Basic Marketing: A Global Managerial Approach

Perreault−McCarthy: Basic
Marketing: A
Global−Managerial
Approach, 14/e

19. Implementing and
    Controlling Marketing
    Plans: Evolution and
    Revolution

Text © The McGraw−Hill

Companies, 2002

Implementing and Controlling Marketing Plans: Evolution and Revolution 561

5. Price or discount class.


6. Method of sale—online, telephone, or sales rep.


7. Financial arrangement—cash or charge.


8. Size of order.


9. Commission class.

While some sales analysis is better than none—or better than getting data too

late for action—sales breakdowns that are too detailed can drown a manager in

reports. Computers can spew out data faster than any manager can read. So wise

managers only ask for breakdowns that will help them make decisions. Further, they

use computer programs that draw graphs and figures to make it easy to see patterns

that otherwise might be hidden scrolling through online tables with a browser. But

to avoid coping with mountains of data—much of which may be irrelevant—most

managers move on to performance analysis.

Too much data can

drown a manager

Information Resources, Inc.,

developed the DataServer

Analyzer Software, illustrated

here, to make it easy to do sales

analysis and produce graphs that

make it easy to see patterns that

might otherwise be hidden in a

table of numbers.

Performance Analysis Looks for Differences

Performance analysislooks for exceptions or variations from planned performance.

In simple sales analysis, the figures are merely listed or graphed—they aren’t com-

pared against standards. In performance analysis, managers make comparisons. They

might compare one territory against another, against the same territory’s performance

last year, or against expected performance.

The purpose of performance analysis is to improve operations. The salesperson,

territory, or other factors showing poor performance can be identified and singled

out for detailed analysis and corrective action. Or outstanding performances can be

analyzed to see if the successes can be explained and made the general rule.

Performance analysis doesn’t have to be limited to sales. Other data can be ana-

lyzed too. This data may include inventory required, number of calls made, number

of orders, or the cost of various tasks.

Numbers are compared