Importance of Selling to Company

IMPORTANCE OF SELLING TO THE COMPANY The relationship that exists between CARI-MED Ltd. Sales and marketing department is close in that they are both under the control of the same individual Lanna Bennett. The two department are very different, but all with the same goal. Marketing plays a very important role in sales as an improvement in the selling environment. The goal of the marketing department is to create opportunities for interaction between prospect and the sales team. In gaining prospects promotional activities are undertaken by CARI-MED this includes advertising, sales promotion and offering new products. The marketing team is therefore responsible for bringing the customers ‘through the door’ to allow sales people to entice them to buy the products or products that CARI-MED has to offer. The primary responsibility of the sales is to supply to the customers the products desired by them at the right quality and price at the right place and time. The sales and marketing department of CARI-MED Ltd. aintains a good relationship with all departments that it comes in contact with. This includes all other marketing related departments as well as other functions like the Human Resource department, Finance, MIS/Logistics and so on. CARI-MED mission statement is to be a dynamic provider of quality healthcare and consumer products to meet the needs of consumers. Encourage the highest level of professionalism and ethical standards among their staff to ensure that their commitment to their motto - “Service is our Goal” is realized. Maintain a family culture that provides a working environment conducive to teamwork, as well as the professional, personal and spiritual development of members of staff. Conduct the business of the organization to sustain profitability and responsible commercial success, while contributing to the development of the society in which they operate. The Company is led by a Board of Directors, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Glen Christian who is also the founder. He is supported by the General Manager Denis Grant. Six departments report to the General Manager, Finance- MR. Grant, Sales and Marketing- Lanna Bennet, MIS/Logistics, Human Resource- Mrs. Stewart-Gordon, Distribution and Customer Service. CARI-MED was incorporated in 1985 and has become the leading distributor of pharmaceuticals and fast moving consumer goods. This includes a wide range of ethical and OTC drugs, diagnostic reagents, Medical equipment and strong portfolio on health and beauty aid products. In 1996 CARI-MED ltd diversified its operations with the distribution of consumer brands. CARI-MED has become the leading distributor of personal care and household products in Jamaica for e. . CARI-MED antiseptic mouthwash, Lysol, Gillette, Wrigley’s and many more. Thy have also distributed food lines such as juices, teas, spring water, confectionery and nutritionals. CARI-MED’s competitors include H. D. Hopwood, Grace Kennedy Ltd. , T. Geddes Grant, Chas E. Ramson, World Brand Services Ltd. , Wisynco Group and Lasco Distributors. CARI-MED has many competitive advantages has over its competitors. Pricing is an advantage where distributor – supplier agreements are made which allows for special pricing; Access to a wide range of products. This variety spans from instrumental equipment for general applications and also for specialized area including obstetrics and gynecology, surgery, physiotherapy, pediatrics and so on. CARI-MED also provides special sourcing where necessary as well as providing consumer household products; they maintain a competitive advantage in the pharmaceutical and consumer industries by excelling at service delivery. Upon entry into both business areas, CARI-MED quickly established standards of customer care and quality that set the company apart as a clear leader among the many other companies. The customer focus approach is strengthened by an in-depth knowledge of customer behavior which enables CARI-MED Ltd. not only to address current concerns but to take preemptive action when necessary; After Sales Support is another competitive advantage. This includes warranty, user training, optional service contract, services of in house biomedical technician (trained by supplier), access to supplier technician if needed and access to spare or replacement parts; and the last competitive advantage includes staff turnover. CARI-MED has an employee population of over 300 persons and a staff turnover currently standing at 0. 9%. CARI-MED’s general approach to selling is a mixture of both consultative and low key. Low key because most of the customers will normally order stock with a mixture of the same product from all distributors. The consultative approach is used in instances where CARI-MED would consult with a customer where they have purchased a large quantity of a product or products and are interested in discounts. They also have a consultative management style and a flat structure geared towards fast decision making, strong dedication to customer satisfaction through the expert  delivery of high quality service, a result oriented approach to their business, a nurturing family environment and producing high performance teams. Sales Automation is used by CARI-MED to help their sales person in being successful sales professionals. CARI-MED’s sales representatives have recently started to use a hand held wireless sales tool called mobile sales force (MSF). The MSF is used to take orders, enter documentation for goods being returned by a customer, check stock on hand at the warehouse, check prices and many other functions. They do not have a customer relationship management system. CARI-MED does use key account management. Key account managers have years of experience working in the sales department. This individual is usually a sales representative who have sold to large individual accounts or some chain store accounts and is consistently made or exceeded his/her sales quota. The best person to manage the key accounts must have supervisory or organizational skills as they will be responsible for managing a few representatives as a key account manager. A strategic alliance was developed with KIRK Distributors formerly known as Colgate Jamaica Ltd.. KIRK Distributors is a sister company to CARI-MED Ltd. , they are also involved in the consumer goods distribution business. These are normally sold by CARI-MED to smaller accounts (pharmacies, gas stations, etc. ). This helps KIRK to get a wider customer base and should help increase CARI-MED’s revenue.

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