Training and Development Strategy of Maples Company - Case Study Example

PORTFOLIO Name: Institution: Course: Lecturer: Date: Job Advert Maples is a retail organization which specializes in quality fashion made in Britain. The organization focuses on the sophisticated consumers with more than one hundred stores across the United Kingdom. The organization is undergoing a drive for expansion into high quality food retail industry and a drive to sell more goods through the internet. The company thus wants to recruit a Sales Director who will make these plans a success. The candidate will be reporting to the Senior Manager, and should have a strong interpersonal skills and teamwork. The candidate will be required to develop strategies on production of high quality retail food which is acceptable in high end food industry, developing a mechanism of online marketing and purchasing and overseeing the training and development of the current sales team to equip them with necessary skills and knowledge for selling the new products and making adequate use of the new sales service. Key accountabilities Customers Responsible for the execution of the complete customer service cycle for engagements including attending client meetings and finalizing communications Developing meaningful relationships and providing customer service that exceed client expectations Being proactive in responding to customer feedback as a priority and meeting them effectively Markets Identifies opportunities to provide new and existing customers with quality service in line with the company’s strategy Strategically placing the company’s products online and facilitating online purchase Develops online purchasing platform and ensures the mode of payment is highly effective and error free Develops a platform on the internet through which new customers can get to know about the products so as to expand the company’s market share People Demonstrate commitment to the highest technical professional excellence for self and team Contribute to developing a knowledge-sharing culture and invests in the learning and development of themselves and others Provides constructive and supportive performance feedback to team members in an open, direct manner, completing evaluations for team members in accordance with firm policy Provide effective supervision, coaching and mentoring while on the job and through formal coaching arrangements Responsibilities Taking client orders on how they want their final products to be like Working on these concerns and liaising with the customers to communicate the progress of the work by keeping constant flow of information Organizing, preparing agendas for, attending and taking minutes of board meetings and annual general meetings Developing an online marketing platform where the clients would be able to learn about the company products Developing and maintaining an effective online purchasing platform where customers can place orders and make payments Initiating and overseeing the training of the existing company staff in line with the strategies put up by the management Ensure the success of the new products and operations developed by the company by adopting necessary strategies Qualifications Bachelor degree on Sales and Marketing from a reputable institution of higher learning Five to seven years’ experience working on a senior management position or related field Must have computer skills especially on online marketing and purchase Must have prior experience on sales and customer engagement practices Strong business acumen with the ability to identify new clients and business opportunities Strong communication and interpersonal skills Selection Strategy The strategy adopted in order for the company to acquire and retain the best candidate followed the following steps: Identifying the vacancy and evaluating the need The strategies of the company were evaluated and the position of a Sales Director was created to oversee the plans by the company to enter the high quality food retail industry. The need also arose for development of an online platform which would enable the company sell more goods via the internet. The success of these new products and operations would depend on the individual who will occupy the position of the Sales Director. Also, there was need to train the existing sales staff so as to make them conformant with the strategy of online marketing. Developing the position description A job description was developed which would; Provide a long lasting impression in the mind of the candidate about the job itself Stipulate the responsibilities and qualifications of the candidate clearly so that only the best and suited candidate would be selected Minimize turnover by ensuring the candidate only performs the task they are hired for Clearly articulate the value proposition of the role so that it could attract qualified persons to apply Optimize the search results so that the job ranks highest if the candidate searches for it from the internet Serve as a documentation to prevent discrimination and show that the hiring decision was based on written evidence and that the best candidate was hired Help in identifying the performance objectives Developing the recruitment plan This was developed by the Departmental Human Resource coordinator in conjunction with the hiring manager. The recruitment plan was carefully structured to map out the strategy so as to attract and hire the best qualified candidate. The plan also helps to ensure an applicant pool which includes women and underrepresented groups including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Selecting the search committee A selection committee is formed to help in the interview process. This would prevent bias in the interview and recruitment process. The hiring manager identifies individuals who will have direct and indirect interaction with the candidate during their job. The hiring manager ensures that the selection committee is made up of staff from across all the departments. A member of the committee is appointed as the affirmative action to monitor the affirmative action of the selection committee. The search committee is also made up of representatives from the minority groups to ensure their full representation. Posting of the position and implementation of the recruitment plan After preparation of the requirements of the position, it was then posted online to enable qualified candidates to apply. The posted position should be as accurate as possible and altering of the job description and requirements is not allowed. The alteration would have profound effects on the application pool. Reviewing applicants and developing short list After posting the position online, candidates apply by filling the online application form for the position. The applicants are then reviewed and considered. Those who apply during the initial period are the applicants while the ones who apply after the initial period are considered to be expressions of interest. These are not viewable by the search committee. All the search committee members are allowed to review the applications so as to avoid bias. Each of the members can then give their views against each candidate. The committee chair then prepares a short list. The shortlisted individuals are then invited for an interview. The candidate who meets the minimum requirements of the interview panel are then hired and posted on the work station. Training and Development Strategy The challenges faced by Maples Company can only be tackled by equipping the staff with skills which will enable them implement the company strategies effectively. This can be achieved by helping the employees achieve their individual goals among many other strategies. The plan on training and development of the sales staff include: Carrying out career development plan annually with the entire sales staff and encouraging other supervisors in the sales department to do the same Each supervisor in the sales department would be held responsible for facilitating employee development efforts Establishing programmes and activities within the department which would facilitate development including job rotation, internships, cross-training, career strategy groups and mentoring programmes Supporting requests for alternative work schedules from staff members Participating in development programs as the Sales Director to lead by example Being in support of lateral moves within the organization Referring the sales staff to staff internship program to find and apply for internships used for career development or initiating a deliberate internship in the area of interest Relevant external factors (PESTEL) that have had an impact on the choices made in thedesign of above material Economic factors The decision to hire a new Sales Director was informed by the various financial difficulties that befell the company. The recession exposed the company in a precarious position and it was necessary to recruit an individual who would be able to turn thing around and place the company once again in the profit ways. Socio-cultural factors The company plans to venture into the high quality retail industry. This would mean change in quality of products being offered to suit the market of interest. This market is comprised of customers in a different social class and competitiveness of the company would depend on how effectively its products meet or even exceed the expectations of this market. Technological factors Maples Company need to stay up to date with the current technological advances. The intention of venturing into the internet marketing would make the company be able to expand its market share and thus financial base. The use of internet would make the company sell more products while at the same time establishing a platform by which the sales people would interact directly with the customers. Thus it is important to hire an individual with the necessary skills to come up with the best strategy to take the company into the right destination. Legal factors The problems faced by the company are made worse by the decision made by the management to freeze salaries and promotions, closing down fifteen stores rendering over one thousand five hundred employees jobless and also the decision to review the 2008 pay agreement. This would certainly attract legal action from disgruntled employees. It is therefore necessary to hire an individual who would be able to convince the affected employees by explaining to them the current situation of the company. 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