5. Based on your understanding of (a) interpersonal communication styles and
(b) your personal communication style, respond to each of the following questions.
These questions refer to how and why you would flex your style to better
relate to buyers characterized by various communication styles.
(a) What preparations and style flexing would you make to better relate to and
communicate with customers characterized as Drivers/Directors?
(b) What preparations and style flexing would you make to better relate to and
communicate with customers characterized as Analyticals/Reflectives?
(c) What preparations and style flexing would you make to better relate to and
communicate with customers characterized as Expressives/Emotives?
(d) What preparations and style flexing would you make to better relate to and
communicate with customers characterized as Amiables/Supportives?
6. Situation: As a key account manager for Hirsch Production Controls, Jerry
has developed a strong relationship with St. Louis-based Forrestor
Manufacturing and the members of Forrestor’s team of buyers. In
place for several years now, this relationship has propelled Jerry
into Hirsch’s top salesperson and transformed Forrestor into
Hirsch’s best customer—accounting for some 20 percent of the
company’s business. Jerry has been working with one of Forrestor’s
competitors, Chicago-based Dorval Products for several
months hoping to add them as a customer. As is typical in relationship
selling, Jerry has had access to proprietary materials concerning
Dorval’s manufacturing processes and long-range
planning.
Characters: Jerry, key account manager for Hirsch Production Controls; Clark
Hughley, director of purchasing for Forrestor Manufacturing
Scene: Location—Clark Hughley’s office at Forrestor Manufacturing.
Action—Jerry is on a sales call discussing a new product relevant to
Forrestor’s production system. While there, Hughley begins asking
Jerry about Dorval. It is apparent that Hughley wants to
learn anything he can about Dorval’s processes and a rumored
plant expansion—proprietary or not, he keeps pushing Jerry for
information.
Amiables/Supportives Expressives/Emotives
Analyticals/Reflectives Drivers/Directors