CHAPTER 1

MEETING DETAILS

Date of meeting: 25.10.2019

Participants: Pavithira Savarimuthu

Pavithra Karthikeyan
Pown Krishnan B
Praveen Kumar S
Sathish Kumar R

Location :
Valvoline Cummins Private Limited,
First Floor, Century Plaza, Anna Salai, Teynampet, Chennai-600013

Duration of meeting:
Afternoon: 2 pm – 5 pm

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 CHAPTER 2
BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THE PERSON MET

Name of the person: Mr. Kamal

Designation: Territory Business Manager
Career path:

Fig 1: Career growth

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 CHAPTER 3
COMPANY BACKGROUND
Company: Valvoline Cummins Private Limited.
Vision: We are building the world's leading engine and automotive maintenance business.
We will accelerate growth around the world by increasing our focus and investment in:
• The Valvoline brand, built on superior products and services.
• The industry's best retail services model.
• Technology that enables speed, innovation and increased efficiency in every aspect of
our business.
• Strong value-adding relationships with our channel partners.
Value:
• It all starts with our people.
• Safety is always our priority.
• We are committed to win in the right way.
• We work hard to celebrate our success and have fun.
• We strive for greatness.
About Company:
Valvoline is a pioneer in engine oils, having introduced its engine oil to the world in the year
1866. In over 150 years of existence, it has introduced ground-breaking innovations that changed the
industry. In India, Valvoline Cummins Private Limited is a 50:50 joint venture between Valvoline
International Inc. U.S.A and Cummins India Ltd. It is one of the India's leading manufacturer of diesel
engines and the largest exporter of engineering products and has resulted in Valvoline Cummins
Private Limited, which is engaged in the production, distribution and marketing of lubricants, grease
and other allied products.
Today, Valvoline Cummins Private Limited is one of India’s fastest growing lubricant
companies that manufacture a wide range of fluids like engine oils, gear oils, radiator coolants, brake
fluids etc. The company has a strong team of over 400 employees across the country, more than 450
distributors, 50,000 resellers and 2,000 direct customers.
Valvoline Cummins firmly believes that its growth potential lies in the quality of execution,
power to innovate and in its resolve to remain a step ahead of market demands. Its mission as a brand
is to leverage real-world insights to provide valuable tools that generate success for its customers and
users.

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Revenue:
Quarter 1 2019: $519 million.

Quarter 2 2019: $613 million.

Products offered:

Fig 2: Products offered

Promotion:

Fig 3: Promotional Instruments

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 CHAPTER 4
SELLING PROCESS
Step 1: Prospecting & Initiating
Prospecting is finding and qualifying potential customers. Qualifying is the
process of determining whether a potential customer has a need or want that the
company can fulfil, and whether the potential client can afford the product.
Example: In Valvoline, cold calls was initiated to have a contact with the
customer and to identify their want and needs.

Prospect
Identification

Websites Referrals Calls Enquiry Cold calls

Step 2: Preparation
Preparation involves preparing for the initial contact with a potential customer.
You will need to collect and study relevant information, such as product descriptions, prices,
and competitor information. You will also need to develop your initial sales presentation.
Example: Wishing the person in the public places when they meet and getting
an appointment to have a conversation with them.
Step 3: Need Assessment
Need Assessment was done by having a conversation with the customers and
making them understand the specifications of the products.
Example: The salesperson spoke about the features of Apollo tyres.

Step 4: Sales Pitch / Demo/ Presentation

Presentation is actively listening to the needs and wants of the potential
customers and demonstrating how your product can meet those needs and wants.
Example: They followed FAB approach in identifying the needs of the
customers and whenever they get an opportunity to meet the customer they explained
about the features and specifications of the products in order to attract them.

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Step 5: Handling objection
Handling objections is an important part of the process. Objections can be useful
because they tell the salesperson what to focus upon in addressing a prospect's concerns.
Successful salespeople learn how to overcome objections through preparation and having the
right information at hand to address them.

Treat objections as a request for

further information -Brian Tracy

Step 6: Closing the deal

Closing the deal involves identifying closing signals from the prospect that
indicate it's decision time.
Example: The customer will contact the sales person and ask for quotes.
Step 7: Follow-up
Follow up is building a long-term relationship with your customer for purposes of
repeat sales.
Example: You make contact with the customer sometime after the sale and make
sure the product was received and is in good condition. Again, the idea is not to sell at
this stage, but to create a solid relationship for future sales.

Fig 4: Selling Process

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 CHAPTER 5
SALES APPROACHES AND TECHNIQUES:

1. Need-based approach:
This approach includes talking with customers, understanding their business and
suggesting the product with the specification. REED approach was combined with
this technique for providing the best solution.
R- Recognize their need.
E- Evaluate needs.
E- Eliminate doubts.
D- Decide to buy.
Example: At valvoline, the salesperson understands the client’s business and
provided the right type of oil for smoothening functions.

2. Acquiring competitors customers:

In this, the company focused on capturing their competitor’s customers.
Example: At Apollo tyres, XYZ was a customer who was loyal to JK tyres. During the
first visit of Apollo tyres, the XYZ customer was not interested to talk with the
salesperson. During the second visit, XYZ customer welcomed them and explained
that they was the fleet customer (loyal customer) of JK tyres and they got an offer to
fly abroad. Once, unfortunately the JK tyres got punctured and they were in a situation
to move to Apollo tyres.

Sales is not about selling anymore, but about

building trust and educating – Siva Devali

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 CHAPTER 6
SELLING CHALLENGES

If you are struggling to make

sales, the first thing you should
check is your attitude.

Motivation is the most needed ingredient for a salesperson. After rejected sales, then keeping
oneself motivated is a huge challenge.

Pre-sales challenges:
One should be patient enough to listen to all the scolding from the customers and help them
in solving the query.

Post-sales challenges:
Delivering the product on time after the customer orders it and following up with the post
installation problem and fixing it.
Example: At ACE construction, the salesperson sold foreclips equipment to Ruby Builders.
But within few days, the product malfunctioned and the customer lost credibility on the
company. After this incident, the salesperson shifted to many companies in the same sector
but never approached Ruby Builders.

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 CHAPTER 7
CHANNEL MANAGEMENT ISSUES

1. Delivering the product on time:

Example: The salesperson A must have checked the availability of the product in the
morning and if A comes to book the product in the evening the product will show” No
stock available”, some other salesperson would have booked the product. So the
product cannot be sent within the stipulated time.
2. Matching the exact specification proposed by the customer.
3. Managing the relationship with the truck drivers and local transport incharges:
• At times, one should motivate the drivers only through incentives.
• Online sales, a growing platform for the distributors and retailers to sell. But
for the company it is becoming a hindrance.

Example: Distributor X from Chennai puts his Valvoline oil product on Amazon
at Rs.300. The buyers from Bangalore will also buy from online. So the
distribution at Bangalore will be affected (Bangalore retailer may sell at Rs. 3500)

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 CHAPTER 8
SALESPERSON UPDATING ONESELF

• They should have insights of the competitor’s products.

• Good rapport with low level employees, distributors and local area people.
• Go to field strategy should be followed.
• They should get customer feedback on regular basis.
• Subscription to industrial magazines.

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 CHAPTER 9
LEARNING

Learning

Professional Personal

Professional:
The entire process made us to understand practically about the course” Sales and
Distribution” taken at class. The implications of real time scenario is glaringly different from
the theory understood within the four walls. A salesperson should be ready to work on field,
understand the customer, observe their behaviour and suggest a plan for their problem in a
way that generates revenue for the company he/she is working for.

Personal:
• Patience to listen to customers
• Rapid decision-making ability to provide the suitable solution for the customer.
• Negotiation and convincing skills needed to attract customers easily.

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