Ch. 17 - Personal Selling and Sales Management

Personal selling occurs when a sales person who works for a company builds a relationship with a customer in order to determine their needs and increase sales. Many people probably wonder whether in these times with such sophisticated technology salespeople are still necessary.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge
is a loyal customer of Lancome and
among only a few in Britain sent a bottle
of Lancome's Vissionaire 'miracle' serum
"to try as a 'goodwill gesture'".

The answer is yes, they are, and they always will be. Salespeople are very important for companies including Lancome. Personal selling in many cases is more effective than any other form of promotion in obtaining a sale and gaining a satisfied customer. When a customer of Lancome wants to know more about a product he is interested in, he goes to the store because he knows he will be offered a one-on-one consultation. All salespeople who work at the Lancome counter are specially trained to perform these consultations. Because each customer is very valuable to Lancome, salespeople care about the company's long-term relationships with its customers. They want them to be satisfied and happy every time they purchase a product. In 2012, Lancome launched an auto-replenishment program for both their loyal and new customers that has convenience and service as its main goals. Analysis shows that a typical Lancome customer usually buys a new product in store because they receive a free consultation about it. If they are happy with a product, they usually replenish it online. This way of shopping works best with cosmetics that are used routinely such as mascara, foundation or moisturizers. If customers are willing to join the auto-replenishment program, they can set the delivery frequency and receive these products with free shipping and a deluxe mini gift. Moreover, they can also order different items and with free shipping as well so that they can enjoy the convenience of having their favorite cosmetics delivered to them automatically. Usually, the company asks for reviews on gifts or samples they sent with the purchase made on Lancome.com. This way, the company gains a lot of data about customers and their needs. For Lancome, the auto-replenishment program is a great opportunity to understand its customers and how they can improve the quality of customer service on an individual basis so that each of their customers can be treated in a unique way. The program increases loyalty, but it is also a chance to obtain data to inform business decisions. Another loyalty program is Elite Rewards, which I discussed in my chapter 6 post. Building customer relationships is crucial for Lancome, because they want to satisfy every customer.

Lancome's sales system is very well organized. All sales people at Lancome are very professional, enthusiastic, friendly and knowledgeable about the products. The company provides professional training in makeup, skincare and fragrances to all employees. In addition, trained staff get to try out all products so they can understand how they work and to be able to better advise customers about products. Lancome also offers free trials and demos to clients. People love these services and Lancome likes to do it because it is a great way to get the client.