EMBUTIDOS ESCALDADOS

The proposed S.B.I., as an integrated framework for measuring and managing sales performance, was developed and empirically tested in the host organisation. The framework was viewed as the main management decision tool of the sales and marketing department. The actual implementation of the framework followed a step by step procedure.

Before the implementation procedure, it was clarified who would lead this project. The researcher was nominated to have the responsibility to develop and establish an effective method of measuring and managing sales performance and align KPIs with the strategic elements of the board of directors of the organisation. He had the commitment and support of the senior management of the organisation. Information sensitivity was acknowledged as well as the data that belonged to the organisation and had to be treated with uttermost respect and maintained in a secure environment at all times.

The implementation of the S.B.I. framework was divided into four phases:

SWOT Analysis development;

Establishing Key Performance Indicators;

Technical implementation;

Training for organisational integration.

The SWOT Analysis sought to align the vision and strategy of the organisation with the crucial areas for measurement and analysis. It proposed six main potential areas for improvement based on the four perspectives of the BSC extending the employee satisfaction and the external factors. Through the SWOT analysis, a specific set of dimensions was identified; these dimensions provided guidance as to which KPIs were to be measured and analysed. Furthermore, the data resources that could be used to derive KPIs’ measurements were identified. Most of them already appeared in various reports periodically prepared for the principal Daimler A.G. organisation. To facilitate the operational requirements of the proposed S.B.I., it was decided that the analysis

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reporting tool would run on a monthly basis at a time that followed the completion of the monthly reports which were sent to the principal Daimler A.G. organisation.

During the phase of establishing the Key Performance Indicators, the crucial areas were mapped and quantified into measurements. It was decided that the target values of the KPIs will be identical to the target agreements that are updated in the annual contracts with Daimler A.G.

During the technical implementation phase the procedure to retrieve the data measurements for each KPIs was developed. Additionally, the dashboard for tracking the KPI’s has been developed. As cited by Fukushima & Peirce (2011), the “dashboard is a cockpit-like panel to monitor performance indicators, where management staff will be able to directly access overall key performance indicators through a control panel system and make decisions by evaluating the existing values of the indicators with the expected targets”.

The automotive retail sector is dynamic and competitive in nature with special dimensions. Based on the research outcomes of this research project, a set of KPIs was developed and validated with above case study in the Mercedes-Benz Cyprus and in the Automaster Ltd. Both organisations imported passenger’s cars from the manufacturer and selling them through their own network. These KPIs covered the main crucial factors which were identified in this research for improving sales performance in a selling automotive company. These sets of well-defined measures are common for any dealership in the automotive business. The target levels may vary from dealer to dealer based on the strategic approach and kind of selling vehicles.

Collin (2002) argued that developing KPIs must be in consideration the following crucial factors.

“KPIs must be in a limited number giving the possibility for a regularly changing and managing for supporting the derived action plans.

KPIs must giving measures for the crucial output of the business,

KPIs will need to be flexible for a changing or modification,

Graphic displays of KPIs need to be understandable,

The systematic use of KPIs is essential as the value dynamic of the business environment changing dramatically very often,

Data collection must be made as simple as possible without sacrificing accuracy,

KPIs must be understandable and acceptable for the involved people in order to help them to make effective decisions”.

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Based on the researcher’s developments in his professional practice and experience in designing and implementing intelligence reporting analysis tools the reporting analysis tool was developed following on a System Development Life Cycle or SDLC.

Additionally, supporting documentation was composed in order to facilitate the implementation of the S.B.I. framework. This was seen as an important and essential step towards the implementation of the proposed theoretical approach.

Furthermore, the sales management staff complained about the timing of the provided results. More specifically, they complained that they received the monthly results of the S.B.I. very close to the monthly management meetings. As a result, they did not have time to review the report. The reporting analysis tool was modified and now the results are ready four days before the monthly meetings.

To ensure that the management team had a clear understanding of the S.B.I. framework, a face to face training session was scheduled. Training addressed several issues that needed to be clarified to support management decisions in an efficient and effective manner. Additionally, it was emphasised in the management team that they should engage their staff in the development process of the derived action plans.

6.7 Findings from the post-framework design focus group: Host organisation