Sales and Distribution Management

Assignment-I

Submitted to:
Prof. Joydeep Biswas

Submitted by:
Group No. : 08
Priyaranjan Mahakud-19202105
Srikant Sahu-19202124
Sweta Das-19202128
Arun Kumar Satapathy-19202142
Binayak Lenka-19202144

26-July-2020
Q1) What are the different types of sales roles in B2B and B2C sales profiles?
 B2C deals includes focusing on an enormous and various market, nearly everybody is a potential
client except if you are offering to a specialty gathering.
 The Customer is urged to buy the item on the spot. What's more, B2C selling doesn't typically
remember more than one individual for the decision making process.
 Some mainstream B2C professions incorporate property deals, automobile deals and retail.
 To illustrate more about B2C sales roles I would like to take the example of retail industry, as the
items sold are directly targeted and consumed by one individual person.
 For example, of B2C sales profile: Direct sellers- Like Amazon, Banana Republic and Zappos
that sell directly to customers. Fee-Based Models-Such as Spotify and Netflix offer content on
demand for a fee.
 Various sales profile under B2C are
1. B2C field sales
2. Revenue manager
3. Relationship manager- primary sales
4. Sales associate
5. Inside sales manager
6. Business development executive
 Different types of sales roles in B2B are :
1. Sales Development Rep (SDR)
2. Outside Salesperson
3. Inside Salesperson
4. Regional Sales Manager
5. Sales Operations Manager
6. Sales Engineer
7. Director of Sales
8. VP of Sales
9. Chief Sales Officer

Q2) Describe a retail consumer buying process?

Problem/ Need Recognition

Information Search

Evaluation of Alternatives

Purchase Decision

Post-Purchase Evaluation

Problem Recognition / Recognition of needs & wants

The consumer develops a recognition that he has a problem or generates a need, and that he needs
something to fulfil that particular issue. The consumer before purchasing has to realise the need for
the product.
For example: The washing machine is not working and partially in a damaged condition and I need
the machine to wash clothes. So, washing the clothes becomes my need and my want becomes the
washing machine.
Information Search
This is the stage in which the person goes into an informational search that will help him better
understand the concern. Here, the buyer tries to evaluate all the different possible sources that could
solve the particular problem that is recognized in the first stage. For information search, he may seek
out personal sources such as friend, family, colleagues for their opinion about the chosen product. He
may also google it or browse various retail websites to collect the required information. Here, I can try
and repair the existing washing machine or else I can purchase another one. So, I look for different
sources for purchasing a new washing machine and try to obtain opinions from my friends and
relatives about the same. I list out some options.
Evaluation of Alternatives
Once the buyer has gathered as much information as possible, the buyer will have some options to
choose from. So, he weighs all the alternatives, makes a comparison between them and figures out the
best alternative that fits for the listed criteria for the product. Here, the listed criteria can be price,
brand, features etc. The involvement level is high and different for expensive products whereas the
involvement level is less for the basic products. In this phase, I make a comparison list of multiple
washing machines. The list includes brands, prices, features, and reviews. I select the one that best fits
my budget and expectations.
Purchase Decision
In this stage the buyer will purchase the product based on some measures decided by him. The
measures can include from which store to buy, the retail store’s location & proximity, customer care
service, availability of budget at the moment. I decide to make a purchase from a known store as I
know it is nearby my locality and the service is good.
Post-Purchase Evaluation
In this stage the consumer analyses whether it was a right decision to purchase the product or it was a
mistake. It evaluates the experience after buying the product (good/bad) and the expectations and the
satisfaction level met by the product. If the consumer is satisfied with the product after using it, then
he can also refer it to others by providing positive comments about it. This in turn can help others who
look for reviews before purchase and ultimately lead to repeat purchases.
After using the washing machine for a while, I discover the pros and cons of it and review it
accordingly.

Q3) Describe an organizational customer buying process?

Organizational buying process refers to the process through which industrial buyers make

a purchase decision. Every organization has to purchase goods and services for running its business
operations and therefore it has to go through a complex problem solving and decision making process.
In B2B buying process unlikely the normal customer, the organisation go through certain steps before
buying.
The buying process has several steps:
1. Recognition of problem:
The procedure starts when somebody in the association perceives an issue or need that can be met
by securing a decent administration. Issue acknowledgment can happen because of internal or
external improvements.
2. General need description:
Once they recognize that a need exists, the buyers must describe it thoroughly to make sure that
everyone understands both the need and the nature of solution the organization should seek.
3. Product research:
 The specification of goods or service that they want to buy. The kind of product support the
organisation seeks from the supplier and the values added to it.
4. Supplier search:
The purchaser currently attempts to recognize the most suitable provider (i.e. seller). The
purchaser leads a standard inquiry to distinguish which suppliers offer what they need, and which
ones have gained notoriety for good quality, great organization, and great incentive for the cash.
Marketers can participate in this stage by maintaining well-designed web sites with useful
information.
5. Proposal quest:
During the procedure, qualified providers/suppliers are welcome to submit recommendations.
Depending upon the idea of the buy, a few providers send just an index or a salesperson. A
definite proposition is laid out what the supplier can offer to address the purchaser's needs,
alongside item particulars, timing, and pricing.
6. Selection of supplier:
Consultative selling and related showcasing support are significant during this stage. While there
might be acquisition rules constraining contact with purchasers during the determination
procedure, it tends to be useful to check in intermittently with key contacts and offer any extra
data that might be useful during the choice procedure. This stage is an open door for organizations
to show their responsiveness to purchasers and their needs.
7. Order – routine specification:
The buyer currently composes the last request with the chosen provider, posting the specialized
determinations, the amount required, the guarantee, etc. At this stage, the provider ordinarily
works intimately with the purchaser to oversee inventories and convey on understanding standing.
8. Performance review and providing feedback:
In this final stage, the buyer reviews the supplier’s performance and provides feedback. The
performance review may lead to changes in how the organizations work together to improve
efficiency, quality, customer satisfaction, or other aspects of the relationship.

Q4) List the different types of purchasing decisions by organizations – (a) straight rebuy (b)
modified rebuy (c) new tasks.

There are mainly three types of purchasing decisions by an organization:

1- New tasks: - When an organization buys a product for the first time and does not have any past
experience about the product is called New Tasks. It is also called as extensive problem solving
situation. To purchase the new tasks, an organization takes more time as it has greater risk and
compare the cost with other alternative products or services.
E.g. – For establishment of a new firm the company should buy the products for the first time are
New tasks.
2- Straight rebuy: - When an organization purchases the same products which are already
consumed by the organization previously is called Straight rebuy. Here time taken for taking
decision is less as organization is already aware of the product, need of the product and has a
great personal experience.
E.g. – If a manufacturing company orders raw materials for the second term to manufacture again
then that is called straight rebuy.
3- Modified rebuy: - If an organization wants to change features, price, terms, condition and the
supplier provides the change or organization itself changes the feature, price and others itself to
give their customers to a new experience then that purchase is called Modified rebuy.
E.g.- If a company want to purchase advanced quality of furniture or raw material is called
modified rebuy.
In each case of purchasing the various factors involved are
1-Price – How much an organization want to pay for it?
 2-Quality – What is the quality of that product?
3-Capacity – How much an organization is going to buy?
4-Effort – The time and energy to get delivered the product
In case of change from one purchasing decision to other, the factors involved are
1-Awareness
2-Own decision of the organization
3-Evaluate the alternatives present

Q5) How is organizational buying different from consumer buying?

Consumers Buying Process:

Consumers purchase items to use on their own. This ensures that customers are free to buy for
personal use and that is what they are doing. Most of the time the purchaser is the buyer himself & the
quantity purchased is low.
Let’s explain with an example of Cup of tea.
Suppose I want to have a cup of tea; I would purchase a tea bag or a small 250 gm Sachet. I won’t buy
the whole garden and machineries. Or else I would pop up into tea stall to have it, which satisfies my
personal need.
Organisational Buying Process:
It is also worth noting that Here B2B buying Process takes place. Goods purchased for resell purpose,
or to maintain the continuing organisations operations focused for a long term. The raw materials that
organisations purchase either for resell or to manufacture a new product for selling.
As this is an organisation based purchase activity hence it involves a lot of permissions and
regulations to make the deal final.
Let’s go through an example of manufacturer of wheat flour.
The manufacturer purchases raw wheat for milling it and selling purpose, he can’t sell flour to the
consumers, that’s why there are whole sellers and retailers to make the supply chain possible till
consumer. And if in the mill there’s a defect in machine the manager himself can’t purchase it, he
needs to take the permission from chief decision maker and again from CFO and after that money is
sanctioned. Complexity of decisions takes place.

Q6) Who are the different members in Group Buying in case of organizational sales?
Illustrate with example of KIIT University buying laptops at the start of an academic session.

KIIT purchases the laptops in the modify rebuy. Every year KIIT gives new model or with new
specification.
Buying centre: All the Individuals or groups who are take part in the buying decision making process
of an organization is called Buying centre. They have the common goals and share all the risks
associated with buying.
Generally, there are seven members or groups for this process
1- Initiators: Here an organization feels the need of a product or service. They are called initiators.
For KIIT buying laptop process initiators are mainly students and top management level. As both
think there is need of laptop for management students.
2- Users: The product which is used by the persons are called users. In KIIT the students are the
users. We can say that they also be the initiators.
3- Buyers: These are the people who are involved in selecting the suppliers and arrange the purchase
terms. In KIIT the buyers are the Campus 6 people who deal with the vendor management and
segregation.
4- Influencers: These are the person who suggests the specification and give overall overview of the
product. These people are exports, technician personnel, consultants who evaluate the product and
 alternatives. Top management can also influencer if the purchase for long-term and decide the cost.
In KIIT ICT cell, web exports, are the members in this group.
5- Deciders: The marketing person must be aware of the deciders in the organization & try to reach
them & maintains contacts with them. For routine purchase executive are the decider. For KIIT the
deciders are ICT cell and Directors of all schools.
6- Approvers: People who authorise the proposed action of deciders are called approvers. These are
finance department and top management. For KIIT the approvers are Finance department and
Chancellor and Registrar.
7- Gate keepers: These are the persons mainly marketers who pass the information to deciders. They
make the decision favourable to all. In KIIT they are mainly the secretary and ICT cell persons
who contact directly with the vendor and control the flow of information within the different
members in the buying centre.