Deck 7: Sales Dialog: Creating and Communicating Value

Question 1

OFFICE FURNITURE COMPANY
BACKROUND
The Office Furniture Company specializes in providing customers with office furniture solutions that are customized and designed to address productivity and aesthetic needs. It sells office furniture from the leading manufacturers, but creates value by analyzing the specific needs of each customer and then developing a customized design to meet these needs. There are several competitors in the office furniture industry, but most of them focus on low prices. Customers usually pay more for an Office Furniture Company solution, but receive more value in terms of increased productivity and business effectiveness.
CURRENT SITUATION
Naiser Associates is a small, but growing, accounting firm. The company plans to add more office staff and to increase the number of its accountants. This planned growth means that the firm will have to find new office space, because it will have outgrown its current location. Because it plans continued growth in the future, it is looking for a new office that will accommodate current and future growth objectives. Naiser Associates also wants to purchase new and better furniture for its new office.
You are a sales representative for the Office Furniture Company and have been meeting with partner, Frank Naiser, as well as accountants and staff at Naiser Associates. Based on these meetings, you have identified the following office furniture needs:
1. Naiser Associates has typically met with clients at their offices. It would like to have most client meetings in the future at its new office. This means they desire furniture for these meetings that facilitates these meetings and communicates a professional and customer-friendly image.
2. Their current office furniture did not provide much storage for accountants or staff. Thus, important documents were stored at the end of a long hallway. Employees wasted a lot of time trying to retrieve important documents. Thus, they desire furniture that provides more storage for each employee.
3. Technology is changing at a rapid pace, so furniture that can be easily adapted to new technologies is very important.
4. As Naiser Associates continues to grow, it will probably have to reorganize itself and is likely to need to adapt the physical office to different organizational arrangements. Office furniture that is adaptable to different configurations is important.
You have created an office equipment design for Naiser Associates that addresses each of the issues presented above and are preparing for a meeting with the partner, Frank Naiser, the office manager, and a representative for the firm's accountants. You know that a competitor has already made a presentation to the same group and their offer will cost less than what you will be able to charge.
How will you try overcoming the lower price offer by a competitor?

Answer 1

OFC is a specialized company in providing the customized and designed furniture solutions to the customers. They sell furniture from the reputed manufactures however, they add value by assessing and providing furniture as per the respective customer needs and requirements. Likewise in other industries, competitors are high in the furniture industry but are solely focused on providing the furniture at the lowest price.
NA, a growing accounting firm plans for expanding their staffing to meet its growing needs of present and also for the future. This expansion led to search for a new office space in such a way, it meets the future objectives of the company. The company plans on purchasing the new and customized furniture to make optimum use of the new office space so, as to make the employees work easy and flexible. In meeting with the sales representative of OFC, the following points were identified as the needs of the company in purchasing the furniture:
• To provide a professional and customer-friendly impression for the office, as they meet the majority of its clients and spend their potential time in the office
• Make productive use of the available space in such a way accountants and staff individually were provided with sufficient space to store their files and documents, which could not be accommodated in the current office premises
• The furniture must be designed as it meets the changing technological trends and advancements in the industry
• The furniture designed must be flexible to adapt as per the changing organizational arrangements, in relation to the future growth prospects
The sales representative has prepared a presentation addressing all the above mentioned needs of the NA Company. It is evident that the competitor has already presented the solutions before the management at a lower cost than the one prepared by the sales personnel of the OFC.
The following are the ways to overcome the lower price offer by a competitor:
• By providing the multi-utility customized furniture that is flexible to adapt as per the respective situational need
For e.g. Simple computer table can be converted into an extendable table where, multiple systems or laptops can be placed having a provision for projector for short term presentations with a small team
• The assured and long lasting quality of the furniture sold from the manufacturing giants of the industry would provide premium experience and value add image for the office premises
• By offering free annual maintenance services in terms of maintaining the polished and royal look of the furniture for the period of two years
• Though the furniture designs offered are little pricey, it depicts the value spent towards it and would enhance the company's image among the customer group
• The furniture designed in multi colors maintains a unique identification for each of the department and in turn creates a colorful and joyful work station, which acts as a stress buster and keeps the personnel refreshing
Thus, in the above ways the management of the NA can be convinced to procure customized furniture designs from OFC with multi-level benefits offered by the company with quality assured services.

Question 2

OFFICE FURNITURE COMPANY
BACKROUND
The Office Furniture Company specializes in providing customers with office furniture solutions that are customized and designed to address productivity and aesthetic needs. It sells office furniture from the leading manufacturers, but creates value by analyzing the specific needs of each customer and then developing a customized design to meet these needs. There are several competitors in the office furniture industry, but most of them focus on low prices. Customers usually pay more for an Office Furniture Company solution, but receive more value in terms of increased productivity and business effectiveness.
CURRENT SITUATION
Naiser Associates is a small, but growing, accounting firm. The company plans to add more office staff and to increase the number of its accountants. This planned growth means that the firm will have to find new office space, because it will have outgrown its current location. Because it plans continued growth in the future, it is looking for a new office that will accommodate current and future growth objectives. Naiser Associates also wants to purchase new and better furniture for its new office.
You are a sales representative for the Office Furniture Company and have been meeting with partner, Frank Naiser, as well as accountants and staff at Naiser Associates. Based on these meetings, you have identified the following office furniture needs:
1. Naiser Associates has typically met with clients at their offices. It would like to have most client meetings in the future at its new office. This means they desire furniture for these meetings that facilitates these meetings and communicates a professional and customer-friendly image.
2. Their current office furniture did not provide much storage for accountants or staff. Thus, important documents were stored at the end of a long hallway. Employees wasted a lot of time trying to retrieve important documents. Thus, they desire furniture that provides more storage for each employee.
3. Technology is changing at a rapid pace, so furniture that can be easily adapted to new technologies is very important.
4. As Naiser Associates continues to grow, it will probably have to reorganize itself and is likely to need to adapt the physical office to different organizational arrangements. Office furniture that is adaptable to different configurations is important.
You have created an office equipment design for Naiser Associates that addresses each of the issues presented above and are preparing for a meeting with the partner, Frank Naiser, the office manager, and a representative for the firm's accountants. You know that a competitor has already made a presentation to the same group and their offer will cost less than what you will be able to charge.
What specific value can you offer Naiser Associates?

Answer 2

OFC is a specialized company in providing the customized and designed furniture solutions to the customers. They sell furniture from the reputed manufactures however, they add value by assessing and providing furniture as per the respective customer needs and requirements. Likewise in other industries, competitors are high in the furniture industry but are solely focused on providing the furniture at the lowest price.
NA, a growing accounting firm plans for expanding their staffing to meet its growing needs of present and also for the future. This expansion led to search for a new office space in such a way, it meets the future objectives of the company. The company plans on purchasing the new and customized furniture to make optimum use of the new office space so, as to make the employees work easy and flexible. In meeting with the sales representative of OFC, the following points were identified as the needs of the company in purchasing the furniture:
• To provide a professional and customer-friendly impression for the office, as they meet the majority of its clients and spend their potential time in the office
• Make productive use of the available space in such a way accountants and staff individually were provided with sufficient space to store their files and documents, which could not be accommodated in the current office premises
• The furniture must be designed as it meets the changing technological trends and advancements in the industry
• The furniture designed must be flexible to adapt as per the changing organizational arrangements, in relation to the future growth prospects
The sales representative has prepared a presentation addressing all the above mentioned needs of the NA Company. It is evident that the competitor has already presented the solutions before the management at a lower cost than the one prepared by the sales personnel of the OFC.
The NA Company must be offered specific value in terms of the following:
• Value in terms of commitment by providing the most appropriate customized designing of the furniture that could be utilized for multi-purposes making optimum utilization of the work place
• Value in terms of building trust and reliability by offering the best quality furniture from the manufacturing giants and by providing accurate services for the assured period of time
• Value in terms of the expenditure made towards the furniture by assuring the professional and customer-friendly image desired by the management of the company
In addition to the above, the most important value that must be offered is customer-satisfaction in relation to the furniture and services provided. It plays a vital role in any nature of the industry, as the customer must feel valued for every penny spent by them. It is the most basic aspect essential for any sustainable business model.

Question 3

OFFICE FURNITURE COMPANY
BACKROUND
The Office Furniture Company specializes in providing customers with office furniture solutions that are customized and designed to address productivity and aesthetic needs. It sells office furniture from the leading manufacturers, but creates value by analyzing the specific needs of each customer and then developing a customized design to meet these needs. There are several competitors in the office furniture industry, but most of them focus on low prices. Customers usually pay more for an Office Furniture Company solution, but receive more value in terms of increased productivity and business effectiveness.
CURRENT SITUATION
Naiser Associates is a small, but growing, accounting firm. The company plans to add more office staff and to increase the number of its accountants. This planned growth means that the firm will have to find new office space, because it will have outgrown its current location. Because it plans continued growth in the future, it is looking for a new office that will accommodate current and future growth objectives. Naiser Associates also wants to purchase new and better furniture for its new office.
You are a sales representative for the Office Furniture Company and have been meeting with partner, Frank Naiser, as well as accountants and staff at Naiser Associates. Based on these meetings, you have identified the following office furniture needs:
1. Naiser Associates has typically met with clients at their offices. It would like to have most client meetings in the future at its new office. This means they desire furniture for these meetings that facilitates these meetings and communicates a professional and customer-friendly image.
2. Their current office furniture did not provide much storage for accountants or staff. Thus, important documents were stored at the end of a long hallway. Employees wasted a lot of time trying to retrieve important documents. Thus, they desire furniture that provides more storage for each employee.
3. Technology is changing at a rapid pace, so furniture that can be easily adapted to new technologies is very important.
4. As Naiser Associates continues to grow, it will probably have to reorganize itself and is likely to need to adapt the physical office to different organizational arrangements. Office furniture that is adaptable to different configurations is important.
You have created an office equipment design for Naiser Associates that addresses each of the issues presented above and are preparing for a meeting with the partner, Frank Naiser, the office manager, and a representative for the firm's accountants. You know that a competitor has already made a presentation to the same group and their offer will cost less than what you will be able to charge.
How can you most effectively communicate the value of your proposed office equipment design?

Answer 3

OFC is a specialized company in providing the customized and designed furniture solutions to the customers. They sell furniture from the reputed manufactures however, they add value by assessing and providing furniture as per the respective customer needs and requirements. Likewise in other industries, competitors are high in the furniture industry but are solely focused on providing the furniture at the lowest price.
NA, a growing accounting firm plans for expanding their staffing to meet its growing needs of present and also for the future. This expansion led to search for a new office space in such a way, it meets the future objectives of the company. The company plans on purchasing the new and customized furniture to make optimum use of the new office space so, as to make the employees work easy and flexible. In meeting with the sales representative of OFC, the following points were identified as the needs of the company in purchasing the furniture:
• To provide a professional and customer-friendly impression for the office, as they meet the majority of its clients and spend their potential time in the office
• Make productive use of the available space in such a way accountants and staff individually were provided with sufficient space to store their files and documents, which could not be accommodated in the current office premises
• The furniture must be designed as it meets the changing technological trends and advancements in the industry
• The furniture designed must be flexible to adapt as per the changing organizational arrangements, in relation to the future growth prospects
The sales representative has prepared a presentation addressing all the above mentioned needs of the NA Company. It is evident that the competitor has already presented the solutions before the management at a lower cost than the one prepared by the sales personnel of the OFC.
The most effective way to communicate the value of proposed office equipment design is through providing multi-utility customized furniture that is flexible to adapt as per the respective situational need.
For e.g. Simple computer table can be converted into an extendable table where, multiple systems or laptops can be placed having a provision for projector for short term presentations with a small team.
In addition to the above, it could be most effectively communicated as follows:
• Installation of multi-utility furniture saves a lot of time in terms of efforts in the process of use and by explaining the concept of optimum utilization of the office space in relation to the investment made towards it
• By taking a particular office space into consideration and virtually arrange furniture so that the accurate benefits and value of the customized furniture can be proven through the presentation
• By assessing and evaluating the value addition on the investment towards the customized furniture in the form of statistics, it helps in communicating the benefits in the long run
Thus, the value of the customized equipment design can be effectively communicated in the above mentioned ways.

Question 4

OFFICE FURNITURE COMPANY
BACKROUND
The Office Furniture Company specializes in providing customers with office furniture solutions that are customized and designed to address productivity and aesthetic needs. It sells office furniture from the leading manufacturers, but creates value by analyzing the specific needs of each customer and then developing a customized design to meet these needs. There are several competitors in the office furniture industry, but most of them focus on low prices. Customers usually pay more for an Office Furniture Company solution, but receive more value in terms of increased productivity and business effectiveness.
CURRENT SITUATION
Naiser Associates is a small, but growing, accounting firm. The company plans to add more office staff and to increase the number of its accountants. This planned growth means that the firm will have to find new office space, because it will have outgrown its current location. Because it plans continued growth in the future, it is looking for a new office that will accommodate current and future growth objectives. Naiser Associates also wants to purchase new and better furniture for its new office.
You are a sales representative for the Office Furniture Company and have been meeting with partner, Frank Naiser, as well as accountants and staff at Naiser Associates. Based on these meetings, you have identified the following office furniture needs:
1. Naiser Associates has typically met with clients at their offices. It would like to have most client meetings in the future at its new office. This means they desire furniture for these meetings that facilitates these meetings and communicates a professional and customer-friendly image.
2. Their current office furniture did not provide much storage for accountants or staff. Thus, important documents were stored at the end of a long hallway. Employees wasted a lot of time trying to retrieve important documents. Thus, they desire furniture that provides more storage for each employee.
3. Technology is changing at a rapid pace, so furniture that can be easily adapted to new technologies is very important.
4. As Naiser Associates continues to grow, it will probably have to reorganize itself and is likely to need to adapt the physical office to different organizational arrangements. Office furniture that is adaptable to different configurations is important.
You have created an office equipment design for Naiser Associates that addresses each of the issues presented above and are preparing for a meeting with the partner, Frank Naiser, the office manager, and a representative for the firm's accountants. You know that a competitor has already made a presentation to the same group and their offer will cost less than what you will be able to charge.
What sales aids could you use to make your presentation more engaging and effective?