Maintaining Balance of Personal and Process-Based Relationships - Case Study Example

Case 2 Talking from the viewpoint of Melissa Richardson, who has been newly assigned with the role of the sales manager for ColorTech Houses, it can be said that she views the role of a sales manager as one that demand to balance both personal and process based relationships. While discussing in more details, it can be said that she was very well aware of the fact that the role of a sales manager goes much more beyond the job responsibilities of a normal sales executive. She was to some extent aware of the fact that the sales manager needs to supervise the work done by the team members and has to take in to account the review of the progress of each employee in regards to his or her target achievement. She also had the idea that as a sales manager, she needs to provide significant motivation to the sales executives on a regular manner, so as to enhance their performance on the job. It is important to highlight that there exists a significant difference between the roles and responsibilities handled by a sales executive and sales manager. Talking on this note, it can be said that the traditional job responsibilities of sales executive comprises of leading the sales force of the company for acquiring sales of the company’s products or services. The key roles of a sales executive involve planning, organizing, implementing and monitoring of the sales executive of the firm (Jeff 18). Talking in regards to the role of a sales manager, it can be said that the job responsibilities include hiring the sales force, managing and motivating the sales team, achieving the sales target for the company. It is also important to say that the sales manager has a very crucial role in managing the sales turnover of the company, planning the promotional activities and devising the sales strategy to generate product and service sales for the company (Miller 5). Talking from the view point of ColorTech Greenhouses, Inc., it can be said that the job role of the sales executives for the company comprises of developing the accounts or business prospects of the company from large as well as small customers. While talking about the job role of the sales manager, it can be said that apart from managing and motivating the sales team, a lot of paper work is also involved on the job role of the sales manager (Booth and Cates 3). 2. It can be said that Richardson in an attempt to develop a high level of compatibility for handling the new responsibilities in a job focused on doing a number of right things. The very first thing that has to be mentioned is the fact that Richardson enrolled herself for a sales manager training course. It has to be highlighted that this particular action of Richardson was fuelled by the expectation that the course will help her to learn the necessary steps that will help her to manage the new responsibilities. The second most important thing that was done correctly by Richardson is to use her time listening to Spanish language, since she expected it will help her to develop a high level of compatibility with the other employees of the company, who prefer to use Spanish for one to one interactions. The third correct thing that was done by Richardson was to develop and design a motivation program that will help to boost the motivation level of her sales team. It also has to be highlighted that Richardson in her interest to develop the level of compatibility with the new job requirements took a few wrong decisions. First of all, she should have dropped out from the previous sales management classes she was taking since she felt they did not add much value to her. Second, the issue of not taking Spanish language classes to develop her language compatibility was also a very wrong step. It can be said that Richardson should have dropped out from the first sales management course and should have opted for a small course on management. The small course on management would have helped her in developing a level of familiarity with sales, leadership as well as the issues related to the paperwork. Also, she should have enrolled for a small Spanish course, so that she could develop the basic level of language compatibility. 3. Richardson, for the purpose of developing a significant compatibility with her team tried to take a considerable number of positive steps. However, the following things should have been done to provide a better impact on her team on the first day. First of all, since there was an absence of discipline among her team members, she should have made it a critical point, that she will not tolerate indiscipline among her team members. Second of all, she should have highlighted in a very polite manner that she will not tolerate any kind of insubordination and hostility from the team members. She should have focused that in case of emergence of any issues she is always available and open for discussion and resolution. Thirdly, she should have focused on setting up a feedback process, so that she could get daily inputs about the progress of her team members. Fourthly, she should have conveyed to her team members that she will be conducting a weekly meeting of her sales team, where the presence of all the members is compulsory. She should have highlighted the fact that any absence has to be supported by showing a valid cause of absence. Finally, it was important on her part to outline and show the reward incentive program that she has designed to reward the superior performance of her team members. 4. It is of significant importance, to mention that a major part of failures of Richardson is attributed to her inability to manage her team members. Also, a considerable part of the failure can be attributed to the hostility and non cooperation attitude of her team members. Talking on this note, it can be said that the various other factors like the problems in the greenhouse facility of Colombia also played a major role. The factor of incorrect arranging of products in the wrong pots, also contributed to the failures on the part of Richardson to a certain extent. It is important to highlight that Richardson’s inability to communicate with the native language and control her team members led to the failure of a probable team building opportunity. Finally, it has to be said that the non performance of the individual team members in their respective job roles, led to the process of compounding the problems of Richardson, as a sales manager of the company. 5. It is of considerable importance to highlight that there are a number of factors that are existing within the office, and are significantly contributing to the negative impacts on the leadership quality of the sales manager as well as the motivation level of her team. Talking on this note, the first issue that needs to be highlighted is the fungus problem of the greenhouse in Colombia. This particular issue is of extreme importance as it resulted in probable inability to maintain consistency and regularity in supply with regards to the demand that is being created by Richardson’s sales team through their hard work. Though, as a sales manager, Richardson has no control over this issue, but it played a serious catastrophic effect on the motivation level of the employees of her sales team. Another significant issue that was playing a contributing factor was the nature of Torres, who is a member of the sales team. The factor of non compliance and non compatibility nature of Torres with the company’s greenhouses operational limit and capability is affecting his individual sales performance as well as that of the team. Also, the factor that Torres does not opt for hard selling is affecting the sales performance of his own as well as that of the team. Finally, it can be said that the high amount of paper work that is part of the job for the entire sales team including the sales manager is affecting the sales manager’s ability to lead the sales team. This last issue is important to mention since it takes away significant and precious time of the sales team to fill up the paper work in the office. It is important to mention that time lost by the sales staff is equivalent to loss of business opportunity. 6. It is of utmost importance to mention that quitting the designation of the sales manager by Richardson will never be benefitting for either the company or her own career. Talking on this note, it can be said that the young sales manager has seriously provided considerable amount of efforts to increase the prospects of the company as well as that of her own team. However, a number of challenges have presented a difficult and hostile scenario at the workplace. While discussing in broader details about way tackling the challenges, it has to be said that Richardson needs to introduce some rules, guidelines and operating frameworks and structures. It can be expected that developing a streamlined process will help to boost the productivity of the entire team through mutual cooperation and understanding. The first thing that has to be done by Richardson is to develop a set of strict rules, which will address the issues of insubordination and indiscipline that currently exist within her own team members. The next thing that has to be prioritized by the sales manager is the restructuring process of her sales team and giving significant roles of job rotation to all the employees reporting to her. By providing job rotation to all the employees for duration of one month, the sales manager can give a chance to the two store merchandisers to show their talent in achieving sales growth and sales target. By providing a job rotation to Torres, Richardson can provide him with the ability to implement his creative talent in the office processes, besides handling the paper work for the entire sales team. By providing job rotation to Vega, the sales manager can provide her with on job training to make her more effective in performing her job her and thereby help her to achieve her sales target. The third move that has to be made by the sales manager is to design a reward and incentive program for the sales team to help in building up team motivation in regards to performance. 7. Melissa Richardson is no doubt a hard and honest worker, who is working considerably to make herself more compatible with the company’s business processes as well as the working culture. However, a series of challenges has highlighted the fact that there are some inefficiencies that exists within her in regards to managing her team as well as the work related roles and responsibilities. It is quite clearly visible that Richardson as a sales manager has failed to develop a symbiotic balance between maintaining of personal and process based relationships. In order to help her develop a foot hold in the company with regards to her new position as a sales manager, it is quite important to say that the company needs to train her to manage her responsibilities in a smooth manner. To help her, the company can focus on inculcating her in an employee mentor relationship with her immediate senior, Beth Campbell, who is the regional manager of the company. It can be said that by providing Richardson with significant inputs from her senior and reporting manager in regards to ways of managing her team and other work related responsibilities in a more smooth and efficient manner, the company will be instrumental in playing a major role in the developing of a high potential senior level employee. Works Cited Booth, Brenda Ellington and Cates, Karen L. Growing Managers. USA: Kellogg School of Management. 2013. Pdf. Miller, William. ProActive Sales Management: How to Lead, Motivate, and Stay Ahead of the Game. USA: AMACOM. 2009. Print. Jeff, Tanner. Sales Management. India: Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd. 2009. Print. Read More