Fundamentals of Selling: Customers for Life Through Services.
Zameer, Asif
Fundamentals of Selling: Customers for Life through Services,
Futrell, C.M., McGraw Hill Education (India) Private Limited, New Delhi,
2014, Pages 652.
The concept of selling has changed dramatically over the last three
decades. The earlier focus of 'push' being the foundation for
the selling concept has given way to ensuring 'customer
satisfaction' as the bedrock of today's marketing philosophy.
The megatrend in today's business world, as stated in this book, is
going to extreme efforts to meet consumer needs. Sales professional have
to strive to build long-term business relationship, which implies that
personal relationships with clients need to be formed. Customers do
business with the people they trust, and they trust the people they know
and who try to satisfy their needs without any selfish motives.
This is the basic message, which this book authored by Professor
Charles M. Futrell, tries to propagate. He states that the fundamental
responsibility of a sales person is--serving others unselfishly. The
textbook's underlying message is love and caring of others (in
particular the customers). It is a visionary book with the central theme
that ethical service, based upon truth between people, builds strong
long-term relationships. Perhaps the biggest differentiating
characteristic of this book in comparison with other similar texts is
that it advocates blending a strong ethical and social conduct in the
basic role of a sales person.
This book has been divided into four parts. Part I talks about the
new definition for personal selling and the Golden Rule of personal
selling. It tells the reader about what is the role of a slaes person,
why sales is an exciting and rewarding career and what the key success
factors for sales jobs are. The next chapter in this part dwells upon
the linkage of relationships marketing and personal selling and how
these concepts fit into the overall marketing effort of a company. It
also talks about the role of technology in fostering this linkage. The
next chapter advocates how sales people should display high level of
ethical and social conduct in dealing with all people around
them--supervisors, peers and most importantly customers.
In part II, the author starts with guiding the readers on how to
prepare for relationship selling. The reasons and thoughts based on
which the customers buy are listed out as well as the various kind of
buying situations. In the next chapter, author emphasizes the importance
of two-way communication in building relationships. This is followed by
the chapter which highlights the importance of doing their home work for
sales persons --knowledge about customers, products, technologies, and
competition etc., before venturing into sales calling. The importance of
various connecting technologies in this process is also highlighted.
Part III is devoted to describing the personal selling process in
detail, with the emphasis on relationship building at each step of the
process. There is a separate chapter devoted to all the
steps--prospecting, planning (pre-approach), approach, presentation
methods and elements, objection handling, negotiations, closing
techniques, service and follow-up for customer retention. This part is a
like a coaching manual for sales call training.
The style of writing is very lucid, user friendly and substantiated
by various examples and snapshots.
Part IV is devoted to the role and responsibility of a sales
manager. It talks about not only managing others but also
self-management. The first chapter in this part educates the reader on
time and territory management. It elaborates on the concept of
'Return on Time Invested' on a customer. The concepts of
scheduling and routing have also been discussed. The next chapter deals
with the basics of Sales Team management--planning, recruiting, and
training the sales force. In the subsequent chapter, the author
discusses the skill of motivating the sales force, designing
compensation plans, displaying leadership and doing the performance
evaluation objectively.
For a topic, as widely written about as selling and sales
management, this book is a thought provoking work on contemporary
requirements and responsibilities of an effective and efficient sales
person. Its message of developing long-term relationship with your
customers through ethical and social conduct, truthfulness and unselfish
attitude cannot be overemphasized in today's intensely competitive
business world.
The author is a Professor of Marketing in the Mays Business School
at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. He is a former
salesperson turned into professor. Before entering academics, Dr.
Futrell, worked in sales and marketing capacities for eight years with
the Colgate Company, The Upjohn Company, and Ayerst Laboratory. His
research in personal selling, sales management, research methodology and
marketing management has appeared in numerous national and international
journals. His work has earned him several research awards and he is
globally recognized as an authority in selling and sales management.
This is the twelfth edition of this highly acclaimed book.
A small point of dissatisfaction is that though it is positioned as
an Indian edition, there is no example, illustration or case from any
Indian company or selling situation in India. Otherwise, it is a well
drafted and developed book which is as compelling in its reasoning and
the message it wants to give.
Asif Zameer
Associate Professor, FORE School of Management, New Delhi.
