1. P a g e | 1 Building a Customer Focused Business Ajay K. Sirsi, PhD asirsi@schulich.yorku.ca

2. P a g e | 2 Source: Marketing: A Roadmap to Success by Ajay Sirsi

3. P a g e | 3 The Research Is Crystal Clear Organizations that succeed do so because –They develop superior business strategies –They execute those strategies well They align different parts of the organization –They are always testing their business models Source: Nohria (2003), Sirsi (2005)

4. P a g e | 4 Key Requirements A Focus on the fundamentals –Strong strategies Marketing PlansMarketing Plans Customer value propositions –Solid execution Sales PlansCustomer-focused Sales Plans Source: Nohria (2003), Sirsi (2005)

5. P a g e | 5 Value Elements Effective management of uncertainty & volatility Anticipates change/ innovations Creates customer solutions/value Helps customer build a brand Adopts best practices Responds to failures & emergencies quickly Flexible culture On time deliveries Quality product Competitive on cost What Is “Superior Strategy”? Basic Care Marketplace Agility Differentiate Financial & Market Share Impact Parity Decay Gain

6. P a g e | 6 What Is A Product? Potential Product Augmented Product Functional Product Core Product Tool 1

7. P a g e | 7 Tool 2

8. P a g e | 8 GAP 1 GAP 2 GAP 3 Tool 3

9. P a g e | 9 Supplier Customer Customer’s Customer Tool 4

10. P a g e | 10 Make marketing strategy the glue that binds your organization together, resulting in customer focus

11. P a g e | 11 Strategic Plan 3-5 Year Horizon High-level strategy Resource Allocation Capital Allocation Budgets Performance Measurement KPM (key performance measures) Marketing Plan Sales & Customer Plans Manufacturing Plan IT Plan HR Plan

12. P a g e | 12 External Analysis Opportunities and Threats Strengths and Weaknesses Key Issues Marketing Strategies and Tactics Key Outcomes

13. P a g e | 13 The Marketing Plan External analysis –markets –segments and customers –competitors Internal analysis –OTSW analysis –Key issues to be addressed next year Key objectives to be achieved Key strategies Key tactics Key outcomes Control of marketing plan

14. P a g e | 14 Aligning The Enterprise

15. P a g e | 15 Strategic Marketing Plan Sales And Customer Plans Sales Implementation Sales Review Marketing-Sales Partnership For Running A Successful Business

16. P a g e | 16 Sales Plan Template Look and feel similar to marketing plan –Sections lifted from marketing plan Marketing language translated into –Sales opportunities –Sales objectives –Sales resources required

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19. P a g e | 19 Customer (Key Account) Plan Has two sections –Customer profile –Customer sales plan Both sections updated yearly (or as required) Sales calls are opportunities –Sales professionals should have a clear idea of why they are going out on most calls what they hope to find out which questions will give them the needed answers