1 Xerox – Creating Customer Value 1. Based on the case study, Xerox is highly committed to its customers and creating customer value. The sales personnel are trained to develop and maintain healthy customer relationships (Kerin & Hartley, 2017). The company is also guided by customer-focused and employeecentered core values alongside innovation, speed, and adaptability. Madhani (2018) states that creating a strong relationship with customers in the current highly competitive market is crucial in achieving sustainable business performance. Besides, organizations can truly embrace customer focus only if they embed it as a culture throughout their organization (Madhani, 2018).
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2 Xerox is committed to customer focus by having over 8,000 sales professionals solve customer business problems and develop customer relationships. Xerox is also employee-centered, evident through the commitment to the professional development of the sales-force. The salespeople attend a training program once hired. Besides, the team is well compensated and motivated both intrinsically and extrinsically. A people-centered organizational culture promotes a meaningful company (Black & Venture, 2017). A people-centered culture is evident at Xerox through open communication, change responsiveness, teamwork, and employee development. This creates a highly productive work environment where employees are dedicated to creating a seamless consumer experience. The company also equips its sales force with the digital era sales tactics essential for computer-savvy customers (Holusha, 1994). It also helps Xerox to develop digital scanners, copiers, and printers. Recommendations Continued training of the salespeople-Xerox has utilized personal selling to connect with customers and retain them. Besides, the company acknowledges that salespeople are a critical link between the firm and its customers (Kerin & Hartley, 2017). Salespeople are also trained to match the interests of the company with customers' needs for mutual benefit. Hire employees who fit the company's culture- Kerin and Hartley (2017) state that salespeople are the company in a customer's eye. The sales personnel present what a company is, and it is the only contact the customer has with the organization (Kerin & Hartley, 2017). Therefore, Xerox should leverage culture fit in making high-quality hires and acknowledge and objectify the culture and make it mappable to particular skills, values, abilities, and motivators of the sales personnel (Hennigan & Evans, 2018).
3 Use loyalty programs-After connecting with customers and ensuring the first purchase using the personal selling process, loyalty programs can encourage a customer to make a repeat purchase. For instance, customers that refer a friend that makes purchases can receive a reward. Personalize customer relationships- Xerox should utilize customer analytics to help customize and personalize its messages to consumers. Past data can help the sales-force understand products a customer may be interested in buying in the future. Then, the sales personnel can send tailored emails on special offers. Other messages can include reminding customers about special features in their printers or copiers that they are not utilizing. This ensures that the communication is not one-sided but for mutual benefit. References Black, J., & Venture, K.L. (2017). The human factor to profitability: People-centered cultures as meaningful organizations. Journal of Organizational Psychology, 17(2), 24-34. Hennigan, M., & Evans, L. (2018, October 31). Does Hiring for 'Culture Fit' Perpetuate Bias? SHRM. https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/1118/pages/does-hiring-forculture-fit-perpetuate-bias.aspx (Links to an external site.) Holusha, J. (1994, December 18). Xerox's new strategy will not copy the past. The New York Times. Kerin, R. A. & Hartley, S. W. (2017). Marketing. (13th ed.). New York, New York: McGrawHill Education. Madhani, P. M. (2018). Building a customer-focused culture in organisations: developing 7Cs model. International Journal of Business Excellence, 16(2), 199-232.
Thank you for the post.
4 You have covered key areas of the case study and offered workable recommendations. I would also add that Xerox has invested a lot in communication efficiency because it is vital in customer relations (Xerox, 2021). Face-to-face communication and digital communication are explored to build strong relations with clients. The rationale behind all this is to create and help the clients solve issues of interest to them and improve their perception of Xerox. I would add another recommendation that Xerox considers using technology to reduce pressure on sales representatives and enhance the customer experience. Reference Xerox. (2021). Communicate More Efficiently. Xerox. https://www.xerox.com/en-lu/services/cloud-based-solutions.
5 2. Xerox’s Personal Selling Process Xerox has developed its selling process for acquiring and retaining its customers. This process starts with identifying potential clients, studying them to understand how Xerox can meet this company's specific needs. The salesperson prepares their presentation, meets with the client, shows them what Xerox has to offer, and then proceeds with the next appropriate steps. Whether these steps are closing the deal, setting up another meeting after more information has been reviewed, or providing a follow-up, this last portion is crucial in acquiring new clients and retaining the old ones. Customer Development Approximately two-thirds of Xerox’s selling process is about finding, researching, presenting information and products to the customer. In this process, Xerox assesses the potential customer to meet their needs and provide services that the competition may not have. In doing this, Xerox can ensure that it stands out amongst its competitors from the beginning of this process. The “follow-up” step in this selling process seems to be one of the major factors in customer retention. The sixth step is described as where Xerox “continues to meet and communicate with the client to provide assistance and monitor the effectiveness of the installed solution” (Kerin & Hartley, 2016). In short, customer service and good customer service leads to happy long customer relationships. Recommendation Some companies may think that partnering with Xerox may be more expensive than the competition initially. Xerox can overcome this challenge by offering packages that can aid in performing all of the monotonous office tasks that they (as well as the competition) normally
6 offer at a discounted price; then, once the deal is closed, the salesperson can try to up-sell the client during the follow up once the client has gotten a good feel of the company. This can establish trust between both parties, new contracts with longer durations, and establish potentially strong and long-lasting relationships with Xerox and its clients. Reference:
Kerin, R. A. & Hartley, S. W. (2016). Marketing. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
(2018, June 12). Sales. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://www.xerox.com/en-aw/jobs/employee-profiles/sales/interviews#jump-node-58706
Thank you for sharing insights about the case. Indeed, from this case, Xerox has done well in customer relations through its sales representatives. The success of the company is anchored on how best it manages its customercentered sales and marketing. The changes the firm implemented were in line with improving services to clients, attracting and retaining customers, and growing the business. Some monotonous tasks could be well managed by automated systems to guarantee a timely response to customer's concerns. Creating online groups where clients can interact with sales representatives can also improve customer relations (Stewart et al., 2017). Strengths and weaknesses The article posted has strengths in its structure; it starts with a brief introduction of Xerox as a company before delving into the nitty-gritty of sales and marketing. Each section focuses on
7 a specific item and gives it the best coverage. Information shared in each section is also clear and insightful. The weakness of the article s that it does not offer any information about the challenges Xerox is facing. Instead, it paints a rosy picture of the company. It would be good if the article shared some insights about some of the challenges Xerox face, especially with regard to sales and marketing. The essence of highlighting the company's challenges is to lay the ground for recommendations, including the proposed solutions. References Stewart, M., Atilano, M., & Arnold, C. (2017). Improving Customer Relations with Social Listening. International Journal Of Customer Relationship Marketing And Management, 8(1), 49-63. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijcrmm.2017010104. Xerox. (2021). Communicate More Efficiently. Xerox. https://www.xerox.com/en-lu/services/cloud-based-solutions.