Best practices in the European Sales Competition 2015
Sukanen, Mimosa (2016)
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu
2016
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2016060912514
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2016060912514
Tiivistelmä
This study presents the best practices in the European Sales Competition held for the second time in Belgium, June 2015. European Sales Competition (ESC) is for University students around Europe to compete in business negotiation skills. The competition is a simulation of a business-to-business (B2B) meeting in a buyer-seller interaction.
This thesis is made as a commission for Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences who organizes the upcoming competition in 2016 in Helsinki. The aim of the competition is to improve the attitude towards professional selling and providing the students an opportunity to show their skills in business negotiations.
The research is made based on the narrators own experiences, interviews, performance observations and business academic literature. The theoretical part of the thesis explores the sales meeting process, negotiation techniques and cultural differences in business etiquette and behaviour. In order to understand and communicate with people from other na-tionalities it is also important to be aware of your personal competences and standards of activity. Since sales takes place between people, not companies, the interpersonal skills are valuable, both in the meeting as well as during the preparation for the competition.
The empirical part presents the experience of the competition day from the narrators’ perspective. Two finalists’ interviews from the competition in 2014 and 2015 supports the narrative outcomes. The other view of the competition and evaluation is given by a judge to get a versatile research.
The study is collected to a guide of the best practises of the European Sales Competition. It gives practical examples how to prepare for the competition day and what are the key fac-tors in the sales meeting process.
The coaching period and participating in the competition is a demanding project considering the time frame and international aspects, but it´s a once in a lifetime opportunity to show ones business skills in front of a jury consisting of sales professionals. The final price for the competitor is not to win the competition but to have the opportunity to meet company delegates, widen the professional network and improving own business negotiation skills.
This thesis is made as a commission for Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences who organizes the upcoming competition in 2016 in Helsinki. The aim of the competition is to improve the attitude towards professional selling and providing the students an opportunity to show their skills in business negotiations.
The research is made based on the narrators own experiences, interviews, performance observations and business academic literature. The theoretical part of the thesis explores the sales meeting process, negotiation techniques and cultural differences in business etiquette and behaviour. In order to understand and communicate with people from other na-tionalities it is also important to be aware of your personal competences and standards of activity. Since sales takes place between people, not companies, the interpersonal skills are valuable, both in the meeting as well as during the preparation for the competition.
The empirical part presents the experience of the competition day from the narrators’ perspective. Two finalists’ interviews from the competition in 2014 and 2015 supports the narrative outcomes. The other view of the competition and evaluation is given by a judge to get a versatile research.
The study is collected to a guide of the best practises of the European Sales Competition. It gives practical examples how to prepare for the competition day and what are the key fac-tors in the sales meeting process.
The coaching period and participating in the competition is a demanding project considering the time frame and international aspects, but it´s a once in a lifetime opportunity to show ones business skills in front of a jury consisting of sales professionals. The final price for the competitor is not to win the competition but to have the opportunity to meet company delegates, widen the professional network and improving own business negotiation skills.