Goals
Cooper Pharmaceuticals Inc (CPI), a leading manufacturer for dental and medical practices in the United States, is determined to maintain its position as the largest drug manufacturer and achieve sales quotas. Upholding strong ethical policies has played a crucial role in shaping CPI’s reputation. By hiring Bob Marsh, CPI not only met its goals but also sustained excellent customer relationships.
Bob Marsh, after 12 years of service, faced difficulties adapting to the changing expectations of different short-term district managers. The key to achieving these objectives for CPI lies in establishing enduring relationships with consumers, a skill demonstrated by Bob Marsh. By doing so, not only will sales quotas be fulfilled, but CPI will also maintain its standing as one of the leading prescription drug manufacturers. Furthermore, CPI should ensure adherence to its policies by documenting expectations and implementing additional training programs for district managers.
Impediments
There is a chance that CPI will continue on its current downward trajectory, leading to a transformation in its reputation. If CPI remains unchanged, they may face the repercussions of not meeting sales targets due to prioritizing the promotion of their product over the customer’s needs. Consequently, this approach will harm their image as an ethical company, causing their policies to lose their significance.
Solutions
CPI aims to establish a enduring bond with consumers through the sale of prescription drugs tailored to their requirements. Moreover, having Bob Marsh as a sales representative at the Toledo, Ohio location will remarkably contribute to their success. The company’s continuous commitment to ethics is demonstrated by documenting their policies and enhancing training for new or transferred district managers. It is essential for all employees to be aligned in order to function as a cohesive and productive team.
Problems
Cooper Pharmaceuticals faces challenges with inconsistent managers who lack an understanding of the importance of consumer trust. The district managers are unwilling to learn and understand Bob Marsh’s strategies for cultivating and maintaining trust among customers. Rather than being rewarded based on his hard work, Bob Marsh’s salary is determined solely by his tenure with the company. This overtime policy has resulted in a lack of motivation and resistance to promoting new products.
District managers at CPI have a short-term tenure, as evidenced by Bob Marsh having six new district managers in twelve years. The longest any district manager stayed in the same district was five years. Unfortunately, the new and young district managers did not invest the time to grasp Marsh’s approach. They brought their own ideas and approached things differently, resulting in each one desiring something distinct from Marsh. Nevertheless, Marsh was most successful in handling the first two district managers who remained the longest.
Cooper Pharmaceuticals underwent a gradual shift in their ethical principles, compromising the solid foundation upon which they had been built. With the arrival of new managers, the company started placing more emphasis on promoting products that were potentially not advantageous for customers, rather than prioritizing their actual needs. Additionally, these managers formed a misguided opinion about Marsh based on their preconceived notions and examination of his file, leading them to be uncooperative in collaborating with him.
Bob Marsh’s salary was not determined by his performance but rather by the amount of time he spent with the company. Regardless of how well Marsh performed or whether he met sales targets, his salary increase was solely based on his tenure with the company.
Bob Marsh, an experienced professional, desired to have autonomy over his own agenda and promotional activities. With a substantial amount of prior experience, Bob had already established relationships with many customers. Unlike Cooper Pharmaceuticals, Bob did not believe in aggressively pushing products that would not be advantageous for the customers. Instead, he focused on promoting what he believed would best fulfill their needs. Unfortunately, Cooper Pharmaceuticals disregarded feedback and insisted on promoting the new products they deemed necessary.
Cooper pharmaceuticals experienced a lack of training for district managers over the years. As time passed, younger and less experienced individuals became district managers at CPI. Each new manager brought fresh ideas, but their approach to business differed from Marsh’s. This raises the question of why they were not provided with training prior to taking on the role of district manager. It is important for all managers to adhere to the same policies and procedures.
Recommendations
- Cooper Pharmaceuticals needs to train their district managers before they are assigned to a district. The district managers then need to remain at that location for 3-5 years to gain knowledge and understanding from the sales representatives and customers. Bob Marsh and other sales representatives need to be rewarded a bonus based off of their sales on product promotions.
- Cooper Pharmaceuticals needs to have a set time period for how long a district manager needs to stay in their district before they can be transferred. Each district manager should be required to stay 3-5 years depending on experience. This gives them enough time to get to know the sales representative and how they work along with knowing what kind of products would benefit the consumers the most.
- Cooper Pharmaceuticals needs to have their policies written down on paper. They built an ethical foundation that gained customers trust right from the get go. They need to go by their ethical standards and have it wrote down so that everyone who works for them has to follow the policies and represent CPI in the right way. If company policies were written out it would help prevent the district managers and sales representatives from misusing the company policies.
- Bob Marsh should be receiving commission based on his sales. Basing some of Marsh’s salary off of 15% of his sales would help motivate Marsh to reach the sales quotas. It would also benefit the company because Marsh would feel appreciated and work harder to help the company succeed in sales. If Marsh was to not meet his sales quota then he would not get as much pay. This would help the company to better gage how well Marsh is doing in his sales. If CPI wants Marsh to sell promotional products that he doesn’t in particular want to sell then they should offer him money for selling them. They need to give some kind of motivation so that he wants to sell the product.
- Cooper Pharmaceuticals needs to listen to their feedback. The value of listening is huge in a business. If CPI really wants to retain their customers and gain their trust, they need to listen to what their needs are. Marsh had a way of listening that CPI did not recognize and that is why the customers liked him so well. He already knew the customers so he did not need to write down information about them. If CPI wants to keep their trusting reputation they need to listen to feedback. E-mailing out surveys of how the detailers visits are going along with what new products they are impressed with would be a great way to receive feedback from customers about what they do and don’t like.
- Before district managers are transferred to a location they need to go through a training program. To keep the company policies and stay consistent with the consumers, CPI needs to organize a district manager training program. This would put all the district managers on the same page so that there is no confusion for the sales representatives.
Situation Analysis
The main recommendation is for district managers to stay in one district location for 3-5 years, depending on their experience. If Cooper Pharmaceuticals can achieve this, district managers will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with sales representatives and comprehend their relationship with customers. Additionally, district managers will gain a better understanding of customer needs and be able to promote appropriate products accordingly. To maintain their reputation as an ethical company, CPI must document their policies in writing.
These policies should be accessible to all employees. Training should be provided to ensure that everyone understands what is expected of them. This will prevent new and inexperienced district managers from having different expectations for sales representatives and trying to implement their own ideas. In doing so, the company will maintain consistency with its policies.
Bob Marsh’s motivation and dedication would have been sustained if he had been recognized and rewarded for his hard work. Granting him a 15% bonus based on his sales would stimulate him to actively promote products and meet sales targets. In order to maintain a positive attitude and a willingness to learn, it was crucial for Bob Marsh to feel valued. Cooper Pharmaceuticals could benefit from their feedback, as it provides an opportunity to make necessary changes or fix any issues that may arise in order to meet the needs of their customers. Neglecting customer feedback can lead to stagnation and ultimately result in discontent among customers.
CPI could also benefit from feedback given by its employees. If Bob Marsh had been able to express his reasons for conducting sales in the way he did, CPI could have taken advantage of his ongoing sales growth. District managers should undergo a training program prior to being promoted or transferred to new locations. This program would ensure that all district managers are aligned and have consistent expectations for their sales representatives. Additionally, it would serve as a reminder for all employees regarding crucial company policies upheld by CPI.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Cooper Pharmaceuticals will achieve success by implementing various strategies, including:
1. District managers staying in the same location for 3-5 years, ensuring stability and consistency.
2. The proper training of employees to enhance their skills and expertise.
3. Offering up to 15% bonus based on sales to motivate and incentivize sales representatives.
4. Listening to customer feedback and addressing their concerns to build a lasting relationship with consumers.
5. By rehiring Bob Marsh, who has 12 years of experience and strong customer relationships, CPI will benefit greatly. This move will also demonstrate that CPI values and listens to customer feedback.
6. District managers will prioritize meeting sales quotas and supporting sales representatives in reaching their goals, while upholding the company’s ethical standards.
