mephisto products case study answers

Mephisto Products Case Study

Looking for Mephisto Products Ltd. case study answers? Get inspired with us! This paper criticizes Mephisto Products approach to sales and marketing.

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Mephisto Products Case Study Synopsis

The case study is about an electronic control device manufacturer that is recording low sales revenues and profits in recent times. The entrance of new competitors, technology and marketing strategies created this situation. Now the company is thinking about changing is strategic approach by marketing their products to their clients in a different way.

Mephisto Products Ltd. Case Study Answers

Mephisto’s approach to sales and marketing.

Mephisto is too product/ process-oriented; their marketing strategies only consist of occasional ‘Chemical quarterly’ advertisements and a sales team. As if that is not enough, this sales team uses a negative approach to sell their products. Now that more competitors are in the market, customers need to know about the positive aspects of the products too.

The sales team has not changed its approach to selling the company’s goods since its inceptions. Furthermore, they have given their accounts team all the financial control, yet the sales team needs to have a greater level of flexibility to make their decisions. The company has no product-related value additions such as the use of the latest technological advancements.

The organizations’ team members do not understand the power of marketing as they have not harnessed it. Mephisto’s target market is too small, yet many industries can use the device. It is still doing the same thing that its founder did, even though his circumstances were quite different from the present ones. He only focused on the chemical industry because of his family obligations. This situation does not exist today.

Marketing Operations, Marketing Mix, Product Life Cycle

Marketing operations are almost redundant in the company. No marketing directors exist, and the firm assumes that the products will market themselves. They think that all it takes is technical excellence to retain customers. They need to change their marketing philosophy in order to stay ahead. Its sales team uses an inefficient approach to selling its items.

The marketing mix at Mephisto is unsuccessful. The company’s prices do not correspond to consumer preferences even after the sales team explained that Mephisto would sell more times if it reduced prices. Besides this, the company gives no sales discounts for large-scale purchases. The product mix is not aligned with consumer preferences as most of them want technologically advanced devices.

The firm’s promotional strategies have significant shortcomings. First, it does not advertise regularly, has a sales force that only dwells on the negative aspects of their consumers’ businesses, and leaves no budgetary control to the sales team. With regard to place, the company lacks wide distributional networks. It only depends on its sales team to reach consumers with the products.

The firm’s consumer segments are quite narrow, yet the company’s products can be sold to many industries. In terms of the product life cycle, this organization needs to work on its delivery times as it is slower than other competitors in the market. It believes that consumers will wait for the product if they want it. Such a philosophy is outmoded in competitive landscapes.

Problems for the Marketing Manager

The new marketing manger will have financial problems because the accounting department controls all sales and marketing decisions. Besides this, he or she will have a hard time in convincing the rest of the team that changing their marketing orientation will alter sales prices. It will be difficult to spearhead changes in promotion through advertising, greater customer segmentation, better sales approaches and discount offerings.

General Advice

For the company to become more market orientated, it will have to redefine its marketing approach. The administration should educate employees about the importance of marketing. They need to realize that this is the only lifeline that could save them from shutting down. Once the firm has secured employee support, then the above mentioned changes can be implemented quite easily.

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IvyPanda. (2022, July 31). Mephisto Products Case Study. https://ivypanda.com/essays/marketing-for-mephisto-products-ltd-case-study/

"Mephisto Products Case Study." IvyPanda , 31 July 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/marketing-for-mephisto-products-ltd-case-study/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Mephisto Products Case Study'. 31 July.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Mephisto Products Case Study." July 31, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/marketing-for-mephisto-products-ltd-case-study/.

1. IvyPanda . "Mephisto Products Case Study." July 31, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/marketing-for-mephisto-products-ltd-case-study/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Mephisto Products Case Study." July 31, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/marketing-for-mephisto-products-ltd-case-study/.

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Answer to Question #174543 in Marketing for ayeshashoukat

criticise mephisto products approach to sales and marketing

Mephisto Products approach towards deals and advertising was likewise wrong. The outreach group was not given any position to set costs. The organization kept the value consistent which made them free significant deals against their rivals. The items offered by the organization to the client were touchy in nature and it expected attention to be made in the buyer's psyches. In spite of the fact that Mephisto's outreach group attempted to make mindfulness yet it was negative. The sales rep constrained on the negative parts of the item that how the organization can lose by not having the item. They ought to have zeroed in on the positive parts of the item. Notwithstanding it there were different escape clauses also that caused slow fiasco for the organization

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• Instructor’s Manual - testbankcart.com and guideline answers 13 Chapter 1 Mephisto Products Ltd 14...

Instructor’s Manual - testbankcart.com and guideline answers 13 Chapter 1 Mephisto Products Ltd 14 ... the case study group to narrow down their responsibilities according to the

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1 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

Instructor’s Manual

Selling and Sales Management

Seventh Edition

David Jobber Geoff Lancaster

For further instructor material please visit:

www.pearsoned.co.uk/jobber

ISBN 13: 978 0 273 69584 4 / ISBN 10: 0 273 69584 3

© Pearson Education Limited 2006 Lecturers adopting the main text are permitted to photocopy the book as required.

D. Jobber & G. Lancaster, Selling & Sales Management, 7th Edition, Instructor’s Manual

2 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

Pearson Education Limited Edinburgh Gate Harlow Essex CM20 2JE England and Associated Companies throughout the world Visit us on the World Wide Web at: www.pearsoned.co.uk ------------------------------- Seventh edition published 2006 © Pearson Education Limited 2006 The rights of David Jobber and Geoff Lancaster to be identified as the authors of this work have been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. ISBN 13: 978 0 273 69584 4 ISBN 10: 0 273 69584 3 All rights reserved. Permission is hereby given for the material in this publication to be reproduced for OHP transparencies and student handouts, without express permission of the Publishers, for educational purposes only. In all other cases, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the Publishers or a licence permitting restricted copying in the United Kingdom issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP. This book may not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, without the prior consent of the Publishers.

3 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

Case studies, scenarios and practical exercises 5

Handling case studies 6

Benefits to participants of the case study approach 6

Participants’ expectations 7

Suggestions for conducting case study sessions 8

Advice for participants 9

Suggested method for analysing cases 9

Writing up case study analyses 11

Solutions and guideline answers 13

Chapter 1 Mephisto Products Ltd 14

Telcontar 19

Chapter 2 Welsh Lamb & Beef Promotions 21

Auckland Engineering plc 24

Flying High 29

Chapter 3 The Lost Computer Sale 31

Chapter 4 xstreammedia 35

Yee Wo Plastic Piping Components Ltd 40

Gardnov Limited 42

Allwarm Knitting Limited 47

Quality Chilled Foods Ltd 54

Chapter 5 Syplan 56

Wardley Investment Services (Hong Kong) 58

Sapporo (Hong Kong) Ltd 61

Quality Kraft Carpets Ltd 63

4 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

Chapter 6 Kwiksell Cars Ltd 69

ChevronTexaco cuts losses with Innovetra Fraud Alerter 72

Chapter 7 The O’Brien Company 75

Presenting New Standa Plus: The final word in hydraulic braking systems? 79

Chapter 8 The Mordex Photocopier Company 81

Supermarket versus Superbrand: Co-operate to compete 84

A Controlled Sales Process? 87

Chapter 9 Cloverleaf plc 91

Chapter 10 Microcom 97

Midlands Switchgear Limited 99

Focus Wickes – “Fusion”: Winners, 2004 Retail Week Supply Chain Initiative Award 102

Chapter 11 Kettle Foods 106

RU Receiving Me? 109

Chapter 12 Computer Assisted Sales Process (CASP) 113

Understanding Customer Value Creation 116

DAS (UK) – expenses insurer 120

Chapter 13 Plastic Products Ltd 123

Chapter 14 Selling fountain pens 126

Chapter 15 Rovertronics 128

The Silverton Confectionery Company 131

Chapter 16 Classical Reproductions Ltd 133

Travelodge service with Q-Max Workforce Management 139

Pizza Ristorante: Thawing the frozen pizza market 142

Chapter 17 Dynasty Ltd 146

MacLaren Tyres Ltd 148

5 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

Case studies, scenarios and practical exercises

Different types of case studies can be used for different teaching situations. Generally they can be categorised as follows:

• Scenarios that are quite short and are usually factually based, quite often from newspaper articles. These are normally associated with a single theme and provide a useful medium for group discussion that might relate to the solving of a specific problem. There are a number of such scenarios that we have listed as practical exercises at the end of chapters throughout the text.

• Mini-cases are longer than scenarios and describe a particular situation that usually has some problem or issue associated with it. They tend to be loosely based on real-life situa-tions or are simply ‘manufactured’ by the case writer, and they are based on a particular single issue or set of issues. The idea here is that they can form a practical element class-work, verbal or written, individual or group assignment from which lessons can be learned. Mini-cases also feature at the end of chapters throughout the text and these too we term practical exercises.

• ‘Manufactured’ case studies are as the title implies, made up by the case writer, but they are normally based on factual circumstances, albeit very loosely. They are longer cases, usually containing a number of separate issues, and are deliberately written to raise a particular set of issues. They are useful in classroom situations for longer discussions, but can also be used as individual or group mini-projects for which a written and/or verbal presentation is required. These types of case studies feature at the end of chapters as practical exercises and they are useful as a medium for sales training.

• ‘Factual’ case studies are, as the title implies, based upon real-life situations and they sim-ply report the facts and issues as seen and then summarised by the case writer. Some cases are more complete than others and they tend to be compilations of newspaper articles, com-pany reports and personal research that the case writer has gathered in relation to a specific organisation, although sometimes the organisation is disguised to hide its identity. In fact, a problem that most students cite when preparing their answers to such case studies is ‘insuf-ficient information’. Here, the ability to make assumptions prior to answering is very important. They tend to contain a lot of quantitative information from which analyses can be drawn. However, their ability to address specific problems is very patchy, as it depends upon the issues that the situation has thrown up, and also upon how many such issues the case writer has highlighted. As such they tend to be more useful for general strategically based situations than for specific issues. These types of case studies do not feature in this text, as they are more suited to business policy or marketing strategy texts.

6 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

Handling case studies

Case studies can vary enormously as to what they require in the way of analysis, interpretation and tasks required of participants. They provide an opportunity for participants to make deci-sions and to base these decisions upon sound principles that have been learned, as well as reasoning behind such decisions, that the person who is running the session can then assess. The important thing with case studies is that there is rarely a totally correct or incorrect answer and much of it has to do with ‘shades of opinion’. This can be a frustration because in typical learn-ing situations, candidates are often seeking the ‘correct’ answer. In a case study situation there can be many different, yet equally good, solutions. It is indeed such differences of opinion that can form lively discussion during verbal group presentation sessions.

Case studies do not, of course, have to necessarily involve class discussion, as they can be used for assessment purposes through written individual reports. However, the specific strength of cases is in terms of group work. It enables different shades of opinion to be thrown on a particu-lar situation by individual participants. Of course, much of the success of such a practical session is down to the skills of the facilitator, in keeping the discussion ‘on track’, and an indi-vidual ability to ‘milk’ a particular situation and then move on to the next scenario. It also rests in the ability of the tutor to weigh up and evaluate views and decisions that have been put for-ward in order that practical lessons can be learned.

Benefits to participants of the case study approach

The approach afforded by using case studies has a number of benefits. Geoff Lancaster and Les-ter Massingham in their 2002 text: Essentials of Marketing (Fourth Edition) (McGraw-Hill) pages 455–477 have cited such benefits, some which have now been adapted and extended, and these are cited below:

1. It uses real-life or manufactured business situations to work on, but without the risks associ-ated with the real world.

2. It applies a global view to a business setting. Often it is possible for individual members of the case study group to narrow down their responsibilities according to the particular case study scenario. They can perhaps put different views that would accord to individuals they represent (e.g. one might put the views of the sales manager and another might put the views of one of the field sales representatives). Members can thus be promoted to, or de-moted from, positions they hold in their own real-life organisations to appropriate positions as reflected by the circumstances of the case. Furthermore, it could be argued that by doing this, candidates have the opportunity to broaden their experience.

3. It creates personal detachment from the problem setting, thus enabling a more objective un-derstanding to be achieved.

4. It facilitates learning from complexity. In real life, business situations are rarely ordered or complete and managers must learn to cope with and understand the complexity of problem areas. Using the case method helps to develop an individual’s capacity to tackle more com-plex business issues.

5. Using different roles in the context of the case study scenario develops wider perspectives. Evaluating the position from a number of different viewpoints assists the building of the managerial quality of sound judgment.

7 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

6. Applying more of an in-depth analysis provides a strong information base from which deci-sions can be taken. Opportunities are created for applying new techniques in a ‘safe’ situation before using these in the real world.

7. Identifying and prioritising problems builds the powers of evaluation that are needed for rational decision-making.

8. It enables actionable decisions to be made by applying logic, facts, judgment and imagina-tion, and in the case of verbal presentations, sound reasoning that must stand up to critical peer review and evaluation.

9. Designing strategic plans and the related controls stimulates creativity, which encourages individuals to experiment and to become conditioned to the dynamics of change.

10. Achieving group interaction to test out ideas and to learn from the experience of others helps the individual to develop interpersonal skills that are vital for success in sales, market-ing and general business management.

11. Skills of analysis, application, creativity and written and oral presentation can be developed as can an awareness of participants’ social skills.

Participants’ expectations

Many participants when faced with a case study are immediately concerned with what they are expected to do. Their first expectation is that it is must be a puzzle that has to be solved – oth-erwise what would be the point of having a case? They, therefore, expect that something is wrong with the company that they must then spot and go on to suggest correctional action.

The reason for this is because participants come from a classroom-based educational tradition that expects them to solve problems and answer questions. This also happens with mature man-agers who have never been near a classroom for more than twenty years. It is at this point that careful explanation is needed to clarify the purpose of the case study approach along the lines of the 11 points that have just been mentioned.

The main point that has to be put across to the participants is that there is no all-correct solution, and that different shades of opinion are possible as long as these are backed up with sound rea-soning that is justified in a quantitative or qualitative manner. To this extent, a variety of alternative solutions can be equally valid and it is putting this point across to candidates that will test the skill of the trainer. However, you should still expect, after discussion has taken place, to be asked to answer a question along the lines of: ‘What do you think is the correct solution’? This is quite normal because participants need the reassurance of knowing what an experienced trainer’s answer would be.

Analysing case studies will differ according to the type of case study that is under consideration ranging from the simple scenario to the factual case study analysis mentioned earlier. In the case of the former it will probably be a matter of discussion among members of the group whilst in the case of the latter it will probably be a question of giving a full written report together with justified, and fully costed, strategic recommendations. These latter types of case study do not, of course, feature as far as this text is concerned.

8 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

Suggestions for conducting case study sessions

It is suggested for the simpler scenario type cases that these be simply handed out, perhaps after a more formal presentation session that the tutor has conducted. Participants should then be asked, after they have had the opportunity to assimilate the content of the material, to discuss the problems within the setting implied by the scenario. In our experience, to give out the mate-rial beforehand in the expectation that it will be read and understood is generally a waste of time, because participants generally do not read it. Some will, and they will be ‘up to speed’ and able to participate immediately, whilst others will still be attempting to read the material. The psychology seems to be that only if there is an examination attached to a case study will dele-gates read it in detail beforehand. Scenarios are only short, so five minutes is all that it should take in terms of time for everybody to be able to assimilate the material, and a sensible discus-sion that will involve all participants on an equal basis can then follow. In any case, after a more formal tutoring presentation, it is quite often a good time to have a change of activity like read-ing. This reading activity can thus form the link between a formal presentation and group participation, so it is good teaching practice. It is even suggested that mini-cases be handled in a similar way, providing there is enough time in the course programme to allow some time for participants to read the material.

Longer more formal case studies of the manufactured or factual variety are a different problem. Here it would be more difficult for candidates to sit and formally assimilate the material, so there should usually be an expectation made of participants to have read the case and be pre-pared to discuss various scenarios or problem areas. It is, indeed, with this latter type of more complicated case analysis that the discussion now relates.

9 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

Advice for participants

Delegates should first be asked to read through the case quickly and become familiar with the company, its markets, the characters and the issues. This might mean reading through the case rapidly a couple of times, and then re-reading certain sections in greater detail. At this stage, they should not necessarily make notes as they are simply considering the facts in the case. Typical things that they should be encouraged to look for are matters like the activities of the company, its competitors, its products or services and its customers.

The next stage should relate to what is termed the situational analysis. Like any problem-solving process, participants should be encouraged to break their analyses down into a number of discrete problem areas. The best way here is to start by asking participants to concentrate on the external macro-environment and then the internal environment of the company. They can thus build a data bank organised in a variety of ways according to the situations highlighted in the case.

At this stage, many candidates find it advantageous to look at the questions that have been set as problems so that they can bear this reference point in mind when attempting to apply personal knowledge relating to these situational analyses. The temptation to prepare solutions at this point should be resisted, as knowledge is incomplete and based more upon first impressions than upon well-considered solutions. As in real-life, true management decisions are better made after deliberating all of the possibilities, rather than on relying on first impressions.

Suggested method for analysing cases

Many of the suggestions that are now made were first made by Geoff Lancaster and Lester Massingham in their 2001 text Marketing Management (Third Edition) (McGraw-Hill) pages 485–502. These ideas are summarised and adapted in terms of the type of material that should be considered by tutors when briefing delegates in relation to preparing their case study analy-ses. Some of these issues will not apply as it depends upon the nature of the problem that has been set in relation to the case study in question. In the main, the following structure is more appropriate to general strategic type analyses than it is to specific ‘problem-solving’ analyses.

1. Reading and familiarisation that has already been mentioned.

2. Situational analysis that has already been mentioned.

3. Marketing audit, which means listing all those factors that might impact on the company – from an external point of view under the headings: Political, Economic, Socio-cultural and Technological remembered through the acronym PEST. Sometimes this acronym is cited as SLEPT, of which the extra ‘L’ stands for ‘Legal’. It has been further expanded to PESTLE, where the additional ‘E’ stands for ‘Environmental’. More latterly, it has been expanded to STEEPLE, where yet one more ‘E’ stands for ‘Ecological’. Clearly, the scenario within the case study will determine whether these extra headings are included. For a small case study, an analysis along the lines of PEST is adequate, but if, for instance, the case contains a lot of legal implications, then SLEPT might be better. From an internal point of view the audit should look at all internal factors including issues in different departments, the adequacy of manpower, the company’s products or services and the company’s marketing arrangements.

10 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

4 A SWOT analysis should then be attempted and this means a listing of internal company factors under the headings of Strengths and Weaknesses and external macro-environmental factors under Opportunities and Threats. This information can be used for making plans and suggestions later in the case analysis.

5 Identifying and prioritising major problems and opportunities and selection of the key issues. This is the bringing together of information from the marketing audit and the SWOT, so the first part of the analysis has now commenced.

6 Specifying assumptions and identifying resource constraints is the point at which de-tailed suggestions can commence, so this is really the precursor to the suggested plan.

7 Generation and selection of alternative plans is then needed so that all possibilities are considered and indeed alternative plans can always be adopted as contingency plans if the main plan does not proceed as anticipated when it is put into action.

8 The plan itself. This should be in a formalised planning structure similar to some of those that have been suggested as planning structures in the text. Such structures should be adapted to suit the circumstances of the particular case under review.

11 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

Writing up case study analyses

Since most case studies are designed to test and develop managerial skills, so it is naturally ex-pected that any written analyses should be in a formalised report structure. The structure of any report relating to a particular case study will, of course, depend upon the nature of the issues contained in the case. However, the following general framework should provide a useful set of guidelines to candidates in how to prepare and structure a case study report.

1. Planning the report in draft format should be the first stage and this should consider the purpose of the report, what is to be included and what is to be presented. Sectionalising the report will be useful at this stage, which will include the headings and sub-headings that will finally appear in the finished report.

2. Terms of reference should preface the report that should include such matters as the follow-ing:

• to whom it is addressed (e.g. at the request of the sales director)

• areas to be covered in the report (e.g. promotional mix, sales strategies)

• the intended outcome of the report (e.g. to establish strategies or to make proposals)

• any constraints or assumptions (e.g. within a budget of X per cent of total sales revenue or that the same sales team will be in place for the duration of the proposal)

3. The proposal and recommendations. Here it should be emphasised that reports are not essays, but concise statements that are written in clear unequivocal language. Proposals and recommendations are of prime interest in a report, so these should be highlighted towards the end of the report. Some people reading the report will also want to know how these rec-ommendations were formulated so they should be based upon sound reasoning that will be contained earlier in the report. If such reasoning deals with statistical analyses, then if these are lengthy, they should be contained in appendices, with a suitable note in the report draw-ing the reader’s attention to the appropriate appendix. The important thing to remember is to keep complicated issues out of the body of the report, but as they have to be addressed as ‘evidence’, then appendices are the most appropriate place for such detail.

4. Presentation is important in a report so each page should be well laid out. The use of white space, headings and sub-headings is crucial to create impact. It should be interesting and easy to understand and it should follow a logical sequence, leading the reader from one point to the next.

There are no firm rules for structuring a report, and the important guidelines to note are those that have been mentioned in the last point. However, the following guideline is our suggestion for a good report format: Title page – title of report, to whom it is addressed, the date, the author’s name, company, etc.

Terms of reference – which should be entered as the first page in the report and as outlined in Point 2 above.

Contents list – it is generally better to use a system of reporting as suggested below as it is more logical, but this is not to say that this is necessarily most appropriate for all circum-stances. Note that at each sub-heading and sub-sub-heading there is an indentation, so text under this should be lined up appropriately on the left-hand side. It is possible to go further to, for example, 1.2.1.1, but it begins to get cumbersome, so at this juncture simple bullet points might be better.

12 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

1. Main heading

1.1 Sub-heading

1.2 Sub-heading

1.2.1 Sub-sub-heading

1.2.2 Sub-sub-heading

2. Main heading

2.1 Sub-heading

2.2 Sub-heading

2.3 Sub-heading

2.3.1 Sub-sub-heading

2.3.2 Sub-sub-heading

• Bullet point 1

• Bullet point 2

• Bullet point 3 …………………. etc.

The contents list will simply reflect each of these main, sub- and sub-sub-headings together with their appropriate page number in the report.

The main report – as already indicated, but ending up with recommendations for action.

Bibliography – in Harvard style of notation. This is particularly appropriate if any references have been used directly when compiling the report.

Appendices – again, as already indicated and these are useful in that by using appendices it does not interrupt the general flow of the argument.

Summary – the main findings and recommendations are sometimes included and this might go at the end, or more usually between the title page and the terms of reference. This summary (called ‘Executive Summary’) often comes at the beginning of the report after the contents list, and as the term implies it is for the information of those executives who do not want to read and assimilate the detailed analyses and implications that the main body of the report has high-lighted.

13 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

Solutions and guideline answers

The end-of-chapter scenarios and mini-cases that are referred to in the textbook are the ones that are cited at the end of each chapter. There now follows our suggestions as to how the questions following these practical exercises cases might be handled. For most of these scenarios we have also provided a synopsis of the case, teaching objectives and a suggested teaching approach. In other instances we have included our fully reported solution, and in others our suggested solu-tion guidelines. Needless to say, our solutions can be improved upon and, indeed, alternative solutions might be equally viable or better. For your convenience, each case is reproduced here along with its end-of-chapter position in the textbook, followed by the guideline suggestions or solution.

14 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

C H AP T E R 1

Mephisto Products Ltd

‘Yet another poor year’, reflected the senior executive of Mephisto Products. ‘Profits down by 15 per cent, sales and turnover static in a market that was reckoned to be growing at a rate of some 20 per cent per annum. It cannot go on.’ These were the thougwhts of Jim Bullins, and he contended that the company would be out of business if the next year turned out to be as bad.

Jim Bullins had been senior executive at Mephisto for the past three years. In each of these years, he had witnessed a decline in sales and profits. The company produced a range of techni-cally sophisticated electromechanical control devices for industry. The major customers of Mephisto were in the chemical processing industry. The products were fitted to the customer’s processing plant in order to provide safety and cut-out mechanisms, should anything untoward happen in the manufacturing process.

The products were sold through a UK salesforce of some twelve people. Each represented a dif-ferent area of the country and all were technically qualified mechanical or electrical engineers. Although some 95 per cent of Mephisto’s sales were to the chemical industry, there were many more applications for electromechanical control devices in a wide variety of industries.

The reason that sales were concentrated in just the one industry was historical, in that the firm’s founder, James Watkinson, had some 30 years earlier married the daughter of the owner of a major detergent manufacturer. As an engineer, Watkinson had seen the potential for such de-vices in this type of manufacture and, with the aid of a small loan from his father-in-law, had commenced manufacture of such devices, initially for his father-in-law’s company and later for wider application in the chemical industry. Watkinson had long since resigned from active par-ticipation in Mephisto Products, although he still held a financial interest. However the philosophy Watkinson had brought to the business was one that still pervaded business thinking at Mephisto.

The essence of this philosophy was centred on product and production excellence, backed by strong technical sales support. Watkinson had believed that if the product was right, i.e. well designed and manufactured to the highest level of quality, there would be a market. Needless to say, such a product then needed selling (because customers were not necessarily aware that they had a need for such safety mechanisms) and salespeople were encouraged to use what may be described as high-pressure salesmanship, pointing out the consequences of not having such mechanisms in a manufacturing plant. They therefore tended to emphasise the negative aspects (of not having such devices) rather than the positive aspects (of how good they were, time sav-ing in the case of plant breakdown, etc.). Needless to say, in Watkinson’s day, such products then needed selling and, even though sales were to industrial purchasers, it was felt that such selling techniques were justified. This philosophy still pertained, and new salespeople were urged to remember that, unless they were pressed, most customers would not consider updating their control equipment.

Little advertising and sales promotion was carried out by the company, although from time to time, when there was a little spare cash, the company did purchase advertising space in The Chemical Processors’ Quarterly. Pricing was done on a cost-plus basis, with total costs being calculated and a fixed percentage added to account for profits. Prices were thus fixed by the

15 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

accounts department, and sales had no say in how they were established. This led to much dis-sent among the salespeople, who constantly argued that prices were not competitive and that if they were cut, sales could be increased substantially.

Delivery times were slow compared with the average in the industry, and there were few dis-counts for large-order quantities, with the salesperson first having to clear such discounts with accounts before agreeing to such an arrangement. Again, Watkinson’s old philosophy still pre-vailed: ‘If they want the product badly enough, they will wait for it’, and ‘Why offer discounts for large quantities – if they did not want that many they would not order them.’

During the previous five years, from being a relatively successful company, market share for Mephisto Products dropped substantially. The market became much more competitive with many new entrants, particularly from EU countries coming into the UK market, which had tradi-tionally been supplied by UK manufacturers. Many of these new entrants had introduced new and updated products to the market, with such products drawing upon recent advances in elec-tronics. These new products were seen by the market as being technically innovative, but the view taken by Mephisto management was that they were faddish and once the novelty had worn off, customers would come back to their superior products.

Unlike many of his colleagues, Jim Bullins was worried by developments over the past five years, and felt that there was a need for many changes. He was aware that the more successful new entrants to the industry had introduced a marketing philosophy into their operations. Com-pared with ten years ago in this type of business, it was now common practice for companies to appoint marketing managers. Furthermore, he knew from talking to other people in the industry that such companies considered sales to be an integral part of marketing. At a recent meeting with his senior staff, he mentioned to the sales manager the possibility of appointing a market-ing director. The sales manager, who was shortly expecting to be made sales director, was scathing about the idea. His view was that marketing was suitable for a baked beans manufac-turer but not for a company engaged in the manufacture and sale of sophisticated control devices for the chemicals industry. He argued that Mephisto’s customers would not be swayed by superficial advertising and marketing ploys.

Although Jim Bullins always took heed of advice from his senior managers, recent sales figures had convinced him that the time had now come to make some changes. He would start, he de-cided, by appointing a marketing manager in the first instance. This person would have marketing experience and would come, most probably, from the chemical industry. The person appointed would have equal status to the sales manager, and ultimately either the new appointee or the existing sales manager would be promoted to the board of directors.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Criticise Mephisto Products’ approach to sales and marketing.

2. Comment upon the following as they exist now at Mephisto Products:

(a) marketing orientation;

(b) the marketing mix;

(c) the product life-cycle.

16 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

3. What problems can you anticipate if Jim Bullins goes ahead and appoints a marketing man-ager?

4. What general advice can you give to the company to make it more marketing orientated?

The case describes a company that has not adapted to changing economic circumstances. The company has remained in a market that has not necessarily declined, but one that has witnessed more competition especially from EU countries. These new entrants have brought with them new products, whilst Mephisto’s products have not been updated. The company is production orientated and this philosophy permeates thinking amongst their sales staff. A solution to this problem is seen to be the appointment of a new marketing manager.

Teaching objectives

To analyse a case situation in terms of identifying its orientation in respect of it being either a production, sales or marketing focus and to analyse its marketing mix and product life-cycle issues. Change is suggested and how this change is to be managed must now be addressed.

Suggested teaching approach and guideline solutions

The obvious point that should be brought out is that the company is very much production orientated. The syndrome of ‘Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door’ is reflected in Watkinson’s view of well-designed and manufactured products to the highest level of quality. However, in order to get this message across, sales orientation is needed in terms of emphasising the negative aspects of not updating control equipment.

In order to build relationships the company needs to establish trust and confidence at individual levels amongst its regular clients and in time, the necessity of these control devices will be ap-parent to the extent of it being ‘second nature’. The devices should be marketed along the lines of satisfying modern day safety requirements rather that as individual control devices. There should be a move away from a contracts-based approach towards a safety solutions approach.

(a) As has been pointed out in Question 1, the company is production orientated. It does at-tempt to apply sales orientation using the ‘fear’ factor as a sales tactic, but it does avoid the bad excesses of true sales orientation – some of which are nothing more than confidence trickery. Marketing orientation is not part of their culture, although there is a hint in the case study that Jim Bullins might be amenable to the suggestion of applying marketing orienta-tion.

(b) Price – with finance dictating cost-plus margins, the role of sales is one of order taking rather than any kind of proactive marketing; Product – a refusal to accept that new products

17 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

are making serious inroads into the marketplace and the fact that new products are based on new technology, which is obviously proving itself amongst customers. Channels of distribu-tion are direct, which is not unusual for industrial products of this nature. Perhaps consideration might be given to the appointment of agents in addition to the direct salesforce – perhaps in other EU countries to counter EU inroads into the United Kingdom. Promotion is only done when there is spare cash available – again another pointer towards production orientation. It certainly does not form part of any concerted marketing approach to target customers. Customers seem to be canvassed on a contract-by-contract basis rather than at-tempting to build long-term sustainable relationships.

(c) This part of the question is essentially an extension of the product part of the discussion in part (b). The discussion here should revolve around the fact that Mephisto Products are in the late maturity or decline stages of the product life-cycle and this could be linked to a dis-cussion on new product development issues.

There will obviously be problems for Jim Bullins in getting the idea of marketing accepted. Al-though Jim is the chief executive, the company seems to be still very much under the philosophical control of James Watkinson. Perhaps the finance department is the first function that has to be convinced in relation to market-based pricing, followed by production/research in terms of producing products that are suited to the modern marketplace. The facts speak for themselves and to have static turnover in a market that is growing at a rate of 20 per cent per annum is a serious situation.

There might also be problems for the new appointee if he or she is not a positive personality in gaining an acceptance for marketing philosophies and ideas. Clearly, a good communicator (of marketing ideas) and a persuasive personality are prime requirements.

This should be apparent from the foregoing questions and this question can probably wrap up any good ideas that have been brought out already. Typical advice that can be given is as fol-lows:

• pricing to be market-based; not cost-based;

• consideration should be given to a new system of sales remuneration that encourages repre-sentatives to build up long-term relationships;

• product development has to be based upon marketing research data that reflects the re-quirements of customers, rather than only ideas from the research and development function;

• advertising has to be based upon the job to be done rather than simply upon what the com-pany can afford to pay;

• agents to be considered for tackling the broader EU marketplace;

18 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

• working towards a more proactive involvement with customers, perhaps with a view to gaining an acceptance of the company’s products at customers’ product specification stages. Long-term relationships and a solutions-based approach rather than the contracts-based ap-proach that exists at present should be encouraged.

19 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

Telcontar, a leading supplier of software and services for real-time location-based solutions has announced the appointment in May 2002 of Graham Page as Managing Director Europe. Based in London, Page will be responsible for all European operations planned for the UK, Germany and other major countries. He will also be a member of the corporate executive management team, located in California, USA.

Telcontar provides software and integration services to providers of location-based applications including vehicle telematics systems, wired Internet solutions, wireless Internet and cell phone applications.

The location-based services supplied range from driving directions, real-time traffic data and maps. Telcontar’s map management software and multi-dimensional spatial data access prod-ucts allow location-based service providers to integrate digital maps with traditional database content drawn from multiple services. This provides fast accurate access to comprehensive map and data services.

Page has a strong background of general management including sales, marketing, implementa-tion and support of application software throughout Europe. Previous roles include Vice President Europe at both Sherpa Corporation and ASK Computer Systems, and Managing Di-rector at Numetrix. In each case Page was responsible for restructuring and building successful, profitable operations.

“The demand for location-based information is immense, and increasing all the time, particu-larly in the wireless and telematics sectors. Telcontar has the leading technology platform for providing these services.” Page commented: “I am looking forward to setting up the European operation for Telcontar’s products and services in what is going to be a fast moving and dy-namic market. We already have several significant deals with high profile organisations in the pipeline, so watch this space!”

Telcontar is the provider of the premier software platform for location-based services. Telcon-tar’s clients use its Drill Down Server (to offer their own customers such services as driving directions, real-time traffic information, and maps). Telcontar’s services are also used by ve-hicular or personal emergency response call centres as well as for fleet tracking and dispatch. The company specialises in integrating digital maps with traditional database content drawn from multiple sources.

In March 2001, Telcontar secured $US23.5 m of second round funding from a consortium of companies led by Ford Motor Company.

Telcontar is privately owned and headquartered in San Jose, California with field offices in Los Angeles, Dallas and the United Kingdom. Telcontar® and Drill Down Server® are trademarks of Telcontar.

Source: PR Artistry Limited, Cedar Court, 9–11 Fairmile, Henley on Thames, Oxon RG9 2JR. Reproduced with permission from www.prartistry.com

20 © Pearson Education Limited 2006

1. Do you feel that Page’s background in sales and marketing is the right kind of experience for this type of new venture? Might not a more technical background be more appropriate?

2. Page’s immediate task is to recruit members of the sales team. Advise Page as to the type of salespersons he should be looking for.

This mini–case study examines the recent setting up of a ‘cutting edge’ company that is engaged in software and integration services. On the face of it, the company has been successful and now includes Ford Motor Company as one of its clients. This is an American company that has now set up this subsidiary in the United Kingdom and has put a person with a successful marketing and sales background in charge of operations.

1. The provision of a platform for discussion of issues relating to management of a company.

2. A platform for discussion relating to salesforce recruitment.

Suggested teaching approach

Perhaps if the company was setting up with embryonic software products then a more technical person might be more appropriate. However, it seems as though such products are developed in the United States of America and then marketed through Telecontar in the United Kingdom. Page has already demonstrated a successful track record as he has been Vice President Europe at both Sherpa Corporation and ASK Computer Systems, and Managing Director at Numetrix. In each case he has been responsible for restructuring and building successful, profitable opera-tions. It would seem, therefore, that given the circumstances surrounding the case, that Page’s background is an appropriate one in this context.

Discussion here can relate to whether one appoints salespersons with product knowledge or with knowledge of sales technique. The best type of candidate would be one who demonstrates abil-ity in relation to each. However, such an ideal salesperson is sometimes difficult to find. It is then a matter of asking whether it is easier to graft technical knowledge onto a good salesper-son, or whether it is easier to give a technical person training in the sales technique. The latter might seem to be the easiest option, but here we come across the dilemma of ‘good salespersons are born and not made’ that many people subscribe to. In other words, it could be that because of a technical person’s more scientific and exact mindset many sales opportunities might be missed, perhaps because of lack of lateral vision. Certainly, there is not an all-correct or all-wrong answer to this question and a lively debate should ensue.

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Mephisto Products Ltd 
   'Yet another poor year,' reflected...

Mephisto Products Ltd 
   'Yet another poor year,' reflected...

Mephisto Products Ltd 


'Yet another poor year,' reflected the senior executive of Mephisto Products. 'Profits down by 15 per cent, sales and turnover static in a market that was reckoned to be growing at a rate of some 20 per cent per annum. It cannot go on.' These were the thoughts of Jim Bullins, and he contended that the company would be out of business if the next year turned out to be as bad.

Jim Bullins had been senior executive at Mephisto for the past three years. In each of these years he had witnessed a decline in sales and profits. The company produced a range of technically sophisticated electromechanical control devices for industry. Mephisto's major customers were in the chemical processing industry. The products were fitted to the customer's processing plant in order to provide safety and cut-out mechanisms, should anything untoward happen in the manufacturing process.

The products were sold through a UK salesforce of some 12 people. Each represented a different area of the country and all were technically qualified mechanical or electrical engineers. Although some 95 per cent of Mephisto's sales were to the chemical industry, there were many more applications for electromechanical control devices in a wide variety of industries.

The "reason" that sales were concentrated in just the one industry was historical, in that the firm's founder, James Watkinson, had some 30 years earlier married the daughter of the owner of a major detergent manufacturer. As an engineer, Watkinson had seen the potential for such devices in this type of manufacture and, with the aid of a small loan from his father-in-law, had commenced manufacture of such devices, initially for his father-in-law's company and later for wider application in the chemical industry. Watkinson had long since resigned from active participation in Mephisto Products, although he still held a financial interest. However, the philosophy that Watkinson had brought to the company was one which still pervaded business thinking at Mephisto.

The essence of this philosophy was centred on product and production excellence, backed by strong technical sales support. Watkinson believed that if the product was right (i.e. well designed and manufactured to the highest level of quality), there would be a market. Needless to say, such a product then needed selling (because customers were not necessarily aware that they had a need for such safety mechanisms) and salespeople were encouraged to use what may be described as high-pressure salesmanship, pointing out the consequences of not having such mechanisms in a manufacturing plant. They therefore tended to emphasise the negative aspects (of not having such devices) rather than the positive aspects (of how good they were, time saving in the case of plant breakdown, etc.). Needless to say, in Watkinson's day such products needed selling and, even though sales were to industrial purchasers, it was felt that such selling echniques were justified. This philosophy still pertained and new salespeople were urged to remember that, unless they were pressed, most customers would not consider updating their control equipment.

Little advertising and sales promotion was carried out, although from time to time, when there was some spare cash, the company did purchase advertising space in the trade press. Pricing was done on a cost-plus basis, with total costs being calculated and a fixed percentage added to account for profits. Prices were thus fixed by the accounts department and sales had no say in how they were established. This led to dissent among the salespeople, who constantly argued that prices were not competitive and if they were cut, sales could be increased substantially.

Delivery times were slow compared with the average in the industry and there were few discounts for large order quantities, with the salesperson first having to clear such discounts with accounts before agreeing to such an arrangement. Again, Watkinson's old philosophy still prevailed: 'If they want the product badly enough, they will wait for it,' and 'Why offer discounts for large quantities - if they did not want that many they would not order them.'

During the previous five years, from being a relatively successful company, market share for Mephisto Products dropped substantially. The market became much more competitive with many new entrants, particularly from EU countries, coming into the UK market that had traditionally been supplied by UK manufacturers. Many of these market entrants had introduced new and updated products, drawing upon recent advances in electronics. These new products were seen by the market as being technically innovative, but the view taken by Mephisto management was that they were faddish and, once the novelty had worn off, customers would revert to Mephisto's superior products.

Unlike many of his colleagues, Jim Bullins was worried by developments over the past five years and felt there was a need for many changes. He was aware that the more successful new entrants to the industry had introduced a marketing philosophy into their operations. Compared with ten years ago in this type of business, it was now common practice for companies to appoint marketing managers. Furthermore, he knew from talking to other people in the industry that such companies considered sales to be an integral part of marketing. At a recent meeting with his senior staff, he mentioned to the sales manager the possibility of appointing a marketing director. The sales manager, who was shortly expecting to be made sales director, was scathing about the idea. His view was that marketing was suitable for a baked beans manufacturer but not for a company engaged in the manufacture and sale of sophisticated control devices for the chemicals industry. He argued that Mephisto's customers would not be swayed by superficial advertising and marketing ploys.

Although Jim Bullins always took heed of advice from his senior managers, recent sales figures had convinced him that the time had now come to make some changes. He would start, he decided, by appointing a marketing manager. This person would have marketing experience, and most probably come from the chemical industry. The person appointed would have equal status to the sales manager, and ultimately either the new appointee or the existing sales manager would be promoted to the board of directors.

1  Criticise Mephisto Products' approach to sales and marketing.

2  Comment on the following as they exist now at Mephisto Products: (a) marketing orientation; (b) the marketing mix; (c) the product life-cycle.

3  What problems can you anticipate if Jim Bullins goes ahead and appoints a marketing manager?

4  What general advice can you give to the company to make it more marketing orientated?

Answer & Explanation

What is the history of Mephisto Products Ltd. and what issues is the business currently dealing with?

Production of technologically sophisticated electromechanical control devices for industry is done by Mephisto Products Ltd. Over 30 years ago, James Watkinson founded the business and began producing gadgets for his father-in-detergent law's manufacturing business and later for the chemical processing sector. Products from the company offer processing plants safety and cut-out features. Although many other industries might use these controls, the company's sales have historically been concentrated in the chemical processing sector, which accounts for 95% of its sales, despite the fact that many other sectors could also benefit from them.

For the past three years, the company has seen a loss in both sales and earnings, with profits falling by 15% and sales and turnover remaining constant in a market that was expanding at a 20% annual pace. Due to rising competition from new entrants, notably those from EU countries, the company's market share has also decreased significantly during the past five years. By utilizing current advancements in electronics, these new competitors have launched items that the market considers to be technically innovative.

The company's current issues include lengthy delivery delays, cost-plus-based fixed pricing, and a dearth of discounts for large order volumes. The salesmen employ high-pressure salesmanship to promote the products and emphasize the drawbacks of not having such equipment in a manufacturing plant. There is little advertising and sales promotion carried out. The business still adheres to the founder's ideology, which held that if a product was well-designed and made to the highest standard of quality, a market would exist. The company's operations lack a marketing philosophy, and the sales manager has voiced opposition to the idea of hiring a marketing director, claiming that Mephisto's clients wouldn't be convinced by flimsy advertising and marketing gimmicks.

Key references: https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=7b2813c5fc16f625805756a1ca3dbee9a39817a9

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As we have previously mentioned, we value our writers' time and hard work and therefore require our clients to put some funds on their account balance. The money will be there until you confirm that you are fully satisfied with our work and are ready to pay your paper writer. If you aren't satisfied, we'll make revisions or give you a full refund.

Do my essay with us and meet all your requirements.

We give maximum priority to customer satisfaction and thus, we are completely dedicated to catering to your requirements related to the essay. The given topic can be effectively unfolded by our experts but at the same time, you may have some exclusive things to be included in your writing too. Keeping that in mind, we take both your ideas and our data together to make a brilliant draft for you, which is sure to get you good grades.

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The writers you are supposed to hire for your cheap essay writer service are accomplished writers. First of all, all of them are highly skilled professionals and have higher academic degrees like Masters and PhDs. Secondly, all the writers have work experience of more than 5 years in this domain of academic writing. They are responsible for

• Omitting any sign of plagiarism
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1555 Lakeside Drive, Oakland

Extra spacious rarely available courtyard facing unit at the Lakeside…

Adam Dobrinich