Marketing class assignment !

MKT 3063 / Personal Selling Dr. Thomas F. Cannon

Case Study #2

“What Makes Him So Successful?”

Wanda Soules is a new salesperson for Corbet Corporation, a small pharmaceutical company. After graduating near the top of her class with a degree in biology from an Ivy League university, Wanda had interviewed with several companies for a job in research and development. She took a couple of interviews in technical sales—mainly as a lark because her college roommate had challenged her to do it. Surprisingly, the two sales interviews convinced Wanda to switch directions and start her business career in sales with Corbet. After completing an intensive one- month training program, which concentrated mainly on product knowledge and role plays of sales calls, Wanda was assigned to a territory that mostly consisted of small, private medical practices, retail store pharmacies, and hospitals. Wanda did well in training and felt she learned a great deal about the company’s products and the proper “steps” in selling. But her first month was disappointingly slow, even though she faithfully followed the same selling steps she had learned in the training program. After Wanda’s second slow month, her sales manager suggested that she spend a day traveling with one of the company’s rising star sales reps, Dan Clover. Wanda was a little perturbed to be asked to tag along behind another salesperson who had only about a year more selling experience than she had. And Dan was only twenty-two years old—her own age! She felt she could learn more from a real veteran rep. Wanda also knew that Dan didn’t even have a technical degree. Nevertheless, she had to comply with her sales manager’s request. On Monday, this is how her day goes: The two young missionary reps meet for breakfast at 7 A.M. Dan suggests that Wanda just observe everything during the calls but hold her comments until the end of the day, when they can sit down together to critique the entire day. Wanda says nothing but thinks to herself, “He’s condescending to me . . . and I know more than he does.” The first call is at 8 A.M. at a center-city drugstore pharmacy run by a father-and-son team. As they leave the car, Wanda is surprised to see Dan remove his suit coat and roll up his shirtsleeves. She is about to remark that she really doesn’t think it’s appropriate to be so casual (after all, they’re representing a respected company with an image to uphold), but, remembering Dan’s request to watch the day’s progression with an open mind, Wanda resists the temptation to say anything. As they enter the store and head back to the pharmacy department, Wanda notices that neither pharmacist has a white lab coat on and their sleeves are rolled up. Dan and the senior pharmacist head back to his office with Wanda tagging behind. They chat casually about fishing while Wanda stands by, silently but impatiently waiting for them to get down to business. “What a waste of time,” Wanda thinks to herself, as the two men talk on and on about fishing. “Dan probably hasn’t memorized the sales presentation that we were taught, so he’s trying to sidetrack the conversation to keep from being embarrassed in front of me.” While they talk, Wanda glances around the office at all the nature scenes on the walls. Many show the father and son pharmacists, each with a rod and reel, wading in mountain streams up to their hips. Wanda considers them tranquil scenes, but somewhat monotonous. Even the magazines on the coffee table look alike: Field and Stream, Wildlife, Hunting and Fishing, and Backpacking. “Boy, I’d hate to be stuck a long time in this room,” she says to herself. Finally, the two stop chatting and Dan mentions the new drug they should have been discussing the entire time. Dan speaks briefly about the benefits of the new drug and leaves some

information. Wanda is dumbfounded. They’ve been here for twenty-five minutes, and Dan has only talked about their company’s products for five minutes. And even more amazing, as they are leaving, the senior pharmacist says, “I’ll give the new drug a try, Dan, to see how it works. I’ll call you with my order by the end of next week.” Their next call is with Dr. Stanley Hafer at a suburban hospital outside of the city. Wanda notices that Dan rolls down his sleeves and replaces his jacket before entering the hospital. After signing in at the security desk, they are escorted to the doctor’s office by the doctor’s nurse, Ruth Blair. Wanda is surprised to hear Dan’s conversation with the nurse. He speaks to her about Corbet’s new product, asks her opinion on some of the company’s other products, and even leaves a sample and some product brochures with her. Wanda can’t believe that Dan is wasting all this time and energy on the nurse when everyone knows that it’s the doctors who make all the decisions. After Dan has spent about fifteen minutes with the nurse (while Wanda tries not to act upset), they go in to see Dr. Hafer. They have only a few minutes with the doctor, who is expected in surgery shortly. Wanda is surprised that the doctor asks only a couple of questions about the drug before excusing himself and heading out the door. As he leaves, Dr. Hafer calls back: “Leave your product brochures and a sample with my nurse, Mrs. Blair.” On the way out of the medical office, Dan stops to say goodbye to Mrs. Blair, and Wanda is interested to hear her say, “I’m sure the doctor will give your new drug a try. Why don’t you call me next week to check on how we like it?” The third call of the day is at a small medical practice about four blocks away from the hospital. As they enter the room, Dan greets the nurse by her first name, Sandra. Wanda can’t believe how informal Dan is acting with Sandra—telling her jokes and asking about her son’s Little League games. Wanda thinks, “How could this guy be one of the company’s rising young stars? He wastes time on every call, and he doesn’t stick to the sales steps that we were taught in the training program. Matter of fact, he seems to change his style and approach on each call. He isn’t the least bit consistent or professional!” The last call of the morning is at Dr. Beverly Pruett’s office at another private medical clinic. After announcing themselves at the receptionist’s desk, Dan and Wanda wait quietly in the reception room for about fifteen minutes before the nurse asks them to come in. Dan’s behavior finally seems appropriate. He doesn’t say anything other than a polite hello to the nurse. As they enter the doctor’s office, Wanda notices that Dan’s whole attitude has changed from that exhibited in the previous sales calls. He waits for the doctor to sit before seating himself. He goes through the entire presentation (just the way they were trained to in class). The doctor stops Dan and asks him several different questions. Wanda is impressed with Dan’s direct, no- nonsense answers. She is also surprised that Dan doesn’t take the opportunity to expand on certain points and bring up other products. Wanda knows that the appointment is supposed to last only twenty minutes, but what harm would it do to take a little extra time? Wanda is startled to realize that Dan has neatly condensed into twenty minutes a presentation that normally takes her forty-five minutes. When all points have been covered, Dan concludes the presentation by graciously but directly asking for the order. It is interesting to observe the doctor glance at her watch, think over the information for a few long seconds, and then agree to place an order for the new product. By the end of the day, Wanda is really confused. Dan doesn’t use the same sales technique twice. Sometimes he calls the prospect by a first name, sometimes not. Sometimes he goes through the entire presentation, sometimes only parts. In certain offices he seems to spend more time talking about other subjects than the company’s products. On certain calls he comes right out and asks for the order, but on others he simply thanks the doctor for his or her time. He

doesn’t seem to be following a prepared script, yet each call seems to produce a sale. Wanda is really unsure what, if anything, she has learned from watching Dan. Perhaps it will be sorted out when they critique the day together as they head for a nearby coffee shop. Source: Personal Selling, Anderson, Dubinsky, Mehta, Houghton Mifflin Company, (2007)