Business Services Marketing Series

The setting

LEDGERLINE provides bookkeeping services to small businesses on monthly retainers. One long-standing client calls constantly, almost always about work that was delivered correctly, and the account team has started avoiding the phone.

Your role

You are to assume the role of an account associate at LEDGERLINE.

Your task

The managing partner (judge) wants you to recommend what LEDGERLINE should do about this client. Explain how the firm should build and maintain relationships with its clients, describe how to handle a difficult client without losing them, discuss what customer relationship management means for a service business, explain the factors that build a lasting client base, and explain what positive client relations is worth to a firm that grows by referral.

Performance indicators

• Build and maintain relationships with customers.
• Handle difficult customers.
• Discuss the nature of customer relationship management.
• Explain key factors in building a clientele.
• Explain the nature of positive customer relations.

The judge will ask

1. 1.What would you say in the next call with this client?
2. 2.When, if ever, should a firm let a client go?

The setting

CLEARWAY IT monitors office networks overnight. When the service works, the client sees nothing at all, and renewal conversations have become difficult because clients ask what exactly they have been paying for.

Your role

You are to assume the role of a sales associate at CLEARWAY IT.

Your task

The sales manager (judge) wants you to explain how CLEARWAY should sell a renewal. Explain what the selling function covers for a service like this, walk through the selling process as it applies to a renewal conversation, explain how to analyse the service to identify features and benefits a client can actually recognise, explain the part service plays in the selling relationship, and describe what service management should be doing to make the work visible.

Performance indicators

• Explain the nature and scope of the selling function.
• Explain the selling process.
• Analyze product information to identify product features and benefits.
• Explain the role of customer service as a component of selling relationships.
• Explain the nature and scope of the product/service management function.

The judge will ask

1. 1.What single piece of evidence would make the value obvious to a client?
2. 2.How is selling a renewal different from selling the first contract?

The setting

BRIGHTFOLD CLEANING has always believed its commercial clients come from word of mouth, and has built its marketing around that belief. A new intake form asking how each client heard about the company has produced answers that do not match the story the company tells itself.

Your role

You are to assume the role of a marketing assistant at BRIGHTFOLD CLEANING.

Your task

The owner (judge) wants you to recommend where BRIGHTFOLD should focus. Describe the need for marketing data before a budget is committed, identify the data the company should be monitoring for marketing decisions, explain the nature of marketing research at this scale, explain what genuinely builds a client base for a service business, and explain the role a situation analysis should play in the company's planning.

Performance indicators

• Describe the need for marketing data.
• Identify data monitored for marketing decision making.
• Explain the nature of marketing research.
• Explain key factors in building a clientele.
• Explain the role of situation analysis in the marketing planning process.

The judge will ask

1. 1.How would you fix the intake form so next year's answer is usable?
2. 2.What would you do about the referral programme in the meantime?

The setting

TIDEMARK DESIGN has charged the same monthly retainer since it opened, while what it costs to do the work has climbed steadily. The owner wants to raise the fee for every existing client at the same time.

Your role

You are to assume the role of a marketing associate at TIDEMARK DESIGN.

Your task

The owner (judge) wants you to explain how TIDEMARK should handle the increase. Explain the nature and scope of the pricing function for a studio like this, describe the factors that should affect the decision, explain the role business ethics plays in changing a price on clients who did not expect it, explain what the company's selling policies should say about existing clients, and describe how the change should be interpreted to the clients themselves.

Performance indicators

• Explain the nature and scope of the pricing function.
• Explain factors affecting pricing decisions.
• Describe the role of business ethics in pricing.
• Explain company selling policies.
• Interpret business policies to customers/clients.

The judge will ask

1. 1.Should every client move to the new fee on the same date?
2. 2.What would you do if the largest client pushed back?