Question

exercise 9.5 Deli Meat Producer Case

You have been hired by a producer of deli meats to investigate their recent decline in market share. The client wants an action plan to reverse the trend.

Details

The firm produces packages of sliced deli meats at all price levels (generic, mid-level, and premium). The market share loss is primarily in the premium category. The brand is relatively well-known.

The higher-priced premium products carry a higher profit margin. Competitors maintained their price levels during the company’s recent loss in market share. The products are sold in grocery stores and delis. Grocers maintained the same placement of the product on their shelves during the decline period.

The company continued the same advertising and marketing campaigns as before the drop in market share. The three other major competitors did not make any noticeable changes in their promotional efforts during the period, and all four companies use the same distribution channels. Each of the competitors has about 20 percent of the market and the client has 40 percent. The market is growing moderately in all three price point categories.

The profile of customers buying the premium deli meats has not changed, but a survey of customers indicates there is more variability in product quality than that of the competition. Some customers changed to the competition due to this difference.

In the space below, write up your process for working toward a recommendation. Then, describe your recommendation and its potential results and effects.

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exercise 9.6 Interview Preparation Checklist

Each time you get ready for an interview, you should follow a variety of steps in order to perform well. Use the checklist below to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything. Grade each item A through F, reflecting how successful you’ve been at accomplishing each step.

• _____1. Research the company and job.
• _____2. Conduct your self-assessment (skills, knowledge, goals, and accomplishments).
• _____3. Assess the value you bring: your competitive edge.
• _____4. Prepare the questions you will ask.
• _____5. Dress professionally. (Check grooming and attire immediately before interview.)
• _____6. Pack your portfolio. (Include extra resumes, letters of recommendation, training certificates, work samples if appropriate, references list, and so forth.)
• _____7. Rehearse your handshake and greeting.
• _____8. Obtain details about the interview in advance (where, when, number of interviews and interviewers, who will do interview(s), length of interview(s), directions to workplace, parking, etc.).
• _____9. Arrive 15 minutes early for the interview.
• _____10. Tell your story to the interviewer.
• _____11. Ask for the job—if you want it!
• _____12. Send thank-you notes promptly.

Answer 1

Process for working toward a Recommendation

In this case study, we observe that the company of Deli meat is doing low business especially in its premium segment meat's selling inspite of having all the conditions regarding the market conditions and the competitor's in a stable state. The difference here is mentioned about the difference in the quality of the meat. The company is selling its products in three different types like generic, midlevel, and premium. I think the problem lies there only. The sale of the premium segment is going down and as we all know that the premium means the best quality and the customers are also from the higher income group. According to me, the premium customer segment is expecting much better quality from the company and they can get that quality from the competitors, so they are moving away. The customer is unhappy with the quality of the meat as it does not meet their expectations. So, for analyzing the problem in detail and suggesting recommendations, the following steps are to be followed-

1. Take a sample of the meat from each of the three-segment of the competitors and especially from the premium segment and evaluate their quality.

2. Make a market survey by questionnaire from the customers about their product and it should also ask about which meat they like and why.

3. It can introduce a feedback appraisal from their regular customers and also ask for their suggestions for improvements.

4. It can take the contact number of the persons buying premium meat and later ask for their feedback by telephone ie. why they like it or do not like it.

Hence, by following the above steps, the problem of the loss of the market share can be identified and then the following recommendations can be implemented.-

1. First of all the company has to improve the quality of the product and have to observe that its quality of the product should be superior or at par with the competitor.

2. It has to implement all the changes as the customers will give as feedback.

3. It has a huge profit in the premium segment and charging a high price, it again has to capture the market and so it should reduce its price to attract the customers, who have moved away.

4. It can again start doing a fresh promotion of its products, to reintroduce the product in the market. It can also provide some offers or discounts.

5. It can also think of changing the packaging of the product.

The potential result of all these things should be positive and the company should be able to rebuild the market position and should learn a lesson that the company should never try to compromise on its quality to earn a profit. If they maintain the best quality they will be able to maintain their place in the market.

9.6

• _ A 1. Research the company and job.

This is the most vital information, one has to collect the information about the potential company in which we are going for the interview and the nature of the job, that is offered.

• ___A__2. Conduct your self-assessment (skills, knowledge, goals, and accomplishments).

This is the foremost thing that one has to clear about before searching for a job. One has to be quite clear about the self-knowledge, the goals to be achieved.

• ___A__3. Assess the value you bring your competitive edge.

I should know my competitive advantage over the others, on which I can give stress at the interview.

• __C___4. Prepare the questions you will ask.

I will try to guess but they don't need to ask me, what I will prepare. I should be confident enough to answer any question.

• _A____5. Dress professionally. (Check grooming and attire immediately before the interview.)

This is a crucial part, a candidate has to be properly dressed at the interview to create the first impression.

• ___A__6. Pack your portfolio. (Include extra resumes, letters of recommendation, training certificates, work samples if appropriate, references list, and so forth.)

This is the vital step to carry all the credentials at the interview.

• __D___7. Rehearse your handshake and greeting.

This is not such an important step. It is better if I do a handshake confidently.

• _A____8. Obtain details about the interview in advance (where, when, number of interviews and interviewers, who will do an interview(s), length of interview(s), directions to the workplace, parking, etc.).

This information has to be collected beforehand and very important for an interview. Based on this information, I have to start to reach there on time.

• _A____9. Arrive 15 minutes early for the interview.

A candidate should reach the interview venue before half an hour, to get ready for the interview.

• _F____10. Tell your story to the interviewer.

This is not a good practice to tell a story to the interviewer. I have to answer for only, that has been asked.

• __F___11. Ask for the job—if you want it!

Nobody should ask for the job themselves, if I get selected, they will inform me.

• _A____12. Send thank-you notes promptly

This is a good courteous practice, to say thank you with out any delay