Hi, Welcome back. In this video, we'll be discussing in more detail, the sales relationship with the strategic planning. Once strategic planning has defined the major goals, markets should be served, geographic reach, and large accounts to attack or defend, the sales team's role is to materialize the strategy, that is, conquer and maintain clients to help the firm meeting the strategic objectives of the firm. In other words, this strategy help with defining which clients needs to be won, protected or fired. The way to deal with each of this customers should be defined by sales. To achieve business with customers, sales needs to be able to clearly identify the problems and needs of the customers, forge over stronger relationship and influence their decision-making process, so that through the products and services offered by our firm generate customer satisfaction and profit for shareholders. Additionally, you should identify which customers are not aligned within the firm's strategy, and therefore should be fired. There are three basic situations faced by sales. First, attack, defense, and termination of relationship, voluntary that is. The attack refers to actions in which the sales area identifies and seek solutions to customers problems, and dissatisfactions through a detailed analysis of the problem they face, and the offer of a superior value proposition in comparison to the current solution. The proposed solution can be developed with the use of technical solution, better price, better service, or a combination of these factors. Obviously, the current opportunity provider will try to protect it, and any defensive actions should be considered when designed the sales strategy. In addition, there are opportunities when the potential customer changes processes, strategy, and people in key positions. The process changes the relative importance of current suppliers. In the example of the Chocolate Factory, decoration for high quality cocoa replacer would reduce the exposure of chocolate manufacturers to the fluctuation of worldwide cocoa supply. Changes in customer strategies often generates changes in demand for products and services. Changes of people in key positions typically are the prelude for changes, which can be positive or negative to our firm. Defense typically refers to the situation when the firms provide products and services to a customer, and a competitor tries to persuaded the customer to switch suppliers. In this case, it is important to realize that the customer offers an opening, when there is a dissatisfaction with the current suppliers product, or service or when the customer is undergoing change. In the case of dissatisfaction, the best way to act is to perceive its existence as soon as possible, through constant monitoring of the client and the competitors. Firing customers is extremely difficult, but it is often necessary. Part of the process of strategy is to define which clients should be served and which ones should be abandoned. Although it is a tough decision, it is necessary because the company does not have endless resources, and needed to focus on the most attractive opportunity in the present and in the future. When the company fails to fire clients who are not aligned with it's strategy, it disperses human and material resources, that could be used to strengthen the firm's competitive position in more attractive markets, in which the firm is more competitive. The firms needs to fire clients when there are changes that prevent the continuation of a beneficial relationship for both parts. These changes can be motivated by several factors such as processes changes, strategy, competitive and environmental conditions, or a shift in macro environment parameters. In all three situations, the need for constant monitoring is evident, so that the firm can perceive the changes and their implications for the business. This monitoring should involve all people in the firm who have a direct contact with the customers. These people should be trained to perceive signs of dissatisfaction, and report those comments through the account holder, sometimes called the account manager. Although sales play an important role in the relationship between the firm and the customer, the sales executive does not always have access or relationship with all the people involved in the use of products and services offered by the firm. For example, the firm involves employees in the areas of customer support, logistics, technical errors, etc. Each of these people has access to different people within the client. Only through cooperation between these multiple areas can indication of dissatisfaction and or threat be detected quickly. In addition to the customer, monitoring needs to involve the external environment variables, because of its effect on the business in which the firms operate is very important. This is the topic of our next video. Before we go, do you have a list of specific strategy to deal with clients you want to conquer, keep or fire? How connected did the strategic planning helped you to define which clients should receive which treatment? Thank you for watching and I'll see you in our next video.
