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End of Chapter Role Play
Note to the Instructor:
On the following pages, you’ll find the role play information you need to supply to the buyers.
To debrief this role play, focus on whether the students identified the three most important aspects of the
buyer’s business:
1. For Asset Recovery Management, these are 1) we have the best data analytics systems in order to
quantify the value of a loan portfolio when buying it so as to not pay too much, 2) we are developing the
best analytics and technology support to create operational models for loans collections that yield the best
return and 3) making sure that customer privacy and security requirements are met – no breaches of
security permitted.
2. For FSS, these are 1) we have the leanest supply chain possible, enabling the lowest cost delivery, 2)
creating a system of “internet of things” – sensors that can help the customer manage chemical inventories
or make sure their fire suppression systems are working properly, 3) our forecasting and hedging
algorithms use big data better than anyone so that our acquisition costs are the lowest
3. For Mizzen Industries, it is 1) we handle a wide variety of customers and customer types, from military
to commercial, and we do all of them with the best safety record, 2) we are the preferred company for
people to work for, which matters in our industry because labor moves from company to company based on
who won the contract and we want the best, and 3) our biggest concern is integrating the companies we
acquire.
Some students will get caught up in listening for the jargon or trying to observe body language. Discuss
how that might have interfered with their ability to identify the buyer’s biggest concerns.
Finally, ask what techniques they used, and if they had any problems. Sometimes a person who is trying
active listening for the first time will use the same technique over and over, which can be annoying.
Asset Recovery Management —Buyer Scenario
End of Chapter Role Play Chapter 4
As you prepare for this role play, feel free to read or quote some of the passages in this description. Make
sure you use the bold terms, as these are the jargon that the other rep is listening for. In terms of body
language, try to give off the perception that you are suspicious of the other person.
We buy loan portfolios from banks and retailers, and then collect the loans. Whatever we can collect on the
Our statistical algorithms are the very best at determining the pre-sale value of a portfolio. They are the
key to our competitive advantage. Growing in importance, though, is our predictive collection modeling.
These are analytics applied to the portfolios after acquisition, which we then use to know how to best
pursue each defaulted loan.
Also important to our business is employee turnover. Maintaining a steady base of collection agents is a
the network and ERP systems, a director of cyber security, and a director of data analytics. The associate
director for data management reports to the director of data analytics. I report to the President but the CFO
is also involved in any major decision.
FSS —Buyer Scenario
End of Chapter Role Play Chapter 4
fire suppression can be developers or owners, and sometimes property management companies. In fire
suppression, we can install the system when the property is built or renovated, or we can supply and
maintain the fire suppression system. Most fire suppression systems are water but some are foam,
especially in situations where water would actually create a bigger problem, such as in a chemical
manufacturing plant. Some of the places we provide fire suppression systems include the new World Trade
Each division has its own IT team, though that will likely change as we become more integrated. I report to
the Chief Operating Officer, and I have a CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) and a Chief Networks
Administrator. The CNA has all of the operational systems heads, such as the ERP head, the manufacturing
IT head, etc., reporting in that organization. The CISO has a smaller team.
Mizzen Industries—Buyer Scenario
End of Chapter Role Play Chapter 4
As you prepare for this role play, feel free to read or quote some of the passages in this description. Make
sure you use the bold terms, as these are the jargon that the other rep is listening for. With your body
language, act as though you think the salesperson is very ignorant and needs careful explanation of what
you do.
We are a specialty painting company, created to paint ships for the US Navy but expanded into other
specialty situations like chemical manufacturing tanks and production facilities. Because ship painting and
chemical tank painting requires painting in enclosed and confined areas, special safety apparatus and
systems have to be used. We have the best safety rating in the industry and are known for having created all
of the major safety innovations over the past two decades.
systems, and other technology-based systems.
We’ve grown across the south, buying up smaller painting companies and branching into areas like
insulation installation. This has proved challenging as we integrate their IT systems, most of which are very
old and obsolete or simply incomplete.
I report to the CFO because most of our systems are financial operating systems. We have created our own
safety management systems so I also report to the COO because operations is where the safety director
resides. The CEO, of course, is also often involved, as this is a family-owned business. In fact, the CFO is
the CEO’s brother and the COO is the CEO’s nephew (the son of a third brother, who operates the
Jacksonville facility).
EXERCISE 4-1 WATCH TV!
Watch a public affairs program, like Face the Nation, or any other TV show if there are two opposing sides
on stage. Turn the sound down and observe for ten minutes. Record the segment if possible. Observe non-
verbals, noting them below every 30 seconds using a watch with a sweep hand. Keep your observations
simple (like “clenched hands”, “frowns”, etc.).
:30
1:00
1:30
2:00
2:30
3:00
3:30
4:00
4:30
5:00
5:30
6:00
6:30
7:00
7:30
8:00
8:30
9:00
10:00
10:30
Now, who do you think is winning the debate? Or if you can’t answer that, who do you like better
(assuming you don’t know the people before-hand). Who appears confident and collected, and who appears
nervous or dishonest?
If you are able to record the segment, replay the segment with the sound up. How close were your
assessments?
EXERCISE 4-2 TALK TO A FRIEND
Talk with three friends. This time, practice active listening [in three separate interactions]. You want to
review the section in the textbook before each interaction.
Was the interaction’s length affected by your practice of active listening? If so, why?
1.
2.
3.
How do you think the other person felt about the interaction?
1.
2.
3.
How did you feel about it?
1.
2.
3.
EXERCISE 4-3 FUN WITH PAPER AND PENS
Gather in a group of three to five. One person, the leader, should sit in the corner of the room with his or
her back to the others. The others can face the leader. Everyone should have a paper and pen or pencil.
The leader draws a geometric figure consisting of at least nine lines on his sheet of paper, but making sure
no one else in his group can see his drawing. The leader then tries to describe the drawing using just words
so that the others can reproduce it.
There are several rules, however,
1. NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DRAWING ARE ALLOWED. The only permitted question is:
Can you repeat that please?
2. THE LEADER CANNOT USE HANDS OR ANY OTHER PART OF THE BODY TO
DESCRIBE THE DRAWING, ONLY VERBAL DESCRIPTIONS ARE ALLOWED.
3. THE LEADER CANNOT ASK THE GROUP ANY QUESTIONS,
When you are done, compare your drawings with the leader’s. How would the process have been easier if
you were all geometry majors? What factors made it difficult to communicate?
EXERCISE 4-4 DRESS FOR SUCCESS
5 TIMELESS PRINCIPLES
Exercise Developed by Vicki L. West – Texas State University-San Marcos
512-245-3224 or vw03@txstate.edu
Before the exercise
1- Use as a supplement to Chapter 4 in the text.
2- Best for a 75-minute class, but will work in a 50 minute class period
3- Briefly discuss the principles of dress with examples
4- Review the differences between very casual, business casual, professional, social and formal. This is
important. Confusion exists between casual and business casual.
5- Review the 4 natural fibers – cotton, linen, wool and silk (if time permits)
6- Pass out any supplemental handouts that you might deem appropriate
The classroom exercise
7- Break the class into groups of about 5-6 students each (female groups and male groups must
separate).
8- Give each student group a scenario and 5-15 minutes, depending on your time constraints, to
“dress” the mythical sales representative.
9- Try to incorporate other aspects of the sales text in the examples (personality types, different
businesses, etc.)
10- Have one member stand up from each group and in 1 minute give a summary of how the sales
representative should be dressed.
Examples:
A female sales representative working for a button manufacturer in the New York garment district, 25 years
old, 5’10”, an analytical personality type.
A male sales representative for Johnson and Johnson is calling on hospitals in Atlanta, Georgia, is 50 years
old, heavy set, and is an expressive personality type.
A female sales representative for Still Jennifer Lopez perfume is selling a new fragrance to a buyer for
Neiman Marcus at the Pam Beach, Florida retail store. The buyer is an expressive, 30 year old female.
