Given the scenario, your role, and the information provided by the key players involved, it is time for you to make a decision.
Read the You Decide scenario and create a response to the situation. Make sure to identify the critical issues in the scenario and determine how you would resolve it. Your report should be at least 450 words, checked for spelling and grammar, and featuring proper formatting, including a title page.
Scenario:
You are Bob Yeader, a Sales Manager of a small printing company. One of your sales people asked for a meeting. The meeting was difficult. The sales person, Pat Lawson, broke down in the meeting. Pat said the work was too much and the customers too demanding. Where Pat used to be able to get all the work done in one week, there was now too much work. Your internal staff has noticed that Pat seems stressed. You wonder if customers are seeing the stress. Pat has been with your company for 15 years, but is ready to quit. You know that there is more work, after all there are more customers, and you recently put in place some new procedures and technology to make service to customers better and increase sales. Pat is the only one struggling; at least you thought so. You are wondering what your options are.
Your role is to come up with a solution for Bob's situation. If you were in Bob Yeader's position what would you do? Define the problem(s) as you see it. Determine possible solutions and pick a solution to implement immediately.
Players:
Chris Nihil (HR Manager): Look Bob, there have been a lot of changes lately. Things are going great on the sales end, but it is taking its toll. Pat is not the only one struggling. Some others have talked to me as well. Your emphasis on generating new sales is coming at the expense of some old customers. Also, it takes a lot more work to generate new sales. Pat has been with us for 15 years and we want to keep her. Pat has our largest customers and they seem to be happy with her. You are asking more of the sales people, but haven't provided any support.
George Fish (Customer Service): I am not sure what is going on, but I have more customers than Pat and am not having any trouble keeping up. Give me Pat's customers and I'll keep up fine. I have been here six months and it seems to me we are too soft on these old sales people. Pat doesn't even know how to use text messaging. If they can't do the work, we should make some changes. Know what I mean? I have some friends I just graduated with who aren't working and could step in and do the job right away.
Jack Mason (Bob Yeader's Consultant): Bob, I see this a lot. With more emphasis on technology and procedures, some people aren't as quick to catch on. You made a lot of changes, but you know there has not been any training, and when was the last time you have done any sales training or time management training? You need to spend more time with your sales group. Pat has your largest customers and spends a lot of time with them. If I remember right, these customers are not only large, but complicated. Don't you want Pat to spend time with these customers? Who generated the last new customer? It was Pat, wasn't it?
Monica Milton (Customer Service Representative): Look, I work a lot with Pat. Pat is used to schmoozing with customers and spending a lot of time socializing. Pat is used to doing everything for the customer. With as many customers as we now have, and the emphasis on getting new customers, that isn't working. It seems to me Pat is disorganized. A lot of the work is falling onto me and I definitely don't have the time to do Pat's job.