(LEVEL 3) Learning outcomes By completing this unit candidates will develop knowledge, understanding and skills of a range of practical sales techniques for providing either a product or a service to a consumer market or industrial market. Candidates will produce evidence to meet the unit assessment objectives in order to show that they understand: the benefits of identifying customer needs sales methods, skills and qualities the benefits and drawbacks of personal selling methods the legal responsibilities of sales staff. Candidates will also demonstrate their own practical sales skills in real or simulated situations. Assessment objectives 1 Identify customer needs and explain the benefits to both the business and its customers of meeting these needs 2 Explain direct and indirect sales methods available to business Knowledge, understanding and skills Identification of customer needs: clear and accurate information quick and easy purchasing after sales service complaints procedure special services Benefits: improving company image repeat business profitability Indirect sales methods: wholesalers retailers (supermarkets, department stores, multiple stores, independent retailers, consumer co-operatives) agents distributors and dealers Direct sales methods: personal selling direct mail TV selling radio selling telesales the internet factory shops catalogues OCR Level 3 Nationals in Business 1
Assessment objectives 3 Explain how a sales person uses the skills and qualities required to sell effectively to the public 4 Evaluate the personal selling methods with reference to both benefits and drawbacks 5 Explain the legal responsibilities of sales staff 6 Complete two sales presentations to illustrate appropriate application of practical sales skills and evaluate own performance Knowledge, understanding and skills Skills: recognition of the importance of image ability to communicate ability to convert interest to a sale ability to identify barriers to achieving the sale and overcome them use of verbal and non verbal communication Qualities: confidence personal image willingness to assist desire to work with people Personal selling: setting up pre-arranged meetings with customers cold calls by telephone point of sale after sales service (relate to repeat orders) Consumer legislation: Trade Descriptions Act The Sale of Goods Act The Supply of Goods and Services Act Data Protection Act Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations Unfair Contract Terms Act Two separate sales presentations/pitches to two different customers or for two different products Practical sales skills: rules of professional selling initiating the sale handling customer objections negotiating closing the sale Evaluation of performance: assess basic competence in selling reasons for improvement shown between the two presentations analyse strengths and areas for future development Assessment This unit is centre-assessed and externally moderated. In order to achieve this unit candidates must produce a portfolio of evidence showing that they have met all of the assessment objectives. Candidates should be encouraged to present their work in formats that would be acceptable in business. 2 OCR Level 3 Nationals in Business
Portfolios of work must be produced independently. They will need to be made available, together with witness statements and any other supporting documentation, to the OCR Visiting Moderator when required. Centres must confirm to OCR that the evidence produced by candidates is authentic. An OCR Centre Authentication Form is provided in the Centre Handbook and includes a declaration for assessors to sign. It is a requirement of the QCA Common Criteria for all Qualifications that proof of authentication is received. Guidance on assessment and evidence requirements Assessment Objective 1 must be linked to a selected business of the candidate s choice. If the candidate has a part-time job this may provide the evidence required for Assessment Objectives 1 and 6. For Assessment Objective 1 candidates must identify customer needs of the selected business as outlined in knowledge, understanding and skills. They must also explain the benefits to both the business and its customers of meeting these needs. Benefits include: improving company image repeat business profitability. For Assessment Objective 2 candidates must use examples from a range of different businesses in order to fully support their explanations. Some of these examples may come from their selected business in Assessment Objective 1. They will explain direct and indirect sales methods available to different businesses as outlined in knowledge, understanding and skills. For Assessment Objective 3, in order for the candidates to be able to explain how a sales person uses skills and qualities, they need to observe a range of sales situations in different businesses. Candidates must assess the effectiveness of sales taking into consideration the knowledge, understanding and skills. They can then apply their theoretical knowledge to the practical observations. If candidates have part-time jobs in a retail situation, they could use some examples from their own experiences and observations of their fellow colleagues. For Assessment Objective 4, in order to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of personal selling methods, candidates must give examples from different businesses of when and why these personal selling situations are used. For Assessment Objective 5 candidates must ensure that their explanations of the most up to date versions of the consumer legislation listed in the knowledge, understanding and skills are clearly linked to the legal responsibilities of sales staff and not just an outline of the legislation. Candidates explanations must be supported by examples from different businesses. For Assessment Objective 6 candidates are required to carry out two different demonstrations of practical sales skills and evaluate own performance. Candidates may be able to evidence this assessment objective through their part-time employment. This must be backed up with a detailed written witness statement from the supervisor or assessor. OCR Level 3 Nationals in Business 3
Signposting to Key Skills The unit contains opportunities for developing the Key Skill, and possibly for generating portfolio evidence, if teaching and learning is focused on that aim. Key Skill reference Key Skill reference C3.1a ICT3.1 N3.1 C3.1b ICT3.2 N3.2 C3.2 ICT3.3 N3.3 C3.3 Key Skill reference Mapping to National Occupational Standards Occupational Standards Unit number Title SFEDI Business Development B5 Sell products and services to customers Standards Level 4 CfA Level 3 Administration 305 Manage and evaluate customer relations Resources This section provides suggestions of suitable resources. The list is neither prescriptive or exhaustive, and candidates should be encouraged to gather information from a variety of sources. Some suggested resources are intended for Tutor use. The resources in this section were current at the time of production. Books Davies, E & B (2002) Harvey, C (2002) Heller, R (1999) Hopkins, T (2001) Lamb, J (2002) Wolff, J (2001) Successful Marketing in a Week Hodder & Stoughton Successful selling in a week Hodder and Stoughton Selling Successfully Dorling Kindersley Selling for Dummies 2nd edition John Wiley & Sons Inc Presentation in a Week 3rd edition Hodder and Stoughton Do Something Different Virgin Business Guides Websites Economist http://www.economist.co.uk/encyclopedia/ Includes a dictionary of business terms, abbreviations and acronyms and business profiles 4 OCR Level 3 Nationals in Business
Grading Assessment Objective Pass Merit Distinction Assessment Objective 1 must be linked to a selected business of the candidate s choice. If the candidate has a part-time job this may provide the evidence required for Assessment Objectives 1 and 6 AO1 Identify customer needs and explain the benefits to both the business and its customers of meeting these needs AO2 Explain direct and indirect sales methods available to business AO3 Explain how a sales person uses the skills and qualities required to sell effectively to the public AO4 Evaluate the personal selling methods with reference to both benefits and drawbacks Using examples from the selected business candidates will identify customer needs and explain in simple terms the benefits to the business and its customers of meeting those needs Candidates will provide a basic explanation of direct and indirect sales methods using some examples from different businesses Candidates will give a simple explanation based on limited research using few examples of how sales personnel use skills and qualities to sell effectively Candidates will provide a basic evaluation of the benefits and drawbacks of personal selling methods based on limited research and supported with few examples Using examples from the selected business, candidates will identify a range of customer needs. They will explain in detail the benefits to the business and its customers of meeting those needs Candidates will provide a clear explanation of direct and indirect sales methods using relevant examples from different businesses Candidates will give a detailed explanation based on research using a range of examples of how sales personnel use skills and qualities to sell effectively. Candidates will explain how the skills and qualities required will differ depending on the nature of the sales role Candidates will provide a sound evaluation of the benefits and drawbacks of personal selling methods based on relevant research and supported with a range of examples Using examples from the selected business, candidates will identify the full range of customer needs. They will comprehensively explain the benefits to the business and its customers of meeting those needs Candidates will provide a thorough explanation of direct and indirect sales methods using a wide range of relevant examples from different businesses Candidates will give a comprehensive explanation based on extensive research using a range of relevant examples of how sales personnel use skills and qualities to sell effectively. Candidates will clearly explain how the skills and qualities required will differ depending on the nature of the sales role Candidates will provide a thorough evaluation of the benefits and drawbacks of personal selling methods based on extensive research and supported with a wide range of relevant examples OCR Level 3 Nationals in Business 5
Assessment Objective AO5 Explain the legal responsibilities of sales staff AO6 Complete two sales presentations to illustrate appropriate application of practical sales skills and evaluate own performance Pass Merit Distinction Candidates will show a limited appreciation of the legal responsibilities of sales staff and will identify basic examples of situations where the legislation applies The two demonstrations of practical sales skills will be competently carried out. Candidates will provide a basic evaluation of their performance Candidates will show a sound appreciation of the legal responsibilities of sales staff. They will explain relevant consumer legislation and link the legislation to appropriate situations using relevant examples The two demonstrations of practical sales skills will be carried out to a good level of competence. The evaluation will identify strengths and weaknesses with some links to suitable approaches to personal development Candidates will show a high degree of appreciation of the legal responsibilities of sales staff. They will explain relevant consumer legislation, and give situations when the legislation might be contravened, using relevant examples to illustrate their points effectively The two demonstrations of practical sales skills will be carried out to a high degree of competence and confidence. Candidates will provide a thorough evaluation of their performance describing strengths and weaknesses and indicating appropriate approaches to personal development that are linked to the weaknesses identified 6 OCR Level 3 Nationals in Business