Bensons Bakery 1q1c6o

BENSON’S INC., OLD HOME KITCHENS DIVISION (MANUFACTURERS OF FRUIT CAKES) SUBMITTED BY: GURSHARAN SINGH GURINDER BADH MUNISH SHARMA HITESH DOGRA

COMPANY BACKGROUND

 W. HOWARD BENSON(MD) OPENED THE FIRST BENSON’S BAKERY IN ATHENS, GEORGIA.  PRODUCT LINE:BREAD , ROLLS AND CAKES  NAME ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH QUALITY AND PERSONAL ATTENTION  GAVE THOUSANDS OF LOAVES OF BREAD TO

HUNGRY PEOPLE DURIND WORLD WAR 2.

 DIVERSIFIED INTO THREE MAIN DIVISIONS : THE HOLSOME BAKERY , MOTEL ENTERPRISES, OLD HOME

KITCHENS.

OLD HOME FRUIT CAKE  INTRODUCED OLD HOME FRUIT CAKES IN CIVIC CLUBS  LOAF SHAPED AND PRESLICED  SOLD THROUGH SUPERMARKETS  SOLD IN THREE STYLES WITH 75 % OF FRUIT AND NUTS AND 25 % OF POUND CAKE BATTER.

OLD HOME KITCHEN ORGANIZATION  DIVIDED INTO FOUR AREAS : PRODUCTION , DISTRIBUTION , COMMERCIAL AND FUND RAISING  THE CLUB PLAN  COMPETITION: CLAXTON FRUIT CAKE COMPANY  BETTER PRODUCT , CONVENIENCE OF PRESLICING AND A MORE AGGRESSIVE SALES STRATEGY HELPED TO

SUR CLAXTON IN THREE YEARS

ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION  COUPON ADS  DIRECT MAIL TO ORGANIZATIONS  BROCHURES  DISPLAY POSTERS  SALES KITS  ADVERTISING MATS  SAMPLE SLICES  BONUS CAKES WITH 16 CASES OF FRUIT CAKES

 BUDGET: $100000

REVALUATION OF MARKETING STRATEGY  INNOVATIVE PLAN BY STOLL: PHONE POWER  SIX WATS LINES WERE INSTALLED  ONE GEORGIA LINE , TWO FOR AREA THREE AND ONE FOR AREA SIX  MONITOR WAS INTALLED IN HEADQUARTERS TO PROTECT THE CUTOMER AND THE INTERVIEWER AND TO IMPROVE THE CONTENT OF THE INTERVIEW

 25% MORE EFFICIENT THAN REGULAR DIALING

 REQUIRES 12 PART TIME SALES EMPLOYEES FOR PHONE POWER  THREE DAYS SALES TRAINING AND RATED ON THE STANDARD OF PERFORMANCE (AVERAGING THREE INTERVIEWS PER HOUR)  LESS TIME WASTED IN TRAVELLING AND MAKING

COLD CALLS  FIVE HOURS OF COLLEGE CREDIT WAS GIVEN TO THE STUDENTS  ANOTHER PROGRAM: INDEPENDENT AGENT

 SALES MANAGER REDUCED FROM 5 TO 2  ONE WAS SENT TO RECRUIT AGENTS FOR THE COMPANY IN SELECTED METROPOLITAN CITIES  IN ITS FOURTH YEAR , THERE WERE 45 AGENTS THROUGHOUT THE U.S.  NUMBER OF AGENTS WERE ACCORDING TO THE

POPULATION OF THE AREA(3 IN LA BUT ONLY 1 IN VIRGINIA)  THESE TWO PLANS HELPED THE COMPANY IN INCREASING PROFITS ALONG WITH SALES

PROBLEM OF IDENTIFYING TARGET MARKET  NO RELIABLE DATA CONCERNING THE FUND RAISING MARKET  OUT OF 80 % OF THE PEOPLE BUYING FRUIT CAKE 75% WAS DOING THIS JUST BEFORE THE THANKS GIVING DAY  ONE TIME OR CONTINUOUS PROJECT

SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM  CHANGED THEIR RESERCH FROM PRODUCT ORIENTED TO SURVEY ORIENTED  MAIL QUESTIONNAIRES(CHEAPEST METHOD)  NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRES MAINTAINING INDEXES OF CONSUMERS  SEMINAR TYPE QUESTION AND ASWER PROGRAM

 WILL BE IMPLEMENTED WITHIN NEXT YEAR