CARD
dappy7000
WEEK3REVIEW1.docxCause and Effect
The main problem Baria Planning Solutions Inc is facing is not meeting company expectations by providing quality service. The cause of this steams down to the sales support team feeling overworked and overwhelmed. They “believed that the expectations placed upon the team could be unrealistic” (Wheelwright, 2011, p.6) forcing them to miss many proposal deadlines. Input from one team member stated that “some weeks their workload is manageable, giving them the opportunity to meet all necessary obligations while another week can be so unpredictable they are forced to stay late and even work over the weekend” (Wheelwright, 2011, p.6). From personal experience, the lack of consistency can drive someone crazy. Not knowing what your day to day or even week to week will look like can give your clients the feel that your unprepared, and not qualified to handle the work assigned to you.
Causal Loop
1. Proposal Support: “ develop a configuration of software, project management, and consulting to address the identified opportunities; and assist the salesperson in developing and pitching proposals” (Wheelwright, 2011, p.5). If this is the first step in the planning process, it will help sales support, who should be a part of this process prioritize opportunities. This will help avoid overworked staff. (S+)
2. New Sales: If sales support can be a part of the proposal process, this will help them develop new pitch ideas to gain more business. Meet expectations and make them realistic.
3. Solution Selling Process: “Team gathers resources and analyzing data to explain the necessary required from the customer” (Wheelwright, 2011, p.5). If new sales go up, the solution selling process will be needed which in turn will go up as well making the proposal support not needed as much (O-)
Specific Recommendations that will help improve Baria Planning Solutions Inc and maintain the utilization at the desired level would be the following:
· Hire more staff
· Have sales support sit in on the early process of negotiating the contract
Hiring more staff is common knowledge that with more hands in the pot, more work can be done since it can be spread evenly throughout.
According to sales team members, “they felt they had little control, including lack of visibility into the sales pipeline, being brought in late on contract renewals, and sales support requirements that varied widely from one sales opportunity to the next” (Wheelwright, 2011, p.6). Bringing sales into the contract renewal process early on can help in more ways than one. They will be able to see firsthand the type of expectations the client is set, the resources needed to effectively deliver on the project and accurately plan around the project. Seeing what is needed firsthand gives them the advantage to properly set themselves up for success and deliver in a timely manner without being overworked because they hand the proper time to plan and allocate the necessary resources properly.
Reference
Wheelwright, S. C., & Schmidt, W. (2011). Baria Planning Solutions, Inc.: Fixing the sales process [Case study]. HBS Case 4568. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School.
Randell Orner WALDEN INSTRUCTOR MANAGER
RE: Week 3 Assignment
Top of Form
Raven
Here is a pretty good article to read - https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/wbs/conf/olkc/archive/oklc3/papers/id222.pdf
Randell
Bottom of Form
10 days ago
DETRICIA JOHNSON
RE: Week 3 Assignment
Top of Form
Hi Raven , one of your recommendations was to hire more staff. Would adding more hands to a chaotic situation be helpful? The establish staff is already inattentive and not friendly to their customers. I wonder if that behavior would rub off on the new hires. My recommendation is implementing some sort of customer satisfaction training. In order for the company to form a unified system they must see how all oproblematic factors are related to the next potential limited factor, doing so will allow them to gain understanding and control over their growth process (Senge, 2006). I think you did a great job with your cause and effect diagram all of the mentioned points in your summary was listed. My only feedback is to check for grammatical errors.
Reference
Senge, P. M. (2006). The fifth discipline: The art & practice of the learning organization. New York, NY: Doubleday.
Bottom of Form
9 days ago
FARRAH BLAKE
RE: Week 3 Assignment
Top of Form
Hi Raven:
Great post on the BPS Sales Process. I agree with you that the Sales Force is overwhelmed. I think their missed deadlines seem to be a result of the lack of structure within the organization and specifically because of the communication among their stakeholders. Looking at you diagram, it is easy to read, see the levels that need address and determine the exact fixes for each.
In fixing the system it is key for BPS to determine the real causes and not ascribe blame to the team. Wheelwright & Schmidt (2011) reiterates this point tha the focus was misplaced when a symptom was being disguised as a problem, "it is widely recognized that the team had diifficulties meeting proposal deadlines and has prevented BPS from putting its best foot forward in several selling situations"he concern that the company could be in this poor performing position for a few years is testament that they need to address these system issues quickly".
Good job assessing the company.
Farrah
Reference:
Wheelwright, S. C., & Schmidt, W. (2011). Baria Planning Solutions, Inc.: Fixing the sales process [Case study]. HBS Case 4568. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School.
Bottom of Form
9 days ago
LAVONDA STARKS
RE: Week 3 Assignment
Top of Form
Hi Raven, I think hiring more staff would be a great idea, that way it could cut back on the wait time that customers have to deal with when waiting on their order. Having the employees do a customer class on how to deal with customers would help, and training the new hires to come in and take a customer service class could also help. I like how you set up your diagram, it was easy to read and you explained it well. I think moving forward if they would take some classes on customer service it could help in the future.
Bottom of Form
9 days ago
Michelle Miller
RE: Week 3 Assignment
Top of Form
Raven,
Great post, very informative. Reviewing your detailed work, will help me elaborate more on my charts. I believe there is no need to hire more staff. My opinion is to restructure the sales support team. When one sales support teams is overwhelmed with proposals, staff from another sales support team that is currently not busy, could step in and help the other team. This could also encourage cross collaboration and improve morale.
Thank you,
Michelle
Bottom of Form
