3 CHAPTER CASE SELLING FOR CUSTOMER-360, INC.: UNDERSTANDING YOUR PROSPECT BACKGROUND Customer 360 inc is a relatively new entrant in the cloud computing business management software industry, having been inexistence for a little over four years. It specializes in providing Web-based customizable customer relationship management software solutions that support an entire company, from accounting to Web capabilities. Its software is constructed around an individual customer record so that accounting sales support, shipping and billing all access identical information for each interaction. The company currently serves a variety of businesses across a number of industries. Customer satisfaction is the company's top priority and it acts with integrity to fulfill this mission Its technology is easy to learn and easy to use, and its Information technology staff is extremely knowledgeable and customer friendly The company currently employs more than 125 salespeople who cal directly on businesses and organizations throughout the United States Salespeople are trained to be customer-oriented problem solvers who seek to establish long-term relationships with customers. This approach has lowed Customer-360 to experience steady sales gains since its beginning and it hopes to continue toward growth trajectory is to run the webside of their business), and a director wounting and finance. The outside sales forces commercial accounts and in large part is response growing the non-retail business for Lifestyle Furniture Office Supply And friend of Laura's. Alex Goodneighbor happens the neighbors with Chris Style, Lifestyle Furniture and Office Supply's director of marketing and sales in a team conversation with Chris, Alex mentioned Laura and how she might be able to help him at Lifestyle Furniture and Office Supply Chris suggested that Alex have Laura give him ara and subsequently Laura was able to secure a meeting with Chris Style the following Tuesday morning. Laura was delighted that Alex provided her with this prospect and was confident that this would help her get off to a fast start at Customer-360. Laura has been friends with Alex since grade school. This is not unusual for Laura who has many friends and close relationships, likely because she shows such a sincere interest in others, particularly in their hobbies, interests, family, and mutual friends. She enjoys listening to the opinions of others and seems to get along with most everyone, generally avoiding conflict rather than submitting to others. Laura credits her ability to communicate well orally she loves to talk and socializelget along well with others, and build a consensus, in part, for her landing a position in sales at Customer 360 Prior to her meeting with Chris Style, Laura asked Alexif she could meet her for lunch to find out a little more about Chris and Lifestyle Furniture and Onice Supply When Laura finally arrived for lunch, are as usual she wasn't able to em as much about Lifestyle Furniture and Office Supply as she would have liked, but she did learn the following about Chris Alex indicated that Chris was a good neighbot but he certainly wasn't a friend outsing relationship bu de such as Laura. In fact, he tended to be rather cool tough an competitive when it came to his Heiked to be charge of people and sustions and was not willing to others stand in the way of achieving his goals. Chris his time well is impatient with others and tends to be CURRENT SITUATION Laura a recent college graduate who just completed the Sesep training program at Customer 360, is exched about her upcoming meeting with Lifestyle Furniture and office Succy of s y our Privately owned Lifestyle Fu n d Office Supply serves the furniture needs of s tomers through its two large metro retail locations Lach location has a store manager and several full and prime employees to assist with sales and operations The company's owner serves as president and they also employ a sector of marketing and sales who among other Singsovereits sesore comprised of both inside and outside salespeople adiector of operations, a director of information technology whose primary responsibility businesske. He likes extreme sports and appears penchant for taking risks According to Alex, at anna owners' association meetings Christends to be the outspoken individual in attendance while opinione Ince. While opinionated Chris rarely takes advice from others and prefers to make his own decisions. Although Laura believed she still had additional work to do before meeting with Chris, she was at least glad to know a little bit about the person she would be meeting. The more she knew about her buyer, she surmised, the better she could tailor her offering to meet his needs. tent w she Office ma call Ig with Chapter 3 Case Please read the "Selling for Customer-360, Inc." case beginning on page 78 of your book. Then answer the following questions, being aware of the submission requirements from the syllabus: 1. Based on your understanding of Laura and Chris, how would you characterize the communication style of each of them? 2. Explain at least two needs that might be met by Lifestyle Furniture and Office Supply by purchasing the software offered by Customer-360. 3. It's not unusual for businesses to have buying teams for more complicated purchase decisions. Who might be involved in this buying decision? For each, explain why they'd be involved, and how. 3 CHAPTER CASE SELLING FOR CUSTOMER-360, INC.: UNDERSTANDING YOUR PROSPECT BACKGROUND Customer 360 inc is a relatively new entrant in the cloud computing business management software industry, having been inexistence for a little over four years. It specializes in providing Web-based customizable customer relationship management software solutions that support an entire company, from accounting to Web capabilities. Its software is constructed around an individual customer record so that accounting sales support, shipping and billing all access identical information for each interaction. The company currently serves a variety of businesses across a number of industries. Customer satisfaction is the company's top priority and it acts with integrity to fulfill this mission Its technology is easy to learn and easy to use, and its Information technology staff is extremely knowledgeable and customer friendly The company currently employs more than 125 salespeople who cal directly on businesses and organizations throughout the United States Salespeople are trained to be customer-oriented problem solvers who seek to establish long-term relationships with customers. This approach has lowed Customer-360 to experience steady sales gains since its beginning and it hopes to continue toward growth trajectory is to run the webside of their business), and a director wounting and finance. The outside sales forces commercial accounts and in large part is response growing the non-retail business for Lifestyle Furniture Office Supply And friend of Laura's. Alex Goodneighbor happens the neighbors with Chris Style, Lifestyle Furniture and Office Supply's director of marketing and sales in a team conversation with Chris, Alex mentioned Laura and how she might be able to help him at Lifestyle Furniture and Office Supply Chris suggested that Alex have Laura give him ara and subsequently Laura was able to secure a meeting with Chris Style the following Tuesday morning. Laura was delighted that Alex provided her with this prospect and was confident that this would help her get off to a fast start at Customer-360. Laura has been friends with Alex since grade school. This is not unusual for Laura who has many friends and close relationships, likely because she shows such a sincere interest in others, particularly in their hobbies, interests, family, and mutual friends. She enjoys listening to the opinions of others and seems to get along with most everyone, generally avoiding conflict rather than submitting to others. Laura credits her ability to communicate well orally she loves to talk and socializelget along well with others, and build a consensus, in part, for her landing a position in sales at Customer 360 Prior to her meeting with Chris Style, Laura asked Alexif she could meet her for lunch to find out a little more about Chris and Lifestyle Furniture and Onice Supply When Laura finally arrived for lunch, are as usual she wasn't able to em as much about Lifestyle Furniture and Office Supply as she would have liked, but she did learn the following about Chris Alex indicated that Chris was a good neighbot but he certainly wasn't a friend outsing relationship bu de such as Laura. In fact, he tended to be rather cool tough an competitive when it came to his Heiked to be charge of people and sustions and was not willing to others stand in the way of achieving his goals. Chris his time well is impatient with others and tends to be CURRENT SITUATION Laura a recent college graduate who just completed the Sesep training program at Customer 360, is exched about her upcoming meeting with Lifestyle Furniture and office Succy of s y our Privately owned Lifestyle Fu n d Office Supply serves the furniture needs of s tomers through its two large metro retail locations Lach location has a store manager and several full and prime employees to assist with sales and operations The company's owner serves as president and they also employ a sector of marketing and sales who among other Singsovereits sesore comprised of both inside and outside salespeople adiector of operations, a director of information technology whose primary responsibility businesske. He likes extreme sports and appears penchant for taking risks According to Alex, at anna owners' association meetings Christends to be the outspoken individual in attendance while opinione Ince. While opinionated Chris rarely takes advice from others and prefers to make his own decisions. Although Laura believed she still had additional work to do before meeting with Chris, she was at least glad to know a little bit about the person she would be meeting. The more she knew about her buyer, she surmised, the better she could tailor her offering to meet his needs. tent w she Office ma call Ig with Chapter 3 Case Please read the "Selling for Customer-360, Inc." case beginning on page 78 of your book. Then answer the following questions, being aware of the submission requirements from the syllabus: 1. Based on your understanding of Laura and Chris, how would you characterize the communication style of each of them? 2. Explain at least two needs that might be met by Lifestyle Furniture and Office Supply by purchasing the software offered by Customer-360. 3. It's not unusual for businesses to have buying teams for more complicated purchase decisions. Who might be involved in this buying decision? For each, explain why they'd be involved, and how