| 4.2.1.4 Systematicness of the calling frequency |
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The systematicness of the calling frequency incorporates both the objectives of the company and the wishes of the customer. The business enterprise hopes to grow and profit, while the customer values the frequent and well-prepared visit by its sales representative.
Systematicness of the calling frequency
- Customer calls and the marketing mix in the production retail trade
The sales representative's customer call belongs to one of the key "marketing-P" of the business: personnel. Qualification and competence determine the acceptance by the customer. Good sales representatives are always welcome. They can intensify the calling frequency without making the customer feel "overvisited". On the other hand, every visit creates operating expenses which can be regarded as input into the business process. Efficiency always means economic efficiency which is only given if the output is higher than the input and a profit is made. Therefore the customer call as a component of the marketing mix has to be carefully planned since on the one hand it represents the most cost-intensive means of distribution, and on the other hand it is the best possible sales promotion.
Systematicness of the calling frequency
- System components of the calling frequency from the customer's point of view
For the customer a systematic calling frequency has the following advantages:
- The visit provides the best opportunity to talk
- The visit takes place within a specific period of time
- The visit takes place at a specific time and on a specific day of the week
- The visit brings new and interesting information
- The visit provides a special purchasing opportunity
- The visit answers important questions on the marketer's assortment
- The visit provides opportunities to make suggestions for improvement
- The visit solves problems
- The visit provides the opportunity to settle complaints
This list is not complete. Customers are individuals with individual wishes.
However, the list shows that there is a need for a systematic scheduling of
customer calls to fulfil the customer's expectations.
The frequency is determined by the time span after which a repetition occurs. In the production retail trade the smallest time span is usually one week. However, daily commercial practice shows that a two week rhythm is usually accepted as the minimum period which leads to the following calling frequencies:

In the previous calculation example we took into account that the frequency
will be stretched out during holidays or other periods of absence of the sales
representative. It is recommended to inform customers about the calling frequency
and possible exceptions to the regular schedule so customers get the feeling
that they receive the best possible service and attendance through the sales
representative.
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