BUSML7209STRATEGIC SALES FORCE MANAGEMENT  COURSE SYLLABUS SUMMER 2017

Dale Anne Davidson

Office hours: by appointment

Syllabus may be revised to accommodate changes in class enrollment.

REQUIRED Course Materials

  1. COURSE PACKET – purchase directly from Harvard Business Publishing:
  2. Do NOT delay in purchasing course packet. Reading materials are required to successfully complete class participation and quizzes.First Carmen quiz opens Friday, May 19.

Course Description

This course provides an overview of sales management and its managerial hierarchy. Principles covered include: sales leadership, sales force design, development, and management, CRM and sales technologies, sales person performance, behavior, motivation, and role perceptions, recruitment and selection of salespeople, training salespeople, compensation, and sales force structure.

COURSE KNOWLEDGE GOALS

Sales management is one of the most dynamic aspects of today’s business strategy and by the end of this course you should be able to discuss and be familiar with:

  1. The formulation of a sales program including the strategic role of information in forecasting, territory management, and customer knowledge; importance of customer relationship management (CRM) and its link to sales management.
  2. Models to strategically structure the sales force to create added value.
  3. Implementation of a sales program to determine sales performance with special focus on a salesperson’s role perception and motivation.
  4. Evaluation and control of the sales program to monitor and control sales force behavior and performance.

Class Participation/Attendance

Individual class participation and attendance is critical to success in this class. The sales arena is engaging, interactive, and dynamic and will be treated as such in class with the use of case discussions, group problem solving, in-class exercises, and role-plays.

In order to derive the maximum benefit from class, in-class participation is required and graded.

Reading assignments need to be completed before the beginning of each class to actively engage in classroom activities and to complete quizzes successfully. A complete list of reading assignments and quiz dates is listed under course schedule of the course syllabus.

BEST PRACTICES

  1. Electronics – use of electronics (phones, tablets, laptops) during class is not tolerated and will impact personal participation grade. Exception: tablets/laptops may be used for class activities, when required.
  2. Punctuality– is expected. Tardiness and early departure will affect participation grades.
  3. Reference materials – readingassignment for each class needs to be brought to class to be used during in-class small group assignments utilizing the course packet.
  4. Quizzes – deadline will only be extended due to severe illness documented by a physician’s excuse.
  5. Absence –a makeup assignment for one absence may be completed to earn attendance points for the missed class. Assignment is due, Sunday, midnight, of the week missed.
  6. Due dates – assignment due dates are posted on Carmen.

Carmen On-line Quizzes

Online quizzes, via Carmen,will include material from course packet and class discussions. Quizzes will focus on current readings and class discussions for the week.

Weekly quizzes will be posted by:

  • Friday,Noon and closed Monday, Noon.

Quizzes have a time limit based on total number of questions.Reference materials may be used during the quiz. Make up quizzes are not available.

Group Assignments

Two different groups will be formed, groups for the capstone project and groups for the role plays. Group size will be determined by the final class enrollment.Students will choose groups on the first day of class. Capstone groups will participate in in-class problem solving and the capstone case, “Designs by Kate”. Capstone groups will sit together during the entire term. Mandatory attendance is required on capstone date (June 19) and valued at 30% of total grade.

Role play groups will perform one, assigned role place scenario.

Evaluation

Course grade is based on the following weights:

  1. On-line quizzes30% (three quizzes)
  2. Individual in-class participation25%(five class sessions)
  3. Capstone Case30%(June 19, “Designs by Kate”)
  4. Role-plays15% (one role play)

OSU Standard Grade Scheme to be used:

Strategic Sales Force Management, BUSML7209,COURSE SYLLABUS, V. 5-7-17 / 1
BUSML7209STRATEGIC SALES FORCE MANAGEMENT  COURSE SYLLABUS SUMMER 2017
Grade / Start % / Grade / Start % / Grade / Start %
A / 93 / B- / 80 / D+ / 67
A- / 90 / C+ / 77 / D / 60
B+ / 87 / C / 73 / D- / 60
B / 83 / C- / 70 / E / 0

COURSE SCHEDULE

The course packet contains all reading assignments.

Week 1 – May 15 – Introduction to Selling and Sales Management

  • In advance of class:

1.Read pages 3-22, “Sales Force Design & Management”

2.Read pages 1-11, “Personal Selling and Sales Management”

3.Read pages 2-4, “The Best Salespeople Do What the Best Brands Do”

4.Prepare 2-4 take-aways from each reading assignment

  • In class:

1.Syllabus Review

2.Introductions

3.Form Capstone groups and role play groups

4.Discussion and group exercises of reading materials plus, understanding sellers and buyers and, value-creation in buyer-seller relationships

  • Online quiz:

1.Opens Friday, May 19, Noon and closes Monday, May 22, Noon.

Week 2 – May 22 – CRM, Sales Technologies, and Sales Analytics; Salesperson Performance, Behavior, Motivation, and Role Perceptions

  • In advance of class:

1.Read “Customer Relationship is the New CRM”

2.Read pages 1-8, “New Science of Sales Force Productivity”

3.Read pages 1-6, “What Top Sales Teams Have in Common, in 5 Charts”

4.Read pages 4-9, “How to Really Motivate Salespeople”

5.Prepare 2 take-aways for each reading assignment

  • In class:

1.Discuss reading materials plus CRM, sales technologies, and sales analytics and, salesperson performance, behavior, motivation, and role perceptions

  • Online quiz

2.Opens Friday, May 26, Noon and closes Monday, May 29, Noon

Week 3 – May 29 – Memorial Day, NO CLASS

  • Reading assignment:

1.Case: “New York Life and Immediate Annuities”

2.Read pages 1-10, “Sales Compensation Vignettes”

Week 4 – June 5 – Recruiting, Selecting, and Training Salespeople; Compensation and Evaluating Salespeople

  • In advance of class:

1.Read pages 22 (2.3 Managing the sales force) to 34 “Sales Force Design & Management”

2.Watch video 2 and 3, “Sales Force Design & Management”

3.Read pages 36-38, “Sales Force Design & Management”

4.Read pages 1-7, “The Right Way to Use Compensation”

5.Read pages 1-5, “Managing Selling and the Salesperson”

6.Prepare 2 take-aways from each reading assignment, excluding NY Life

  • In class:

1.Discussion and group exercises of reading assignments, including NY Life and Immediate Annuities plus, recruiting, selecting, and training salespeople and compensation and evaluating salespeople

  • Online quiz

1.Opens Friday, June 9, Noon and closes Monday, June 12, Noon

Week 5 – June 12

  • In advance of class read:

1.Case: “FormPrint Ortho500” (analyze case before class)

2.Pages 3-9, “The End of Solution Sales”

  • In class:

1.Discussion of FormPrint Ortho 500 plus salesforce structure

2.Role plays, groups 1-4

Week 6 – June 19 – Capstone In-class Project

  • In advance of class read and analyze:

1.Case: “Designs by Kate: The Power of Direct Sales”

  • In class:

1.Role plays, groups 5-8

2.Assignment provided during class for “Designs by Kate”

  1. Laptops needed to complete assignment
  2. Case material, spreadsheets, and notes are permitted during the assignment

Photographs

Please submit a photograph, headshot only, via Carmen “photo assignment”. Photographs aredue Friday, May 19. Submit one of the following formats: JPEG, JPG, or PNG. File size must be LARGER than 240KB.

Strategic Sales Force Management, BUSML7209,COURSE SYLLABUS, V. 5-7-17 / 1