Xerox (Hong Kong):
Sales Activity Management Process
Case 6
Tanya Derksen & Chris Loewen
Organization History-Xerox

History of Xerox
– Xerox Corporation History
• 1906-1930s
– The Photography Paper Company
• 1940s-1990
– The Photocopier company
• 1990s
– “The Document Company”
Organization / Organizational Problem / Information / IT/IS impact / Alternatives / Pros/Cons / Solution / Messages
Organization History-Xerox Hong Kong

Xerox Hong Kong
• Around since 1960s
• By 1997 had 500 employees (200 direct sales,
200 service and 100 admin)
• In the 1990s the primary competition were Ricoh,
Panasonic, Konica and Canon
• 17% market share
• Key personnel
– Joseph Yu – Sales Director, moved from Ricoh, arrived
at same time as Banio Mok (senior director) and
Edmond Chow (Key Accounts II)
– Allan Lin – moved from Rank Xerox Sweden, named
Managing Director in 1995
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Became Fuji Xerox in 2000
Organization / Organizational Problem / Information / IT/IS impact / Alternatives / Pros/Cons / Solution / Messages
Organization Structure – Xerox HK
Allan Lin
Managing Director
Irene Tan
Director of HR
Pam Chen
Director of Finance
Rao Ranagopai
Director of
Marketing
CAG
Banio Mok
Senior Director
Operations
George Urban
Director of
Business Service
Database
Manager
Ben Tong
NA 1 Manager
Patrick Leung
NA 2 Manager
Dick Yu
Director of
Channel Marketing
Henry Wong
Customer Service
Printing
Systems
Manager
Docutech
Manager
Joseph Yu
Director of Sales
GA
Thomas Yip
TM Manager
Stephan Myklebust
Director of System
Ops
Terence Law
Director of Sales,
KA
Christina Ng
EA Manager
Manson Ngai
MA Manager
Terence Law
KA 1 Manager
Edmond Chow
KA 2 Manager
Organization / Organizational Problem / Information / IT/IS impact / Alternatives / Pros/Cons / Solution / Messages
“A Day in the Field”
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8:30am
10:30am
11:00am
12:00pm
1:00pm
2:00pm
2:30pm
4:15pm
5:30pm
7:30pm
8:30pm
Team sales meeting / Answer client calls
Driving time
CLIENT VISIT
Lunch
CLIENT VISIT
CLIENT VISIT
CLIENT VISIT
CLIENT VISIT
Meetings / Client calls / Reports /
Preparation for next day
Client notes / Entries in planner & client profile
Day finished
Organization / Organizational Problem / Information / IT/IS impact / Alternatives / Pros/Cons / Solution / Messages
“A Day in the Field”
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Inefficiencies:
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–
–
–
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Lack of integration
No reliable client follow-up
No real-time daily activity reports
Need for up-to-date information on current products
Delay in client database updates
Organization / Organizational Problem / Information / IT/IS impact / Alternatives / Pros/Cons / Solution / Messages
Organizational Problem

Xerox Hong Kong had a paper-based
sales activity management process
that was inefficient
Organization / Organizational Problem / Information / IT/IS impact / Alternatives / Pros/Cons / Solution / Messages
Information Aspect of Problem

Marketing Database
– Centralized customer database was OSCARR on
mainframe shared with Xerox Australia
– 25% of information in OSCARR was estimated to be
obsolete or inaccurate

Other Databases
– Direct Sales Operations had been using an electronic
client profile (ECP)
– Finance maintained a database that wasn’t accessible to
the sales organization, even though it contained
identical service and billing information
Organization / Organizational Problem / Information / IT/IS impact / Alternatives / Pros/Cons / Solution / Messages
IT/IS Impact on Information
Aspect of Problem

AIS managed information systems for Xerox
worldwide
– AISHK was responsible for managing all XHK’s IT
requirements
– Xerox execs had concerns about the quality of AIS
service, and had recently expressed dissatisfaction with
AIS publicly
– Under the agreement, no hardware/software change
could be initiated without AIS’s consent
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XHK Marketing database manager had expressed
interest in developing a company wide database
which would be installed on all PCs, independent
from AIS
Organization / Organizational Problem / Information / IT/IS impact / Alternatives / Pros/Cons / Solution / Messages
Alternatives for
Sales Activity Management Process
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Option 1: Paper-based system

Option 2: Paperless system
– Critical Business Information (CBI)
Organization / Organizational Problem / Information / IT/IS impact / Alternatives / Pros/Cons / Solution / Messages
Option 1: Paper-based system

Pros:
– Lower cost
– Staff are knowledgeable
and familiar with system
– Market competitors not
using digital management

Cons:
– Potential lost sales in
long-term
– Dissatisfied customers
– Diminished competitive
advantage
– Support for team selling
Organization / Organizational Problem / Information / IT/IS impact / Alternatives / Pros/Cons / Solution / Messages
Option 2: Paperless system

Pros:
– Better fit for corporate
direction
– Enhanced productivity
– Integrated team work
– Leaner organization
– Improved customer and
market focus
– Reduced cost

Cons:
– Employee lack of
knowledge and skills
– Org. culture is not ready
– Management
inexperience with IT
applications
– Perceived threat to jobs
– High cost
Organization / Organizational Problem / Information / IT/IS impact / Alternatives / Pros/Cons / Solution / Messages
Recommended Solution

Move to digital SAMP
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Advantages:
– Improved quality and reliability
– Improved planning and reporting
– Competitive advantage
– Increase customer satisfaction
– Customizable for XHK needs
– Information follows user
Organization / Organizational Problem / Information / IT/IS impact / Alternatives / Pros/Cons / Solution / Messages
Xerox HK: Part B
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By 1999:
– Implemented two IT projects
• Chrisles
• Critical Business Information (CBI)
Improvements:
– Better quality of information
– Useful in planning and reporting
Concerns:
– Systems not interconnected
– Inaccurate and outdated information
– Further training and support needed
– Security
Organization / Organizational Problem / Information / IT/IS impact / Alternatives / Pros/Cons / Solution / Messages
SAMP / Distributed System
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Distributed System:
– A network of systems that enable data and information to
be maintained by data custodians at a range of locations
to a specified standard and administrative arrangements.
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Benefits:
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Information is with the user (ie. salespeople)
Interoperability
Reliability
No data duplication
Organization / Organizational Problem / Information / IT/IS impact / Alternatives / Pros/Cons / Solution / Messages
Key Messages for Leaders

Need for a robust and thorough change
management process
 Need for adequate technical support to
implement system and processes
 Emphatically communicate the reason for
the change and the anticipated benefits
 Sensitivity to company culture is
important
Organization / Organizational Problem / Information / IT/IS impact / Alternatives / Pros/Cons / Solution / Messages
Q&A
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Questions?