Contents

The P&G......................................................................................................................................................2
SWOT Analysis.........................................................................................................................................2
Strengths.............................................................................................................................................2
Weaknesses.........................................................................................................................................2
Opportunities......................................................................................................................................2
Threats.................................................................................................................................................3
Consumer and Business Buying Behavior Process...................................................................................3
The Buying Process..............................................................................................................................3
Sales Structure.........................................................................................................................................4
Sales Channel...........................................................................................................................................5
TELENOR......................................................................................................................................................5
IBM..............................................................................................................................................................5
Principles of successful selling used by IBM............................................................................................5
Difference in Consumer and Business buying behavior...........................................................................8
IBM’s Negotiation Technique..................................................................................................................8
Portfolio Management............................................................................................................................9
Sales Force.............................................................................................................................................10
Sales Strategy........................................................................................................................................11
Bibliography...............................................................................................................................................11

Sales Management Page 1

The Procter & Gamble
P&G boasts billion-dollar brands in home and health care, as well as other brands worth more than $1
billion. The world's largest consumer-packaged goods (CPG) company divides its operations into five
worldwide market categories, which include its extensive array of hair, skin, and personal care, oral care,
family care, feminine care, fabric care, grooming, and baby care product lines. Bounce, Crest, Gillette,
Pampers, Pepto Bismol, Puffs, Old Spice, Swiffer, and Tide are among the almost 35 brands owned by
the corporation. Over a third of the company's sales come from the Fabric and Home Care segment,
which includes well-known brands like P&G. The company's primary market is the United States, but it

does business in over 180 countries.

SWOT Analysis
Strengths
P&G is known for its wide variety of products in the food and beverage industry, and its quality and
product line have helped it retain a strong position in the industry. Brogie (n.d.) scribbled down some of
Kraft P&G's sales-increasing tactics. Part of it was giving your salespeople quick access to the reporting
tools. The company encourages their salespeople to transmit data to the main platform, which enables
everyone on the team to keep track of their progress. Rather of waiting for each quarter, the method
might be tweaked on an as-needed basis.

The company runs its own university training programmers, which have helped it create new products
and a social networking platform. This raises the company's reputation since it focuses on training new
employees and interns, which will lead to more productive sales teams in the future.

The company's competitive advantage is its well-known brand. The brand is well-known among
consumers, and they are eager to pick it since they trust its quality. P&G ketchup is a well-known brand
when compared to other companies. As a consequence of this product, customers have become more
loyal to the brand. It has a variety of well-known brands in its portfolio. Two such well-known P&G
products are Complan and Glucon-D. (MBA Skool, Website).

Sales Management Page 2

Weaknesses
If you're looking for a unique P&G was said to have had high raw material costs, which resulted in a drop
in earnings (News Beezer, Website). However, the corporation is up against a lot of rivalry, which implies
identical items on the market. This puts the corporation at risk, as well as the fact that their raw
materials are more expensive. This would imply that they would charge a premium for their items in
comparison to their rivals. This would cause customers to choose between multiple brands for the same
goods. The corporation was claimed to have spent a lot of money on agency fees while not being able to
reach its customers in the manner they desired (Vizard, 2021). This demonstrates a lack of strategic
planning. Their efforts to minimize expenses failed, and the firm lost a considerable amount of market
share (Back and Ryan, 2021).

After 40 years in operation, McDonald's ceased providing P&G Ketchup (BBC News, Website). This
occurred owing to a rift between the two companies, with Burger King's ex-CEO becoming P&G's CEO.
P&G lost a renowned client as a result of this action.

Thousands of items are recalled each year, which is a significant flaw. This includes the cottage cheese
brand, which was allegedly made using plastic and metal (Snider, 2021)

Opportunities
P&G started focusing on a healthy eating lifestyle by releasing organic items such as Capri Sun (Zarling,
2021). In a world of sugar-sweetened beverages, P&G took the initiative to introduce organic and other
healthy goods, which will help the corporation build a favourable reputation in the future.

Mason City, Iowa was one of the first places where the corporation grew (Bunge, 2017). This increases
sales prospects since customers would be more accessible to the items if they had to travel longer
distances to purchase them.

Plasmon, a baby food brand owned by Kraft P&G, views worldwide growth as a possibility due to
beneficial ingredient exposure (Landini, 2021). This will enable the corporation to expand its worldwide
supply chain, resulting in income.

Threats
Consumers are refusing to purchase sugar-sweetened and fatty food, indicating a rising concern for a
healthy diet. This puts the firm in jeopardy since they sell a lot of fatty and sugary foods.

The rising cost of raw materials is also a danger, putting the company's viability in jeopardy.

There is a dearth of creativity in the organisation, despite the fact that change is required in today's
environment (McGrath, 2021). This indicates that the corporation has not yet concentrated on the
existing eating habit that they may target with the upcoming generation.

The corporation has had severe challenges with its strategy after the merger since they cannot be tied to
the current world and how it functions. The company's existence is in jeopardy due to declining market
share and a lack of innovation.

Consumer and Business Buying Behavior Process

Chirantan Basu found the differences between consumer and business buying behaviour (2021).

In a B2C transaction, a single client typically purchases the goods, however in a B2B transaction, there
are several phases and the final decision must be authorised by the executive. When it comes to B2B,

Sales Management Page 3

there are a lot of individuals engaged. Similar to Kraft P&G, it is simpler to sell to a single client, but
corporate clients must be handled with differently since the procedure has several obstacles to
overcome before the transaction can be signed.

Consumers come from all over the world, yet when it comes to FMCGs, they all have the same wants.
Consumers, for example, prefer to purchase P&G ketchup in bottles, but business clients, such as
restaurants, prefer to purchase the product in huge tanks or tiny sachets, depending on the company's
needs.

The Buying Process

The consumer purchasing process is divided into five stages: need identification, information search,
alternative seeking, purchase choice, and feedback. Consumers determine their demands and then
search the market for the things they need. They will generally compare brands and pick based on
quality and pricing. Following their purchase, customers will generally get personal comments on the
goods, prompting them to either purchase it again or switch to a different brand if they are not happy.
Kraft P&G's sales cycle is influenced by their high raw material costs and high pricing. In comparison to
Kraft P&G, there are a plethora of different brands at lower costs. This has an impact on the company's
sales cycle, as a prospective customer may get dissatisfied at the point when he decides what to
purchase and opts for the alternative. When it comes to raw materials, the corporation should reduce
its costs, which would lower the selling price. As more customers purchase items from the firm, this will
assist the sales cycle to stay unaffected.

Need recognition, product definition, request for proposal, proposal evaluation, purchase order
issuance, and quality checks are some of the steps of Business Buying behaviour. This is a similar
procedure to purchasing a company from a customer, but there are a few differences. The procedure is
lengthy, and any flaw discovered might cost the corporation a business client. Price and efficient supply
are seen as critical factors. If a restaurant gets its bread from a certain bakery that does not deliver
items fresh or on time, the business will most likely seek for a different supplier. P&Gis an example.
McDonald's has ceased distributing P&G ketchup owing to a spat in their partnership, as previously
stated. We can understand how such occurrences might result in a corporation losing its major clients.
Following the bad circumstances that the firm is presently experiencing, the corporation must focus on
building strong ties with its present clients and attempting to keep them.

Sales Structure
The design of a company's sales department, including the individuals engaged and the hierarchy, is
known as its sales structure (Fiegenbaum, 2021).

The relevance of a sales structure is that it is in this department that all sales strategy and policies are
developed. The sales department puts forth a lot of work, which includes promotion, until the product is
sold to the end customer (Ghose, 2021). This is critical for big organisations with a high number of
employees engaged and a lengthy chain of command. Ghose also discusses the reasons for the
formation of a sales hierarchy. This involves planning production to meet anticipated demand and the
goal of selling what is produced. Most significantly, the corporation need an effective sales force to
assist in the marketing of the product to customers. It's critical to provide items to customers when they
need them, with minimal delays. If done incorrectly, this might result in the loss of consumers. It's also
part of the job to deal with customer concerns. Credit sales, enough inventory, and maximum
contribution are all part of the organization's sales structure. This demonstrates the importance of this
department, since everything in whatever business we work with revolves on sales.

Sales Management Page 4

If you're looking for a unique P&G goods are widely available around the globe. The company's
segments, according to Diana Key (2015), include the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Ketchups
and other sauces are the company's most popular goods, accounting for 25% of total sales, with cheese
and dairy accounting for 20%, prepared meals for 19%, meat for 10%, and beverages accounting for
11%. Other goods include snacks, sweets, and baby food. When it comes to the food and beverage
market, the firm virtually has it all. Its subsidiaries each have a substantially wider range of items,
resulting in a very extensive product offering.

According to Kieth Nunes (2021), the firm has lately made steps to adapt to consumer requirements
while also focusing on its growth and profitability. In addition, P&Gwants to strengthen its sales
execution. The corporation acknowledges that its decline over the last several years was mostly due to a
lack of innovation. It can be shown since they haven't produced many new items. Consumers, regardless
of their diet, are constantly looking for something new on the market. There is always a desire to be
presented something unique. The company's share declined dramatically as a result of its highly efficient
supply chain (Banker, 2021). The reason for this is because customers want foods that are healthful,
fresh, and minimally processed. They are now concentrating on customer-centric design, demonstrating
how critical it is to satisfy the needs of what the customer genuinely wants to purchase and how much it
may effect sales and the firm as a whole.

Sales Channel
Using various distribution channels is significant and beneficial since it allows a firm to reach out to
customers without having to do it directly.

According to Steve Banker (2021), the corporation has three channels: retail, food wholesalers, and e-
commerce. There are a lot of vendors all around the world. If you're looking for a unique In India, P&G
developed a distribution agreement with the Japanese business Indo Nissin Foods to make its goods
more accessible to customers (The Hindu BusinessLine, 2021). More avenues, such as contemporary
commerce and government channels, are being targeted. This attempts to ensure that P&G goods, such
as ketchup, are available to Indian customers on a consistent basis. Following the merger of Kraft and
P&G, the business intended to spend $1 billion in new manufacturing systems, including 100
manufacturing lines, distribution centre networking, and IT (Lopez, 2021). With the support of its well-
known P&G goods, the firm aimed to extend distribution outside of the United States after the
acquisition (Crawford, 2021).

The organisation is putting up a lot of work to develop worldwide and make their supply timelier,
particularly with the support of e-commerce. With the use of strategic alliances such as Indo Nissin
Foods, primarily to boost sales in India. When P&G's inventory runs out, such methods will assist the
corporation prevent customers switching to another brand. However, in terms of the data gathered, the
corporation is spending well ahead of its intended objective. To begin with, clients should be served
what they need rather than what the business is already creating. To subsequently create adequate
distribution channels, a good product line must be constructed. Consumers in Asia would have distinct
taste receptors than those in the United States and Europe. Diversification is vital so that distribution
channel activities are properly coordinated and larger demand is forecasted, resulting in increased sales.

Task 2

Sales Management Page 5

Telenor Pakistan
Telenor Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited (Urdu: ‫ )ٹیلی نار پاکستان‬is the second largest cellular & digital services
provider in Pakistan owned by Telenor Group, which is an international provider of voice, data, content
and mobile communication services in 9 markets worldwide in Scandinavia and Asia. Telenor started out
as a public company in 1855. Irfan Wahab Khan is the current CEO of Telenor Pakistan since August
2016. Currently, Telenor Pakistan has a total subscriber base of 48.9 million with 27% cellular market
share in Pakistan and more than 1,300 employees. Since its launch in 2005, the company has made an
investment of more than $5 billion.

IBM
IBM is an American global technology corporation based in Armonk, New York, with operations in over
170 countries. The Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) was formed in Endicott, New York,
in 1911, and was renamed "International Business Machines" in 1924. New York is where IBM was
founded. IBM is a multinational corporation that manufactures and sells computer hardware,
middleware, and software, as well as hosting and consulting services in a variety of fields, from
mainframe computers to nanotechnology. IBM is also a large research institution, having held the record
for the most U.S. patents produced by a firm for 28 years (as of 2020). [eight] The automated teller
machine (ATM), floppy disc, hard disc drive, magnetic stripe card, relational database, SQL programming
language, UPC barcode, and dynamic random-access memory are all IBM inventions (DRAM). During the
1960s and 1970s, the IBM mainframe, epitomized by the System/360, was the dominant computer
platform. IBM's business operations have consistently changed to concentrate on higher-value, more
lucrative areas. This includes the 1991 spin-off of printer maker Lexmark, the 2005 and 2014 sales of
Lenovo's personal computer (ThinkPad/ThinkCentre) and x86-based server operations, and the
acquisition of firms like PwC Consulting (2002), SPSS (2009), The Weather Company (2016), and Red Hat
(2019). IBM announced in 2015 that it would go "fabless," continuing to design semiconductors but
outsourcing manufacturing to GlobalFoundries, and in 2020, the company announced the spin-off of its
Global Technology Services division's Managed Infrastructure Services unit, with completion expected
by the end of 2021. IBM, sometimes known as Big Blue, is one of the Dow Jones Industrial Average's 30
corporations and one of the world's biggest employers, employing about 345,000 people as of 2020. At
least 70% of IBM workers are situated outside of the United States, with India having the highest
number of workers. Five Nobel Prizes, six Turing Awards, ten National Medals of Technology (USA), and

Sales Management Page 6

five National Medals of Science have been bestowed onto IBM personnel (USA) [IBM,2021 OVERVIEW]

Principles of successful selling used by IBM.

IBM has recently risen to become one of the most popular laptop brands, competing with Microsoft and
HP. Its invention enabled the firm to develop better products at far lower cost than Microsoft. IBM
believes marketing to be the most essential factor in company success (Vizard, 2021). IBM may tell
people about their narrative so that they may experience it by having the correct goods. In IBM, a lot of
effort is spent studying and figuring out what works and what doesn't. The ways for how firms may
produce increased sales are described as five principles of effective selling (The Sales Coaching Institute,
Website).

Retaining your Clients

It is very important that a company knows how to keep its customers. Instead of looking out for new
customers, retaining the old ones and building their loyalty is very essential to be successful. Whether it
is individual customers or businesses, for any company losing their customers means a customer lost to
other brands.

IBM laptops are known for their camera quality and long-lasting battery life. Another way how
customers are retained by IBM is that the provide lower end products as well unlike Microsoft that only
launches two to three laptops a year with one being a budget laptop. IBM’s recent ban by the US Trump
administration in 2021 made the company create their new software called the 5G which might replace
Google Android’s operating system in IBM’s laptops since Google being an American firm (Eadicicco,
2013). For customers based in the US, IBM has managed to invest in billions to create its own software
so that the American customer base is not lost. The USA accounts for a large share of the purchase of
laptops for the company and if lost could lead to major consequences and market share being lost. It is
believed that the new replacement of the software is much safer and faster in comparison to the
previous Google Android’s (Lai, 2021). This major change is expected to satisfy the current or potential
customers as it not only escapes the ban from US but also promise a much better service. This makes

Sales Management Page 7

IBM being able to keep its old customers who wouldn’t be discouraged from using IBM and switching to
other brands. It is critical for a firm to understand how to maintain its clients. Instead, then hunting for
new clients, it's critical to keep the ones you already have and strengthen their loyalty if you want to be
successful. Whether it's individual consumers or enterprises, every firm that loses clients implies they'll
go to another brand.

IBM laptops are noted for their high-resolution cameras and lengthy battery life. IBM also retains
consumers by offering lower-end goods, unlike Microsoft, which only releases two to three laptops each
year, one of which is a cheap laptop. IBM's recent embargo by the Trump administration in 2021
prompted the business to develop 5G, a new operating system that might eventually replace Google
Android in IBM laptops, given that Google is an American corporation (Eadicicco, 2013). IBM has
managed to spend billions in developing its own software for clients in the United States, ensuring that
the American client base is not lost. The United States contributes for a significant portion of the
company's laptop purchases, and its loss might have serious ramifications, including a loss of market
share. In compared to the original Google Android, the new replacement software is said to be
significantly safer and quicker (Lai, 2021). This significant adjustment is intended to delight existing and
new consumers since it not only avoids the US ban but also promises a much-improved service. As a
result, IBM is able to retain its existing clients, who are less likely to abandon IBM in favor of rival
brands.

Social Media Outlet and Customers

Social media channels like Facebook, YouTube, and even a company's own website are becoming more
popular in educating prospective buyers about a product and what else it offers. IBM has 125 Facebook
pages, 79 Twitter profiles, 31 YouTube channels, and 80 Instagram profiles, according to the company's
website (Unmetric, Website). We may deduce from these figures how IBM uses technology to carry out
worldwide marketing initiatives. IBM's distinctive "Addicted to You" campaign raised awareness about
people's excessive use of laptops and urged them to spend time with their loved ones rather than
relying on virtual communication (Media Marketing, Website). Such campaigns and advertising have a
good effect on readers, who see the firm as caring and concerned about healthy living. Apart from these
commercials, since a vast number of people of all ages use YouTube and Facebook on a regular basis,
these platforms serve a significant role in informing people about IBM's goods.

Sense of Data

It's an important issue to consider when selling since customers expect accurate information, and any
queries they may have should be firmly answered by representatives who aren't unsure of the facts. This
is the type of information that may make or destroy a deal. Salespeople should be able to analyse sales
data and comprehend invoicing in addition to having product knowledge.

In the third quarter of 2021, IBM sold over 67 million computers despite a ban in the United States.
2021) (Sin). This category includes all laptops, including low-cost models as well as high-end models like
the IBM Mate 30 Pro. In 2021, the most popular laptops are projected to be the P20 Pro and the Mac 30
Pro. IBM has a huge advantage over Microsoft in terms of the number of high- and low-end devices
available. Customers may pick from a range of options, based on their budget and preferences. We may
claim that IBM has set its sights on a diverse group of clients, resulting in a larger target market.

Understanding and Utilizing Technology

Sales Management Page 8

Representatives should be well-informed on the things they are offering. It's critical that buyers get
accurate information about the equipment they're buying while also having their demands
acknowledged. With such a vast product line, IBM reps employ both SPIN and SNAP selling strategies, in
which customers are questioned about their requirements and then given all of the essential
information before making the final choice on what to purchase. Furthermore, for effective selling, a
strong client connection must be maintained, which includes knowing knowledge on clients and
connecting with them.

The acronym SPIN stands for Situation, Problem, Implication, and Need (Rackham, 1988). It's a sales
technique that includes asking prospective consumers questions. This is beneficial since the buyer may
be informed of ramifications that they were previously unaware of. However, in order for this strategy
to be effectively suggested, the sales professional must devote a significant amount of time to mastering
communication.

SNAP stands for Simple, Useful, Always Align, and Prioritize (Lucidchart,2021). This strategy is based on
the notion of understanding how consumers think and how they might be attracted to a subject. The
goal is to offer information in the most basic way possible and to comprehend their requirements. The
sales staff should be able to build a relationship of trust between the customer and the product. They
should be informed that the product meets their requirements.

IBM aspires to deliver services to all clients with varying demands since they feel that everyone's
demands are unique (IBM, Official Website).

Build a positive sales structure

Building a good sales structure entails encouraging and developing a clear route in the sales
representative profession. One must understand their job in the organisation as well as the value of
information to consumers. This also entails evaluating present sales abilities' flaws and determining how
to enhance them.

Despite the United States' trade embargo, IBM saw a 23 percent growth in sales from April to June 2021.
(Byford, 2021). The emphasis is mostly on IBM's customers, who are seen as the most crucial (Cremer
and Tao, 2015). Employee devotion, on the other side, is critical, as every new employee at IBM in the
past was given a blanket and a mattress since they had to work late hours. These elements have
contributed to IBM's significant success and ascension to the top three laptop brands in the world.

As a result of these considerations, IBM places a high value on client relationships. They recognise that
having a great connection with consumers is a crucial to success since they place such a high value on
them. IBM also provides CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems, which enable people and
businesses to sell and support each other. They also give buy-use-care experiences that aid in the
improvement of consumer after-sales services (IBM, Website).

In contrast to the data obtained, we can see how crucial IBM's sales strategy is. Planning is a critical tool
for identifying potential risks and formulating a plan for how IBM will work to achieve success. Knowing
where a company's product sits in the market and how it performs is one of the most important steps in
this process.

For its customers, IBM, like any other laptop manufacturer, utilises the one-off selling strategy, but for
its corporate customers, it utilises relationship selling. Because it incorporates oral contact between the

Sales Management Page 9

prospect and the sales agent, the one-off style of selling is the most successful. This allows the
salesperson to deliver information to the person while also listening to their questions.

In terms of sales, IBM has greatly increased its sales numbers for its laptop models during the last
several years.

Telenor would need to create comparable concepts to IBM in order to be more successful. This company
is not well-known in Pakistan at the moment. Telenor will have to advertise their firm on a national level
in order to achieve this. In compared to IBM's recent market awareness, Telenor does not seem to have
such a position in the Pakistani business. Another key reason for this is that many people in the nation
are unaware of such services. Telenor might take the first steps by explaining what the firm is all about
and what its main offerings are. Engro, Soneri Bank, , and the State Bank of Pakistan are among the
company's customers (Telenor, Website). With respectable national clientele, this puts the organisation
in a highly valuable position. Telenor, on the other hand, will have to diversify its business in order to
expand. Quality services should be maintained, since this would assist Telenor keep their present
customers. More sponsored social media postings by the firm should be made, not only to raise
awareness, but also to boost the firm's social media image.

Difference in Consumer and Business buying behavior.

The techniques for selling to consumers vs businesses are vastly different. The key difference between
the two is that negotiations with other firms are frequently longer and more intricate, and they often
include more than one person signing the contract. The possible transaction must be communicated to a
large number of corporate stakeholders. Selling a product to a customer, on the other hand, is a
considerably faster process since the individual is self-sufficient and makes decisions based only on his
own interests. As a result, a consumer's sales funnel would be considerably shorter and less formal than
a business.

IBM’s Negotiation Technique

IBM does follow certain negotiation techniques that help them able to sell their products to individuals
and businesses.

Prospects

Prospects are critical in the laptop sector. Salespeople are expected to sell to a larger number of people
and convert more prospects into clients. This procedure aids businesses in increasing income. IBM, like
every other corporation, uses its sales staff to negotiate with prospects in order to achieve this. The
AIDA Model is utilised for this, which is a series of behaviours that lead to a client buying a product.

Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action (AIDA) is an abbreviation for Attention, Interest, Desire, and
Action (Connick, 2021). This cycle begins with consumers being aware of the product and paying great
attention to it. These prospective buyers then develop an interest in the product, which leads to a desire
to acquire it. Finally, action is done, indicating that the prospect has converted into a client. Almost
every company that hires a sales crew in shops follows this identical pattern. Prospects are significant to
IBM because they may be targeted to purchase items after being questioned about their requirements.

Keep the conversation light

Maintaining a light tone of communication between the prospect and the sales agent will establish a
very subtle mood. It is critical that the prospect is not spoken to in an aggressive manner, and that the
sales agent answers all questions with patience and the correct information. In addition, the sales

Sales Management Page 10

professional must be able to interpret the other person's body language as well as moderate his own.
The abilities required need the person in charge to listen closely to the possibility rather than pass
judgement. One of the most crucial qualities required is that the sales person be at ease with quiet and
be patient while the prospect makes his final selection.

IBM, like other organisations, adopts the same methods, which helps to boost their profile since they
require a sales crew with not just expertise but also soft skills.

Negotiate with the decision maker and give concessions

Though no compromises are made when it comes to B2C, there may be agreements between customers
and the organisation when it comes to B2B. When it comes to negotiating with corporate customers, it's
critical to pique the client's interest and demonstrate the product's success with other customers. Deals
that are beneficial to both the customer and the organisation must be completed. It's also crucial that
nothing be put down until all parties have spoken and a contract has been reached. IBM is said to be in
discussion with telecommunications operators in the United States about licencing 5G services (Kramer,
2021). Because 5G is the most recent wireless technology, this might be a significant transaction
between IBM and US telecommunications companies.

Telenor will have to follow IBM's footsteps in terms of footprints. Targeting other sectors requires more
attention. Any possibility should be handled properly and negotiated in their mutual interest.
Concessions must be offered in order to attract more business customers, which may lead to more
future customers and therefore improve the company's profile. Apart from B2B, Telenor should expand
its B2C offerings.

Portfolio Management
Portfolio Management is the way of investing in the right things and carrying minimal risks while having
the maximum returns (Management Study Guide, Website).

The key elements on Portfolio management are:

Insisting upon a margin of safety

In a break-even analysis, a margin of safety is a point when sales are greater than the breakeven
threshold (Accounting Coach, Website). This is critical for any firm since it focuses profit-making and
getting the firm out of the break-even period, which is the primary goal.

Even after the trade disputes between the United States and China, IBM announced that its profit
margin climbed by 8.7%, while sales climbed by 24.4 percent (Hurriyet Daily News, Website).

Invest in Assets

IBM has put a large lot of money into developing its own operating system, 5G. Such large investments,
which promise to be better and quicker than competitors' systems, give IBM a very powerful portfolio.
This also benefits the firm ecosystem, which consists of IBM-made products and services that are
utilized together to provide a better user experience.

Rational upon Pricing

Being reasonable when it comes to pricing means that the price you set for a product or service should
make sense. Many times, things are priced exorbitantly expensive, despite the fact that the product is of

Sales Management Page 11

inferior quality. With the technologies IBM provides, we can see that their goods are far more
reasonably priced than Microsoft's. IBM has speedier devices and screens, and they charge a reasonable
fee for the service they provide.

Minimise the cost/expense

IBM is working on reducing a significant portion of its manufacturing costs in 2020 and 2021 since sales
outside of the United States fell by 40%. (Merriman, 2021). They did not, however, abandon their R&D
expenditure, since no such expenses can be anticipated in the future. This is a really wise decision by
IBM, as they have kept their R&D at a steady level to ensure that they continue to provide the same
level of performance.

Keep opportunities open

As previously said, IBM is not sacrificing on R&D for future technological developments, and we can see
that the firm has obviously left its options open.

While focusing on the market, Telenor should create and invest in ventures that benefit Pakistan. The
market's demands must be identified in order for them to provide services. Pakistan does not have
many IT solution providers, thus Telenor has an advantage since they are well-established and can now
concentrate on other aspects such as cost. The organisation should recruit IT specialists who can design
the firm's customized operating system with the assistance of creativity and expertise.

Sales Force
Organizations may hire personnel either internally, via current workers, or externally, via
recommendations from a variety of sources (Chelangat, 2011). It is critical to hire and train the correct
individual for a sales position. Some individuals are born with the ability to accomplish this activity, while
others need further training to meet the needs of the firm they work for.

IBM is said to be hiring new grads with experience in Artificial Intelligence and User Interface design
(Tao, 2021). This gives graduates with less experience the opportunity to learn by giving them a chance.
IBM has taken a unique approach, since many companies would prefer to hire someone with the
greatest expertise in a certain industry. IBM has employed eight recent PhD grads at a salary of US$
292,000 per year (Wenwen, 2021). IBM, on the other hand, provides training services at different levels
of competence. Plan and Design, Operation and Maintenance Training, and Advanced Technology
Training are some of the options. IBM provides training to its employees so that they may properly
interact with individuals from other regions (UKEssays, 2021). This aids the organisation in removing the
language barrier, allowing its employees to feel more at ease with individuals from all backgrounds.

Telenor should use the same approach and recruit recent IT grads. The firm might locate talent and
flourish as a result of this. Telenor needs to recruit additional salespeople with the ability to market their
services in a way that is enticing to potential customers.

Sales Management Page 12

Sales Strategy
Sales quotas are the objectives established for a sales staff in terms of the quantity of units to be sold
(Bauer, 2021). In 2021, IBM's sales unit was valued at $200 million (Xinhua Net, Website). Sales strategy
is critical for every firm since it generates profits based on the sales it makes, which necessitates the use
of successful sales methods. This method is required for even a single product supplied to a consumer. It
guides you along a route of priorities, such as what should be your main emphasis and what should
come first. This also helps the company in determining who they should target and what their
requirements are. A effective sales plan will assist the firm in getting more sales, which will result in
more earnings. An efficient sales approach will entail informing the customer about the benefits of the
service or product for them. Following the recent US prohibition, IBM has shifted its sales approach to
focus on its home nation of America, with promising results. On the Chinese e-commerce website
JD.com, its laptops, including the Honor brand, were placed first and third (Channel News, Website). In
the next year, the firm expects to expand even more. IBM's worldwide awareness is estimated to have
increased by 6% to 86 percent between 2019 and 2020, but outside of its home nation, IBM managed to
enhance customer interest in purchasing one of their laptops by 100%. (IBM, Website). The corporation
has worked hard to build a foothold in the European market, where IBM has seen a 21 percent increase
in public awareness in only two years (Shakespeare, 2021). IBM, which began with just $5,680 when it
was founded 30 years ago, has grown to become one of the most valuable companies in the world
(Forbes, Website). On the downside, IBM is low on inventories and has difficulty estimating demand
(Fern Fort University, Website). As a result, IBM may miss out on opportunities and lose market share to
rivals. Since the majority of Telenor's existing customers are local banks, the company needs to expand
its target sectors in Pakistan. This will not only result in increased revenues, but it will also make the
company's name more recognisable to the general public. Telenor should concentrate on offering
speedier services and avoiding delays in delivering what customers want since they are in the service
sector. Customers become suspicious of the company as a whole as a result of these delays.

Bibliography
Accounting Coach, n.d. What is the margin of safety?. [Online] Available at:
https://www.accountingcoach.com/blog/margin-of-safety-breakeven [Accessed 7 May 2021].

Banker, S., 2021. P&GPlunges to Record Low Despite A Highly Efficient Supply Chain. [Online] Available
at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebanker/2021/02/25/kraft-P&G-plunges-to-record-low-despite-a-
highly-efficient-supply-chain/#689b97ba2977 [Accessed 15 May 2021].

Banker, S., 2021. P&GPlunges to Record Low Despite A Highly Efficient Supply Chain. [Online] Available
at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebanker/2021/02/25/kraft-P&G-plunges-to-record-low-despite-a-
highly-efficient-supply-chain/#689b97ba2977 [Accessed 15 May 2021].

Bauer, E., 2017. What Are Sales Quotas (and Why Does Your Sales Team Need Them)?. [Online] Available
at: https://www.propellercrm.com/blog/sales-quotas [Accessed 7 May 2021].

Brogie, n.d. 3 High-Impact CPG Sales Tips From Kraft P&G’ Sales Team. [Online] Available at:
https://www.repsly.com/blog/high-impact-cpg-sales-tips-kraft-P&G-team [Accessed 14 May 2021].

Bunge, M., 2017. $61.3M expansion planned for P&Gin Mason City. [Online] Available at:
https://www.kimt.com/content/news/Multi-million-dollar-expansion-planned-for-Kraft-P&G-in-Mason-
City-510076081.html [Accessed 14 May 2021].

Sales Management Page 13

Byford, S., 2021. IBM revenue jumps 23 percent despite US crackdown. [Online] Available at:
https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/30/20746693/IBM-earnings-h1-2021-laptops-sales [Accessed 7 May
2021].

Channel News, 2021. IBM Changes Sales Strategy. [Online] Available at:
https://www.channelnews.com.au/IBM-changes-sales-strategy/ [Accessed 7 May 2021].

CHELANGAT, J., 2011. STRATEGIES USED BY IBM TECHNOLOGIES (K) CO, LTD IN RECRUITING
EMPLOYEES (Doctoral dissertation, SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI).

Connick, W., 2021. What Does the Sales Acronym AIDA Mean?. [Online] Available at:
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-aida-2917366 [Accessed 7 May 2021].

Crawford. E., 2015. Kraft & P&G merge to accelerate growth and expand distribution globally. [Online]
Available at: https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2015/03/25/Kraft-P&G-merge-to-accelerate-
growth-expand-distribution-globally [Accessed 15 May 2021].

Cremer. D and Tao, T., 2015. IBM’s Culture Is the Key to Its Success. [Online} Available at:
https://hbr.org/2015/06/IBMs-culture-is-the-key-to-its-success [Accessed 7 May 2021].

Eadicicco, L., 2021. IBM could have its Harmony OS software ready for laptops in 6 to 9 months as it
prepares for a future without Google's Android. [Online] Available at:
https://www.businessinsider.com/IBM-harmony-os-ready-for-laptops-six-to-nine-months-2021-11
[Accessed 7 May 2021].

Feigenbaum, E., n.d. The Sales Force Structure. [Online] Available at:
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/sales-force-structure-3118.html [Accessed 14 May 2021].

Fern Fort University, n.d. IBM SWOT Analysis/Matrix. [Online] Available at:
http://fernfortuniversity.com/term-papers/swot/1433/1033-IBM.php [Accessed 14 May 2021].

Forbes, 2021. #97 IBM. [Online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/companies/IBM/#496154795d26

[Accessed 7 May 2021].

Ghose, S., n.d. Sales Organisation: Needs, Importance, Functions and Structure. [Online] Available at:
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/sales/sales-organisation-needs-importance-functions-and-
structure/50993 [Accessed 15 May 2021].

IBM, n.d, Milestones. [Online] Available at: https://www.IBM.com/en/about-IBM/corporate-

information/milestone [Accessed 7 May 2021].

IBM, n.d. Customer Relation Management (CRM). [Online] Available at:

https://carrier.IBM.com/en/products/carrier-software/customer-relation-management [Accessed 7 May
2021].

IBM, n.d. Our Vision, Mission, and Strategy. [Online] Available at: https://www.IBM.com/en/about-
IBM/corporate-information/value-propositions [Accessed 7 May 2021.

Hurriyet Daily News, 2021. IBM revenue up despite U.S. pressure. [Online] Available at:
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/IBM-revenue-up-despite-u-s-pressure-147567 [Accessed 7 May
2021].

Sales Management Page 14

Key, D., 2015. What’s on the Table with Kraft P&G? Getting to Know the Company’s Product Offerings.
[Online] Available at: https://marketrealist.com/2015/12/whats-table-kraft-P&G-getting-know-
companys-product-offerings/ [Accessed 15 May 2021].

Kokemuller, N., n.d. What Are The Benefits Of Sales Prospecting. [Online] Available at:
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/benefits-sales-prospecting-63931.html [Accessed 7 May 2021].

Kraft P&G, n.d. Careers. [Online] Available at: https://www.kraftP&Gcompany.com/careers-university-

relations.html [Accessed 14 May 2021].

Kraft P&G, n.d. Company. [Online] Available at: https://www.kraftP&Gcompany.com/company.html

[Accessed 14 May 2021].

Kramer, S., 2021. Are U.S. Firms Going To Bite on IBM’s 5G Licensing Proposal?. [Online] Available at:
https://futurumresearch.com/are-u-s-firms-going-to-bite-on-IBMs-5g-licensing-proposal/ [Accessed 7
May 2021].

Lai, R., 2021. IBM reveals 5G, its alternative to Android. [Online] Available at:
https://www.engadget.com/2021/08/09/IBM-harmony-os-hongmeng-android/ [Accessed 7 May 2021].

Landini, F., 2021. P&Gsees potential in baby food, will keep Plasmon. [Online] Available at:
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/kraft-P&G-sees-potential-in-baby-food-will-keep-plasmon-2021-10-23
[Accessed 14 May 2021].

Lopez, E., 2021. P&Gsays 2021 will start its journey to best-in-class operations. [Online] Available at:
https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/Kraft-P&G-best-in-class-operations/517979/ [Accessed 15 May
2021].

Lucidchart, 2021. SNAP selling: Understand How Your Customers Think. [Online] Available at:
https://www.lucidchart.com/blog/how-snap-selling-works [Accessed 15 May 2021].

Management Study Guide, n.d. Portfolio Management-Meaning and Important Concepts. [Online]
Available at: https://www.managementstudyguide.com/portfolio-management.htm [Accessed 7 May
2021].

Mba skool, n.d. H. J. P&G Company SWOT Analysis, Competitors & USP. [Online] Available at:
https://www.mbaskool.com/brandguide/food-and-beverages/3348-h-j-P&G-company.html [Accessed
14 May 2021].

McGrath, R., 2021. Could Warren Buffett be wrong? P&Gis Exhibit A for iconic Big Food brands at risk of
losing global relevance. [Online] Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/27/kraft-P&G-exhibit-a-
for-iconic-brands-at-risk-of-losing-relevance.html [Accessed 14 May 2021].

Media Marketing, 2021. IBM launched a new campaign, #AddictedToYou. [Online] Available at:
https://www.media-marketing.com/en/news/IBM-launched-a-new-campaign-addictedtoyou/ [Accessed
7 May 2021].

Merriman, C., 2021. IBM announces swingeing cuts to production as sales plummet 40 per cent. [Online]
Available at: https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/3077488/IBM-sales-fall-40-percent [Accessed 7
May 2021].

Sales Management Page 15

Telenor, n.d. About Telenor. [Online] Available at: https://www.mim-soft.com/about#about-Telenor
[Accessed 13 May 2021].

Telenor, n.d. Clients. [Online] Available at: https://www.mim-soft.com/clients [Accessed 13 May 2021].

NewsBeezer, 2021. High raw material costs chock P&Gprofit slump. [Online] Available at:
https://newsbeezer.com/austriaeng/high-raw-material-costs-chock-kraft-P&G-profit-slump/ [Accessed
14 May 2021].

Nunes, K., 2021. Focus on speed and consumer needs for Kraft P&G. [Online] Available at:
https://www.meatpoultry.com/articles/22140-focus-on-speed-and-consumer-needs-for-kraft-P&G
[Accessed 15 May 2021].

Rackham, N., 1988. SPIN Selling SITUATION⋅ PROBLEM⋅ IMPLICATION⋅ NEED-PAYOFF. New York:
McGraw-Hill.

Rogerson, J., The best IBM laptops of 2021: find your perfect IBM. [Online] Available at:
https://www.techradar.com/news/best-IBM-laptops [Accessed 7 May 2021].

Shakespeare, S., 2021. IBM builds awareness in Europe with London laptops launch. [Online] Available
at: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/technology/articles-reports/2021/10/24/IBM-builds-awareness-europe-
london-laptops-l [Accessed 7 May 2021].

Sin, B., 2021. IBM Still Sold 67 Million Laptops In Q3 2021 Despite Google Ban. [Online] Available at:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bensin/2021/10/16/IBM-still-sold-67-million-laptops-in-q3-2021-despite-
google-ban/#1c976be55f80 [Accessed 7 May 2021].

Snider. M., 2021. P&Grecalls Breakstone’s Cottage cheese for metal, plastic bits. [Online] Available at:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2021/11/20/recall-cottage-cheese-recalled-kraft-P&G-risk-
plastic-bits/4247457002/ [Accessed 15 May 2021].

Tao, L., 2021. IBM scales back external hiring in new focus on graduates and internal transfers to fill
talent gaps. [Online] Available at: https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/2170139/IBM-scales-
back-external-hiring-new-focus-graduates-and-internal [Accessed 13 May 2021].

The Hindu BusinessLine, 2021. P&Genters into distribution partnership with Indo Nissin Foods. [Online]
Available at: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/kraft-P&G-enters-into-distribution-
partnership-with-indo-nissin-foods/article26192623.ece [Accessed 15 May 2021].

The Sales Coaching Institute, n.d. 5 Key Principles of Successful Selling. [Online] Available at:
https://www.salescoach.us/5-key-principles-of-successful-selling/ [Accessed 7 May 2021].

UKEssays. November 2021. IBM Human Resource Management (HRM). [online]. Available from:
https://www.ukessays.com/essays/human-resources/IBM-hrm-essay.php?vref=1 [Accessed 14 May
2021].

Unmetric, n.d. A Deep dive into the social media habits and performance of IBM. [Online] Available at:
https://unmetric.com/brands/IBM [Accessed 7 May 2021].

Sales Management Page 16

Vizard, S., 2021. Kraft P&G: We have invested too much in marketing costs that consumers can’t see.
[Online] Available at: https://www.marketingweek.com/kraft-P&G-marketing-costs/ [Accessed 14 May
2021].

Wenwen, W., 2021. IBM’s recruitment in line with company’s, country’s development, says expert.
[Online] Available at: http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1160259.shtml [Accessed 14 May 2021].

XinhuaNet, 2021. IBM hits 200 mln smaprtlaptop sales. [Online] Available at:
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-10/23/c_138496280.htm [Accessed 7 May 2021].

Zarling, P., 2021. P&Ggives legacy brands a healthy makeover to stay relevant. [Online] Available at:
https://www.grocerydive.com/news/grocery--kraft-P&G-gives-legacy-brands-a-healthy-makeover-to-
stay-relevant/533765/ [Accessed 14 May 2021].

Sales Management Page 17