Read Business English para Dummies for Free Online Page B

maintains scheduling power
    Norbert Dörfler confirms that the sales force still remains in charge of scheduling. The central control medium is an internet-based appointment calendar which is used by the sales representative and the call centre agent to enter appointments and leads . “The call centre only schedules appointments for the time-periods we release on the calendar,” reports Norbert Dörfler. “If I mark an office day, the agent knows not to schedule any appointments for that day.” Also, the sales representatives take care of their most important customers themselves. “ The call centre agent only schedules appointments for the released times with new customers or B and C customers, ” says Dörfler.
    Conclusion: It already became clear during the pilot phase that this new procedure made life significantly easier for the sales force. Sales representatives are able to make more visits than before and the visit’s efficiency has clearly increased.
    Everyone has to do their share
    Even one year after completion of the pilot phase, all involved work on continuous improvement. The agents receive further training from Stäubli’s regional sales managers. Once a week, they get feedback about the appointments they scheduled. “This system lives from ideas,” says Andreas Lanßky. “ It’s key that everyone is backing it 100 %.”
    Palabras para recordar
    the scheduling of appointments: the setting up or arrangement of a meeting
    to be outsourced: to be subcontracted, contracted out, or delegated
    smoothly: without a hitch, well, efficiently, slickly, effortlessly, easily
    initial: first, early, preliminary
    future: upcoming, forthcoming, expected, yet to come
    fear: worry, concern, misgiving, unease, dread
    to be cut down: to be limited, constrained, reduced, or restricted
    obstacle: hindrance, complication, problem, hurdle
    to prove someone right: to show that someone is absolutely correct
    to raise: to increase, to improve, to advance, to augment
    much greater challenge: much more difficult task or venture
    to achieve: to attain, to reach, to arrive at, to realise, to get
    to emphasise: to highlight, to stress, to underline, to accentuate
    beyond that: above that, in addition to that, outside of that, over and above that
    link: connection, tie, bond
    to brief: to inform, to prepare, to instruct, to fill in, to update, to advise
    to maintain: to keep, to retain, to uphold, to sustain
    to remain in charge of: to stay in control or in command of
    lead: information, pointer, tip, suggestion
    to release: to give the green light to, to make available
    to do one’s share: to do one’s bit, to play one’s part, to pitch in, to cooperate, to lend a hand
    completion: close, conclusion, finish, ending, finalisation
    continuous: non-stop, constant, perpetual, uninterrupted
    to be key: to be important, crucial, vital, or critical
    to back something: to stand by, side with, support, or endorse something

    Selling successfully as a team
    The times of the lone fighters are passé . Nowadays, elaborate business development projects are increasingly handled per “team selling.”
    Selling products as a team? For a medium-sized mechanical engineering company, located in Nürtingen, this marketing policy has been common practise for years. It has always been customary there, for service technicians to serve as an extension of the field sales force, to inform their contacts in the customer companies about new product solutions and report back to the sales department when they detect new requirements. The designing and production engineers accompany the sales representatives when the customer needs special solutions.
    Such a good example always sets a precedent . That is why this strategy, namely “team selling,” is steadily finding followers in other industries as well. For example, in the consumer goods industry:
    There, the key account manager brings along colleagues from the marketing department to the annual