Rubrics Key
This key is only meant to guide the judge in the Oral event. As a team and with your Series Director, discuss
various scenarios and, as a consensus, decide on a model to follow.
ASM Event 1 Answer Key
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
1. Analyze the impact of technology on marketing?
 Participant should outline how technology affects marketing. Technology makes information readily
available to potential car buyers 24/7. Answers may include discussion
of:
a) Social marketing media such as web pages, facebook, twitter and so on
b) Many potential customers read reviews and articles about various products/vehicles online
c) Potential customers are able to compare pricing of various vehicles online. This includes the costs
of adding various features to cars.
d) Potential customers are able to access reviews about various new electric vehicles including the
NISSAN Leaf as well as competitive products. Reviews about non-electric vehicles would also be
available.
e) Potential customers can complete financing applications and calculations online.
f) Potential customers can learn about purchase and delivery online.
g) Companies are able to provide information online about events related to their company and/or
products.
h) Potential customers are able to access information about location of dealers in the region where
they live.
i) Discounts, coupons, special cash back and low interest financing promotions are presented online at
company web pages.
j) Individuals are able to email individual questions to companies such as NISSAN.
2. Explain the nature of sales forecasts?
 Participant should outline that sales forecasts are an estimate of probable future sales of products
in units and dollars.
 Answer may include: A total estimate of a market is calculated. NISSAN and competitor sales are
analyzed. Forecasts include individual estimates for the various NISSAN vehicles. This portion is the
company’s market share.
 Participant may indicate that sales forecasts of non-electric vehicles are likely to experience a
decline, while sales forecasts of electric vehicles will be increasing.
 Sales targets (monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual) are measured as a performance standard.
 Sales forecasts should be revisited and revised on an ongoing basis (i.e. monthly).
 Participant may indicate that current demand for hybrids is enormous. These cars are back ordered
and customers are waiting months for their hybrid cars to be manufactured. Participants should
address how they would manage a similar scenario with the new Leaf.
a) How will they manage sales orders?
b) Develop training strategies for dealerships to service new vehicles to ensure customer satisfaction
remains high.
Determine when to schedule launch of various NISSAN electric vehicles
3. Explain customer/client/ business buying behaviour?
 Participants may ask a number of the following questions to determine the buying behaviour of
NISSAN customers:
a) Who are the customers for electric versus non-electric vehicles?
b) Create a profile of the customer buying process?
c) How do the customer groups differ from one another?
d) What, when and where do customers buy?
e) How do customers rate the NISSAN on quality, service, and value?
f) How satisfied is each customer segment?
g) What customer segments are not having their needs met?
h) Is your customer base increasing or decreasing? Why?
 Participant should explain how NISSAN intends to monitor customer satisfaction (i.e. follow up
client phone calls) to keep track of strengths and weaknesses of the electric and non-electric
vehicles.
4. Demonstrate connections between company actions and results?
 Participants answers may include the following:
Performance measures should be established to evaluate company results. NISSAN would establish
an action plan via the company’s annual budget as well as the strategic plan. Actual results should
be compared to targets for:
a) Sales for both electric and non-electric vehicles
b) Expenses
c) Profits
d) Customer satisfaction
e) Vehicle production volumes
Variances of actual versus target should be analyzed to determine the reasons for the variance.
A portion of employee compensation should be linked to the above performance to strengthen the
link between the company’s actions and its results.
5. Discuss actions employees can take to achieve company’s desired results?
 Participant should discuss how employee goals should be connected to overall company goals,
strategies, programs and targets. This might include:
a) A performance based pay linked to achievement of company goals and targets (i.e. sales, profits)
b) Creation of two promotional plans to support the current years forecasted sales of:
1. Electric vehicles
2. Non-electric vehicles
c) Employee product and customer service training for new electric vehicles (i.e. Leaf)
d) Parts and service logistics for the new electric vehicles.
Overall impression and response to the judge’s questions.
(Communication, Thinking/Inquiry)
 Were they able to think quickly and respond logically to your questions?
 Rational/logical explanation
 Was there a variety of ideas? Were the ideas unique? Ability to link ideas?
 Vocabulary and grammar? Eye contact / Body Language / Handshake?
During the course of the role-play, these questions are to be asked:
1. What should be the production level of the electric vehicle?
The participant should devise a logical answer from a business perspective. Responses may vary and
might include something such as the following:
 The forecasted demand is substantial. Consequently NISSAN should produce electric vehicles to the
company’s maximum capacity without jeopardizing the quality of the new Leaf electric car.
2. Does the appearance of the car take precedence over fuel economy?
 Participants may provide various responses to this question. Answers should be supported by solid
rationale as appearance will be more important to a certain portion of customers, and fuel economy
will be more important to others.
3. Why should NISSAN advertising campaign encourage customers to test-drive electric cars?
Participants should indicate that advertising that is successful at creating a call to action for potential
buyers to test drive the electric car, and then there is an increased probability that NISSAN will sell
more cars. The goal of the campaign would be to sell prospects an electric car. However, once they are
at a dealership the probability also increases for these prospects to test drive and buy a non-electric car
as well.
Rubrics Key
This key is only meant to guide the judge in the Oral event. As a team and with your Series Director, discuss
various scenarios and, as a consensus, decide on a model to follow.
ASM Event 2 Answer Key
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
1. Explain the concept of marketing strategies?
 Participants should be able to indicate that marketing strategies include the identification of target
markets and the determination of marketing mix choices (product, place, price and promotion) that
focus on those markets.
 Students should outline their strategies for STONE AUTO PARTS. These strategies should include the
elements outlined above.
2. Explain the role of situation analysis in the market planning process?
 Participants are to explain the role of situation analysis as the study of both internal as well as
external factors that affect marketing strategies for STONE AUTO PARTS. Here participants should
provide a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) analysis and an environmental
scan for the company.
3. Identify product opportunities?
 Participants are to clearly outline product opportunities for STONE AUTO PARTS. Answers may vary
depending upon opportunities participants decide to pursue (i.e. aging baby boomers)
4. Demonstrate connections between company actions and results?
 Participants should establish performance measures related to strategies selected. Performance
measures could include tracking sales/profits for new programs versus existing programs to
determine the success of the different programs. For example compare sales volumes and growth for
the existing Do-It-Yourself (DIY) customers versus an example of new idea; Stone-Mobile-Service
(SMS), a service that meets customers on location and installs parts for an added service fee.
 Monitor customer satisfaction and feedback in order to evaluate store performance and to identify
new opportunities.
 Actions followed by STONE AUTO PARTS will be based on the information obtained from these
results.
5.
Identify product’s/service’s competitive advantage?
 Participants should identify potential competitive advantages for STONE AUTO PARTS. These might
include the company’s established 30 year history of success beating the competition. The company
is also well known for its customer service and professionalism.
 Participants may also provide an analysis/overview of competitors in the city
(5 automobile dealerships, 4 complete automotive services and repair stations, 6 oil change retailers
and 2 other auto parts stores).
Overall impression and response to the judge’s questions (Communication, Thinking/Inquiry)
 Were they able to think quickly and respond logically to your questions?
 Was there a variety of ideas? Were the ideas unique? Ability to link ideas?
 Rational/logical explanation
 Vocabulary and grammar? Eye contact / Body Language / Handshake?
During the course of the role-play, these questions are to be asked:
1. Should we promote these marketing strategies to the general population?
 Participants should promote these strategies to the general public to communicate information
to either grow the overall auto parts market or to attract customers from competitors.
2. How will these changes you have proposed affect your loyal customers?
 Participants should outline how they will continue to attract, to service and to reward their loyal
customer base (i.e. a customer loyalty program).
3. The industry research is a prediction for five years in the future. When do we start with
modifications?
 Participants should consider an implementation plan with a timeline for incremental program
changes. Answer should include an appreciation for any changing needs and wants of customers
such as may be created by the aging of current Baby Boomer DIY customers.