References......................................................................................................................................14
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INTRODUCTION
Sales planning and operations plays an important role in the organisation. To synchronize
the functions effectively within the organization, these operations and planning intended to help
the teams of the business (Feng, D’Amours and Beauregard, 2010). The various tasks include in
the sales planning and operations are sales team, strategic initiative plan, product development
plan, financial plan, production plan, inventory plan, etc. The present report is based on the
ASDA, an American-owned, British-founded supermarket retailer, headquartered in West
Yorkshire, deals in Grocery, general merchandise etc. (About us, 2016). Furthermore, the aim of
this unit is to provide an understanding of sales planning, sales management, and the selling
process, which can be applied in different markets and environments. In addition to this, the
report also explains the different ways through which personal selling supports promotional
activities in organization. To understand the roles and objectives of sales management, the
importance of recruitment and selection procedure is explained in this report.
TASK 1
1.1 Explaining how personal selling supports the promotion mix
From the different activities, marketing is one of the activities that form the back bone for
any company. To run the marketing activities for the grocery products, ASDA has built an
efficient sales team (Ayton, 2011). Marketing ensures effective consumer relationship
management in addition to this, with the customers it also ensures efficient communication.
Marketing campaigns are important for the organisation and hence it runs in order to benefit the
stakeholders. To carry out the marketing activities in the business in order to achieve the
objectives and goals, companies build marketing mix, these are the marketing tools. Marketing
mix consists of four P's that are Price, Place, Product and Promotion (Salkin, 2009). Along with
the marketing mix, promotional mix is also developed by the companies. The activities covered
in the promotional mix are sales, personal selling, direct marketing, advertising, public relation
etc.
 Advertising: It is the mass media method, provides exposure to the largest dispersed
audience at low cost. The different forms of advertising are newspaper, posters, leaflets,
social media etc. ASDA uses social media, newspaper as well as posters for advertising.
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 Direct marketing- This method enables companies to reach out directly to consumers
without intermediary any source of channels (Kitchen, 2013). The components include in
the marketing communication process are direct mail, telemarketing, online marketing
etc. In this regard, ASDA makes use of various forms of direct marketing such as online
market and telemarketing.
Personal selling supports the promotion mix
It is one to one communication between the seller and the buyer. It is selling of the
products and services by personally meeting clients along with ensuring to form effective
customer relationship (Thomé and et.al., 2012). Personal selling plays a crucial role from all the
activities that are included in the promotional campaign. Incentive programs or trade
presentation is usually conducted by the sales teams, in order to personally sell products or
services. ASDA consider personal selling as one of the most effective selling tools, the reason is
it is highly flexible. In order to sell the products to the customers, sales team of ASDA make
customers presentation about their products in which the cited company is dealing. The
presentation is prepared keeping in mind the needs and motive of the customers and also with a
motive to impress them. On the other hand, to convince the customers effectively, sales
professional should be with high energy and processes the skills, this must be needed at the time
of personal selling (Waarden, Benavent and Castéran, 2013). Hence, personal selling supports
the promotion mix as it enables the mentioned company to gather suggestions and feedback from
different people and also get to know about the target audience well.
Push strategy- This strategy is defined as taking the product directly to the consumers. This is
done by using those means that are suitable. Push strategy is undertaken to ensure that while
purchasing the products of ASDA the customer is aware about them.
Pull strategy- A pull strategy is defined as motivating customers to actively seek ASDA as their
preferred brand (Meyr, Wagner and Rohde, 2015)..
ASDA uses push promotional strategy. Sales are integrated with other promotional
activities. In personal selling, ASDA appoints sales persons who persuade the customers to buy
product. Various pricing strategies are used by the salespeople which help in convincing
customers for purchasing a particular product of ASDA.in this way, personal selling is quite
supportive to promotion mix.
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1.2 Comparing buyer behaviour and the decision making process in different situations
Buying behaviour
While purchasing any product or services, the attitude adopted by the consumers is often
defined as buyer behaviour. It is one of the crucial components for the organization to consider
buyer behaviour while formulating their marketing activities and strategies. Buyer behaviour
helps the company in decision making process in different situation (Yannopoulos, 2011). In
case of ASDA, due to economic recession the sales of the products were down. Five stage
process was adopted by the ASDA as to study the consumer behaviours. Such as: Determining the problem: At the time of choosing electronic products for themselves or
for-others, consumers often face numerous problems. They find it difficult to choose the
right product as there are a number of options available. Also, sometimes the features of
the products of different organizations are almost similar which adds to the confusion of
buyers. ASDA determine the problem in the situation, when the electronic market is low.
It presents the features of its products in a distinctive way which helps the customers in
making choice. Purchase occasion also determines the need of customers. Gathering information: After determining the problem the next stage is of gathering the
information related to the problem (Meyr, Wagner and Rohde, 2015). This is done by
looking into the problems, which are faced by the consumers regarding the electronic
products along with this to solve the problem they also look for solutions. For example,
in order gather information, the consumers can contact the store keepers. They can also
look for the features of the product. To evaluate different options: Sales team of the cited company gets numerous options
for consumers, at the time of gathering information. According to the problem, sales
teams have to find specific options. In the case of ASDA, if customers face problems in
selecting the electronic product for example mobile, cameras, then company can present
different varieties of products at the same price (Calfa and et.al., 2015). The problem
identified is that customers find issue in making choice about an electronic product as the
features of these products seem to be the same. Hence, for solving the issue the company
can evaluate the options available. One option available to the company is that they can
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mention the features of the products distinctly on their packaging. Another suitable
option is that Asda can provide a catalogue to the customers with the help of which the
customers can easily compare features of various products. This stage is influenced by
the buyer mood. Purchase decision: This stage is to make the customers buy electronic product of his own
choice. At this stage, after evaluating the different options available, the customers
choose to buy the most favoured product.
 Post purchasing evaluation: In this last stage, the customers evaluate the electronic
product bought by them. At this stage, the customer evaluates the product and decides
whether he has made right choice or not. If he is satisfied with the product, the customer
will repeat the five stages of the buying process. Also, the stage of information search
will be minimized as the customer will be assured that the product was good. The
mentioned company has to ensure that the customers who buy the electronic products are
happy with their purchases and are not facing any issues related to product or services.
ASDA adopted a five stage process with a motive to ensure that the customers are
satisfied with the product or services and their problem is rectified. This model is important, at
the time of taking marketing decisions by the sales team (Ivert and et.al., 2015). In the same way
as consumers are influence, organizational buyer behaviour is also influenced by various factors.
These include environmental, organizational, interpersonal, individual etc. The unfavourable
conditions of the economic and political environment restrain ASDA from making purchases.
1.3 Analyzing the role of sales teams within marketing strategy
Sales team plays an important role in the organization and have a substantial influence on
the profitability of business. As to reflect the strength of the products, definite roles are assigned
to each and every sales team. There are various roles and objectives of the sales team or
management (Bilginer and Erhun, 2015). On the basis of the roles taken by the sales team,
marketing strategies are built, they can set achievable targets. Within the market strategy, the
main role of sales team is to advocate for the needs of target market. Sales management is
referred to training and managing of sales staff as well as reporting of company's sales to the
senior level management (Fleischmann, Meyr and Wagner, 2015). In ASDA, the primary role of
sales management is having knowledge of company’s long and short run goals, production
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process, consumer behaviour and competitors. It has been analysed that there are different roles
of sales teams that they plays within marketing strategy such as-
1. Role of personal selling: It has been analysed that the key role of ASDA sales team
within the marketing strategy is to ensure the personal selling. Sales team often plays role
of personnel selling under which they orally communicate the quality and information of
their products with creating intention to generate sales volume (Norde, Özen and Slikker,
2016). The key role of personnel selling is to find put the various new customers to
whom they can serve the ASDA discounted products and services.
2. Delegating knowledge regarding the products and competitors: Another analysed role
of ASDA sales team within the marketing strategy include of talking or delegating the
information regarding their products and competitors so that they can easily device the
sales strategy for discounted supermarket.
3. ASDA sales team communications: In addition to this it has also analysed that ASDA
sales team also focuses on the proper communication among the different levels as well
as authorities so that it may often improve their communication system. Thus, their role
will be relating to delegating all the important activity as well as information regarding
the competitors strategy and their products so that they can properly engage in the sales
activity.
4. Other sales team responsibilities: It has been also analysed that there are different
responsibilities of ASDA sales teams that is gathering information and data related with
the variety products and services that they are dealing with. In addition to this, another
role of ASDA sales team is to update the reports related with sales so that in the future
year they would increase their sales.
TASK 2
Attached in PPT
At the time of preparing a sales presentation of a products, the sales representatives have
to follow some principles including customer-oriented approach and objective setting. The
business has to select a customer- oriented approach in which presentation must include the
values of product and its benefits to customers. The content must be included to attract target
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audience. Prior to this, objectives behind designing PPT must be designed. Here, a new project is
to be launched by ASDA, hence major objective is to enhance the sales of product and creating
market awareness.
Sales representatives of ASDA must rehears well for the presentations so they can
present new product with full confidence and may can give answer of customer’s quarries if any.
The sales representatives must specifically focus on identifying needs of customers and must
present new product in a way to convince customers for purchase. To attract there must be
effective use of visual aids.
The presentation must move towards its closing process as customer provide buying
signals. The sales representatives must identify those singles and should handling and pre-
empting objections. When customers make purchase decision there might be post sale follow-up
with a record keeping in which customer’s record will be kept to develop effective trade relations
in future. ASDA makes use of customer relationship marketing (CRM) to attract customers to
attain customers’ loyalty and for new product, it is important that customers sales presentation
must be focused towards customer need.
TASK 3
3.1 Explaining how sales strategies are developed in line with corporate objectives
Without proper planning of sale strategy and selling the products and services directly to
the customers is likely to yield poorer results for the company. To invest in a particular product
or services, managing and planning of an appropriate sales strategy will help the business to
convince its managers and prospective investors. Developing a proper sales strategy by the sales
managers lays a significant concern. By considering all the major factors this will help the
company to attain its corporate objectives. In order to achieve the heights of corporate growth,
sales strategy lays an important concern over market segmentation, targeting and positioning.
On the basis of present scenario, to achieve the overall corporate objectives, the report
emphasizes on implementing appropriate sales strategies for ASDA. Implementing of such
strategies will help the mentioned company in increasing its sales as well as it also support in
attracting the large number of audiences that support in generating or increasing the revenue of
discounted supermarket. This strategy will achieve, by setting up the primary objective for each
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of its services and products. By setting this ASDA company should lay its attention over the
following key characteristic-
1. What does company want to sell? (Major products and services include- groceries,
general merchandise and home services)
2. Who is its target market? (people of UK)
3. Its superior attention towards specific services and products? (electronic products,
groceries)
After analysing on the key characteristics, ASDA undertakes the sales strategies in order
to attain its corporate objectives. Product focused sales strategy- The first sales strategy is adopted by focusing on the
major products or services in order to gain customers satisfaction (Feng, Amours and
Beauregard, 2010). This strategy is helpful for those companies who posses wide range
of products. Hence, this strategy can be used by the ASDA as they possess a wide range
of complex products in their business. Territorial sales strategy- Through this sales strategy, ASDA is able to sells its products
line to its various customers that are situated in different locations. In this, the sale
managers of ASDA focuses on selling the entire product line involving different products
to its customers in that particular location.
 Customer focused sales strategy- The last strategy undertaken by the company is of
focusing on providing specific products and services to its target customers (Ayton,
2011). With the use of such strategy, ASDA is able to gain huge customer loyalty and
this will help the company to build strong brand image in the corporate business world.
By analysing the above sales strategies, this will help ASDA to attain the overall
corporate growth. Moreover, with the help of these the mentioned company may come to know
its successful implementation of strategies by gaining worldwide market share and increasing
customer.
1. Use of marketing information for planning and decision making: In order to develop
the sales strategies that would line with corporate objectives ASDA sales manager can
easily use the marketing information that is through using various sources for collecting
the customer data from market. Therefore, using marketing information for planning and
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making decisions it can easily devise the effective sales strategies with attaining the
overall corporate objectives.
2. Role of sales forecasts in planning: Another concept include role of sales forecasting in
planing with the help of sales forecasting ASDA manager can easily developed the
current sales strategies so that they can attain or generate the required sales for the year
with the help of enabling sales forecasts in planning. Thus, overall it would support in
attaining the ASDA corporate objectives.
3. Quantitative and quantitative sales forecasting technique: Through using the
qualitative and quantitative sales forecasting techniques ASDA sales manager can easily
develop or formulate the sales strategy for ASDA that would be in line with attaining the
overall corporate objectives.
4. Strategies for selling: In order to develop the sales strategy for ASDA in the line with
corporate objective they may use several strategy for selling the products that is through
understanding the target customers as well as determining the needs so that they can
easily satisfy them through providing the required products and services to the customers.
Another strategy for selling that is used by ASDA manager in order to line up within the
corporate objective is through focusing price competitively that support the consumer to
make purchase the discounted products.
3.2 Explaining the importance of recruitment and selection procedures
Recruitment and selection plays an important role, as it reflects the criteria of employing
the right candidate for the right job (Taşkın and et.al., 2015). The selection process is proceeded,
once the recruitment applications are received. In the selection process, important tests based on
their skills and knowledge are conducted along with this it also monitors their overall
performance of the candidate. The procedure of recruiting and selecting is very effective as it
helps the company to reduce its employee turnover by selecting the best candidate for the
appropriate job and also helps in retaining the best personnel within the workplace. By
generating the best outcome through an effective selection of right candidate procedure, will help
the ASDA in increasing the overall performance as well as profitability of the company.
Screening and interview process gives an opportunity for the company to focus on what the
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selected candidates can offer the company. In addition to this, the mentioned company will be
able to achieve higher productivity by implementing and using the right skills and knowledge of
its selected candidates, this is done by adopting an impressive and flawless recruiting criteria
(Tolstoy, Jonsson and Sharma, 2016). Through sustainable and efficient use of resources, this
procedure will serve the company to attain the heights of success and enhance the economies of
scale. Furthermore, by hiring appropriate candidate, ASDA will enhance its overall business
operations, hence this will help the company in achieving a global exposure in the hyper
competitive environment. Therefore, the recruitment and selection process not only reflects the
selection of right candidate for the right job but it also represents to hire and recruit those
applicants who endorses and shares the core value of ASDA in an impressive manner.
In order to determine the significance of recruitment and selection procedures within
ASDA the recruitment and selection procedure focuses on different activities such as
1. Sources of recruitment: The foremost step in the recruitment activity is measuring the
sources of recruitment through which ASDA can easily promote their vacant job position
in the market. The different sources of recruitment include advertisement through online
etc.
2. Interview preparation and technique: After selecting the sources of recruitment, the
next process is of interview in which the selected employees during interviews are to be
selected after taking interviews ((Negahban and Smith, 2016).
3. Selection procedures and appointment of ASDA: The selection process and
appointments are the next procedure of recruitment and selection process of ASDA in
which selected candidates are to be placed at their respective places.
3.3 Evaluating the role of motivation, remuneration and training in sales management
In implementing appropriate strategies, motivation, remuneration and training plays a
significant role in sales management. This will help in leading the organisation towards the
direction of achieving corporate growth in the global market. In accomplishing the
organizational goal, this acts as an immune system (Staeblein and Aoki, 2015). According to the
mentioned company, the main motive of the company is to provide its staff an appropriate
training and motivation programs in order to motivate them. This will help the cited company in
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gaining a strong sense of commitment with a positive attitude and loyalty from its employees
towards achieving the goal of the organisation. To attain the expectation and satisfaction level of
its core customers, proper training session helps in motivating the employees of the mention
company.
To promote the company products and services in an effective way, ASDA view sales
training as an important measure. They promote in the entire market and also expand its business
operations by attracting the new customers towards its alien and additional services. In addition
to this, to improve and enhance its overall level of productivity, the mentioned company
emphasizes on providing remuneration to their employees, sales team etc. In order to bring the
best outcome, concerned company provides remuneration to the employees, as this will help to
boost the morale and also feel them with a strong sense of commitment and confidence.
Providing of the remuneration, training etc. act as a basic source of employees motivation and
also provides a strong base to the employees (Kilger, Reuter and Stadtler, 2015).
In addition to this, the role of motivation also plays significant role in building the team
activities as well as it also assists in target setting support for the supermarket that will overall
amend their performance level. Furthermore, it acts as a basic source of employee motivation
and provides a strong base to the employees of the ASDA, with a motive that they can perform
their job in an efficient and effective manner. To achieve success, the cited organisation provides
its staff with the following motivational techniques such as, providing of remuneration, both
praise and recognition, Catering challenging opportunities to them, total job security is offered to
the sales team, satisfying the employers and managers expectations etc.
1. Financial and non-financial incentives- Within ASDA supermarket manager with the
help of providing financial and non-financial incentives can easily motivate their staff
and employees towards the organization and thus, it also assists in meeting their financial
requirement. In addition to this, with the help of financial and non-financial incentives it
may also increases the commitment level towards the organization that outcome in
improving the overall performance of the organization.
2. Reward systems: It has been also recommended that ASDA supermarket must focuses
on different reward systems in order to motivate and encourage their employees towards
the operational activity to supermarket. Further it is also recommended that ASDA
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