Module 3 dealt with product distribution. During this module, I was very disturbed by some of the information I found out. Employees did not know about the website, the toll free number for sales, and had very little product knowledge training. After my interview with Ms. Visnick, I had my doubts in regards to Kitchen Collections’ management team. The manager and assistant manager did not seem to communicate together very well and communicated very little when they did. The assistant manager needed more training and needed to implement employee product training to better answer questions that the customers have.
Distribution could not be completed if the employees did not know what product they were distributing or selling. SLP 4 In this module, we discussed personal selling, advertising, public relations, and sales promotion. The highlight of this module was identifying more weaknesses when it came to the high employee turnover rate and the lack of training for closing the deal. The employees showed a definite lack of caring when it came to the business’s future since most of them looked at their job as a short-term career move. They had no incentives to help booster their morale and they felt a definite lack of leadership among the management.
The store’s main advertising was word of mouth. They are still relatively unknown in the community at hand. This shows a definite need for more advertising and public relation events to establish a solid foot hold in the community eye. SLP 5 In our last module, we discussed pricing, the final P in our class discussion. After careful analysis of the elasticity of demand and the break-even point, we find that Kitchen Collection has an advantage over their competition in the fact that they offer more products then their competitors at the same or better prices.
They also offer more products than that of their competitors. This will eventually lead to the strongest advantage that this store has in the community. Recommendations Based on my research and analysis of all data given to myself, and observations I find that Kitchen Collection’s strengths and weaknesses are as follows: Strengths Weaknesses Product Variety Management Product Brand Names Employee Product Knowledge Pricing Employee High Turnover Rate Location Promotion Marketing Employee Store Knowledge Lack of the employees’ ability to close the sale and consumer relations
My recommendation for employee relations would be to have better employee training sessions, to set up weekly meeting with employees to discuss problems with both members of management present, have new product information training or pamphlets, sale closing and consumer relations, and to discuss the franchise history, methods of distributions, and general goals for better employee knowledge. My recommendations for store promotions and marketing would be to advertise more in local papers or a television advertisement.
I would also recommend more community functions that would bring the store into the public eye. I would also recommend that the store manager have a better grasp of sale advertising. It is expected to have signs posted if a product is on sale and not to have the customer be “surprised” if the item rings up on sale. That is a sign of inadequate managerial leadership. My final recommendation would be for the manager to be present at the store more or to assign a full-time manager to be present at the store.
I feel the assistant manager lacks the experience, the knowledge, and the appropriate character to foster a growing business. Arguments with employees should not be done within the store, as I was a witness too; all sales should be advertised and signs posted, and the high turn over rate of employees is a sure sign of decline for any store. This store has a great potential if operated correctly. I think the foundation is present for this store to gain a strong market segment with the proper guidance.
