It is very common for sales reps to forge business relationships with their clients

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It is very common for sales reps to forge business relationships with their clients. Most sales reps rely on this relationship for future sales and connections.

Watch and read the customer relations information in the “Practice Scenario: Business Analytics to Guide Decision Making” before answering the following questions:

Consider the relationship between Jackie Morgan, the sales rep, and Steve White, the outgoing head of online sales. How does their relationship affect Jackie’s relationship with Tom Oliver, the incoming head of online sales?
When might relational partnerships become potentially dangerous for companies that sell services or products? Should companies encourage salespeople to develop relational partnerships with all accounts? Why or why not?

Sample Solution

The relationship between Jackie Morgan, the sales rep, and Steve White, the outgoing head of online sales, is a close one. They have worked together for many years and have developed a strong rapport. Jackie trusts Steve and values his advice. Steve, in turn, is impressed with Jackie’s work ethic and sales skills.

This close relationship could potentially affect Jackie’s relationship with Tom Oliver, the incoming head of online sales. Tom may feel that Jackie is too close to Steve and that she may not be loyal to him. He may also feel that Jackie is not objective in her sales pitches and that she is more interested in pleasing Steve than in making the best deal for the company.

To avoid these problems, Jackie needs to be careful to maintain a professional relationship with Tom. She needs to be objective in her sales pitches and she needs to make sure that she is not favoring Steve over Tom. She also needs to be transparent with Tom about her relationship with Steve and she needs to be willing to answer any questions that he may have.

Relational partnerships can become potentially dangerous for companies that sell services or products when they are not managed properly. If a salesperson becomes too close to a client, they may be tempted to give the client preferential treatment. This could lead to the salesperson making decisions that are not in the best interests of the company.

For example, a salesperson may agree to give a client a discount that is not authorized by the company. This could lead to the company losing money. Additionally, a salesperson may agree to provide the client with confidential information that should not be shared. This could damage the company’s reputation.

Companies should encourage salespeople to develop relational partnerships with all accounts, but they need to make sure that these partnerships are managed properly. Salespeople should be trained on how to maintain professional relationships with clients and they should be held accountable for their actions.

Here are some tips for companies that want to encourage salespeople to develop relational partnerships with all accounts:

  • Train salespeople on how to build and maintain professional relationships with clients.
  • Set clear expectations for salespeople about how they should interact with clients.
  • Monitor salespeople’s interactions with clients and provide feedback as needed.
  • Hold salespeople accountable for their actions.
  • Reward salespeople for developing strong relationships with clients.

By following these tips, companies can encourage salespeople to develop relational partnerships with all accounts in a way that is safe and beneficial for the company.

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