Challenges And Prospects Of Sales Operations Systems In Ethiopian Bottled Water Industries: The Case Of Asku Plc
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Date
2019-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Sales Operations is usually considered as tool towards achieving the objectives commonly shared by business firms, perhaps it is more than anything else in bringing a system to selling. Nevertheless, the activities and functions of sales operations require the direct involvement of many departments other than the sales department. For this and some other related issues, sales operations naturally alive with critical challenges and problems. The objective of this study was to assess the challenges of sales operations systems and investigating the prospects associated with of ASKU PLC. In doing so, both qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed to gather and analyze the necessary data. Structured questionnaires prepared for two categories and direct observations were used to collect primary data and analysis was made with the aid of IBM SPSS version 20. The findings of the study indicated that the overall sales operations system of the company is constrained by many challenges to fully achieve its sales operations plan in which improper planning system took the largest share. However, inefficient sales facilities, poorly arranged working conditions, and unfair and non-uniform product delivery and distribution system were identified as significant challenges. Added to that, growing brand perception of ASKU’s natural spring water products, reforms underway to be implemented by the company itself, the nationally witnessed increased demand for bottled water, and the recent decisions made by the company are investigated as major opportunities and prospects of the sales operations systems of ASKU PLC. Prior to anything else, the company is recommended to thrown away the existing methods, systems and approaches of sales operations and management planning to make the sales plan can reconcile both the interests of the company and its customers. More importantly, as far as both the challenges identified and the prospects investigated are more of internal and under control to act on, the company should urgently prepare an action plan so as to make visible changes in the above situations.
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Sales Operations, Challenges, Prospects