World War I Campaigns of 1917

In November 1916, Allied leaders again met at Chantilly to devise plans for the coming year. In their discussions, they determined to renew the fighting on the 1916 Somme battlefield as well as mount an offensive in Flanders designed to clear the Germans from the Belgian coast. These plans were quickly altered when General Robert Nivelle replaced General Joseph Joffre as commander-in-chief of the French Army. One of the heroes of Verdun, Nivelle was an artillery officer who believed that saturation bombardment coupled with creeping barrages could destroy the enemys defenses creating rupture and allowing Allied troops to break through to the open ground in the German rear. As the shattered landscape of the Somme did not offer suitable ground for these tactics, the Allied plan for 1917 came to resemble that of 1915, with offensives planned for Arras in the north and the Aisne in the south. While the Allies debated strategy, the Germans were planning to change their position. Arriving in the West in August 1916, General Paul von Hindenburg and his chief lieutenant, General Erich Ludendorff, began construction of a new set of entrenchments behind the Somme. Formidable in scale and depth, this new Hindenburg Line reduced the length of the German position in France, freeing ten divisions for service elsewhere. Completed in January 1917, German troops began shifting back to the new line in March. Watching the Germans withdraw, Allied troops followed in their wake and constructed a new set of trenches opposite the Hindenburg Line. Fortunately for Nivelle, this movement did not affect the areas targeted for offensive operations (Map). America Enters the Fray In the wake of the Lusitania sinking in 1915, President Woodrow Wilson had demanded that Germany cease its policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. Though the Germans had complied with this, Wilson began efforts to bring the combatants to the negotiating table in 1916. Working through his emissary Colonel Edward House, Wilson even offered the Allies American military intervention if they would accept his conditions for a peace conference before the Germans. Despite this, the United States remained decidedly isolationist at the beginning of 1917 and its citizens were not eager to join what was seen as a European war. Two events in January 1917 set in motion a series of events which brought the nation into the conflict. The first of these was the Zimmermann Telegram which was made public in the United States on March 1. Transmitted in January, the telegram was a message from German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmermann to the government of Mexico seeking a military alliance in event of war with the United States. In return for attacking the United States, Mexico was promised the return of territory lost during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), including Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, as well as substantial financial assistance. Intercepted by British naval intelligence and the US State Department, the contents of the message caused widespread outrage among the American people. On December 22, 1916, the Chief of Staff of the Kaiserliche Marine, Admiral Henning von Holtzendorff issued a memorandum calling for the resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare. Arguing that victory could only be achieved by attacking Britains maritime supply lines, he was quickly supported by von Hindenburg and Ludendorff. In January 1917, they convinced Kaiser Wilhelm II that the approach was worth the risk of a break with the United States and submarine attacks resumed on February 1. The American reaction was swift and more severe than anticipated in Berlin. On February 26, Wilson asked Congress for permission to arm American merchant ships. In mid-March, three American ships were sunk by German submarines. A direct challenge, Wilson went before a special session of Congress on April 2 declaring that the submarine campaign was a war against all nations and asked that war be declared with Germany. This request was granted on April 6 and subsequent declarations of war were issu ed against Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria. Mobilizing for War Though the United States had joined the fight, it would be some time before American troops could be fielded in large numbers. Numbering only 108,000 men in April 1917, the US Army began a rapid expansion as volunteers enlisted in large numbers and a selective draft instituted. Despite this, it was decided to immediately dispatch an American Expeditionary Force composed of one division and two Marine brigades to France. Command of the new AEF was given to General John J. Pershing. Possessing the second-largest battle fleet in the world, the American naval contribution was more immediate as US battleships joined the British Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow, giving the Allies a decisive and permanent numerical advantage at sea. The U-boat War As the United States mobilized for war, Germany began its U-boat campaign in earnest. In lobbying for unrestricted submarine warfare, Holtzendorff had estimated that sinking 600,000 tons per month for five months would cripple Britain. Rampaging across the Atlantic, his submarines crossed the threshold in April when they sunk 860,334 tons. Desperately seeking to avert disaster, the British Admiralty tried a variety of approaches to stem the losses, including Q ships which were warships disguised as merchantmen. Though initially resisted by the Admiralty, a system of convoys was implemented in late April. The expansion of this system led to reduced losses as the year progressed. While not eliminated, convoys, the expansion of air operations, and mine barriers worked to mitigate the U-boat threat for the remainder of the war. The Battle of Arras On April 9, the commander of the British Expeditionary Force, Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, opened the  offensive at Arras. Beginning a week earlier than Nivelles push to the south, it was hoped that Haigs attack would draw German troops away from the French front. Having conducted extensive planning and preparation, the British troops achieved great success on the first day of the offensive. Most notable was the swift capture of Vimy Ridge by General Julian Byngs Canadian Corps. Though advances were achieved, planned pauses in the attack hampered the exploitation of successful assaults. The next day, German reserves appeared on the battlefield and fighting intensified. By April 23, the battle had devolved into the type of attritional stalemate that had become typical of the Western Front. Under pressure to support Nivelles efforts, Haig pressed the offensive as casualties mounted. Finally, on May 23, the battle was brought to an end. Though Vimy Ridge had been taken, the strateg ic situation had not changed dramatically. The Nivelle Offensive To the south, the Germans faired better against Nivelle. Aware that an offensive was coming due to captured documents and loose French talk, the Germans had shifted additional reserves to the area behind the Chemin des Dames ridge in Aisne. In addition, they employed a system of flexible defense which removed the bulk of the defensive troops from the front lines. Having promised victory within forty-eight hours, Nivelle sent his men forward through rain and sleet on April 16. Pressing up the wooded ridge, his men were not able to keep up with the creeping barrage that was intended to protect them. Meeting increasingly heavy resistance, the advance slowed as heavy casualties were sustained. Advancing no more than 600 yards on the first day, the offensive soon became a bloody disaster (Map). By the end of the fifth day, 130,000 casualties (29,000 dead) had been sustained and Nivelle abandoned the attack having advanced around four miles on a sixteen-mile front. For his failure, he was relieved on April 29 and replaced by  General Philippe Pà ©tain. Discontent in the French Ranks In the wake of the failed Nivelle Offensive, a series of mutinies broke out in the French ranks. Though more along the lines of military strikes than traditional mutinies, the unrest manifested itself when fifty-four French divisions (nearly half the army) refused to the return to the front. In those divisions which were affected, there was no violence between the officers and men, simply unwillingness on the part of the rank and file to maintain the status quo. Demands from the mutineers generally were characterized by requests for more leave, better food, better treatment for their families, and a halt to offensive operations. Though known for his abrupt personality, Pà ©tain recognized the severity of the crisis and took a soft hand. Though unable to openly state that offensive operations would be halted, he implied that this would be the case. In addition, he promised more regular and frequent leave, as well as implementing a defense in depth system which required fewer troops in the front lines. While his officers worked to win back the mens obedience, efforts were made to round up the ringleaders. All told, 3,427 men were court-martialed for their roles in the mutinies with forty-nine executed for their crimes. Much to Pà ©tains fortune, the Germans never detected the crisis and remained quiet along the French front. By August, Pà ©tain felt confident enough to conduct minor offensive operations near Verdun, but much to the mens pleasure, no major French offensive occurred prior to July 1918. The British Carry the Load With French forces effectively incapacitated, the British were forced to bear the responsibility for keeping the pressure on the Germans. In the days after the Chemin des Dames debacle, Haig began seeking a way to relieve pressure on the French. He found his answer in plans that General Sir Herbert Plumer had been developing for capturing Messines Ridge near Ypres. Calling for extensive mining under the ridge, the plan was approved and Plumer opened the  Battle of Messines  on June 7. Following a preliminary bombardment, explosives in the mines were detonated vaporizing part of the German front. Swarming forward, Plumers men took the ridge and rapidly achieved the operations objectives. Repelling German counterattacks, British forces built new defensive lines to hold their gains. Concluding on June 14, Messines was one of the few clear-cut victories achieved by either side on the Western Front (Map). The Third Battle of Ypres (Battle of Passchendaele) With the success at Messines, Haig sought to revive his plan for an offensive through the center of the Ypres salient. Intended to first capture the village of Passchendaele,  the offensive  was to break through the German lines and clear them from the coast. In planning the operation, Haig was opposed Prime Minister David Lloyd George who increasingly wished to husband British resources and await the arrival of large numbers of American troops before launching any major offensives on the Western Front. With the support of Georges principal military advisor, General Sir William Robertson, Haig was finally able to secure approval. Opening the battle on July 31, British troops attempted to secure the Gheluvelt Plateau. Subsequent attacks were mounted against Pilckem Ridge and Langemarck. The battlefield, which was largely reclaimed land, soon degenerated into a vast sea of mud as seasonal rains moved through the area. Though the advance was slow, new bite and hold tactics allowed the British to gain ground. These called for short advances supported by massive amounts of artillery. Employment of these tactics secured objectives such as the Menin Road, Polygon Wood, and Broodseinde. Pressing on despite heavy losses and criticism from London, Haig secured Passchendaele on November 6. Fighting subsided four days later (Map). The Third Battle of Ypres became a symbol of the conflicts grinding, attritional warfare and many have debated the need for the offensive. In the fighting, the British had made a maximum effort, sustained over 240,000 casualties, and failed to breach the German defenses. While these losses coul d not be replaced, the Germans had forces in the East to make good their losses. The Battle of Cambrai With the fighting for Passchendaele devolving into a bloody stalemate, Haig approved a plan presented by General Sir Julian Byng for a  combined attack against Cambrai  by the Third Army and the Tank Corps. A new weapon, tanks have not previously been massed in large numbers for an assault. Utilizing a new artillery scheme, Third Army achieved surprise over the Germans on November 20 and made quick gains. Though achieving their initial objectives, Byngs men had difficulty exploiting the success as reinforcements had trouble reaching the front. By the next day, German reserves began arriving and fighting intensified. British troops fought a bitter battle to take control of Bourlon Ridge and by November 28 began digging in to defend their gains. Two days later, German troops, utilizing stormtrooper infiltration tactics, launched a massive counterattack. While the British fought hard to defend the ridge in the north, the Germans made gains in the south. When the fighting ended on De cember 6, the battle had become a draw with each side gaining and losing about the same amount of territory. The fighting at Cambrai effectively brought operations on the Western Front to a close for the winter (Map). In Italy To the south in Italy, the forces of General Luigi Cadorna continued attacks in the Isonzo Valley. Fought in May-June 1917, the Tenth Battle of the Isonzo and gained little ground. Not to be dissuaded, he opened the Eleventh Battle on August 19. Focusing on the Bainsizza Plateau, Italian forces made some gains but could not dislodge the Austro-Hungarian defenders. Suffering 160,000 casualties, the battle badly depleted Austrian forces on the Italian front (Map). Seeking help, Emperor Karl sought reinforcements from Germany. These were forthcoming and soon a total of thirty-five divisions opposed Cadorna. Through years of fighting, the Italians had taken much of the valley, but the Austrians still held two bridgeheads across the river. Utilizing these crossings, German General Otto von Below attacked on October 24, with his troops employing stormtrooper tactics and poison gas. Known as the  Battle of Caporetto, von Belows forces broke into the rear of the Italian Second Army and cau sed Cadornas entire position to collapse. Forced into headlong retreat, the Italians attempted to make a stand at the Tagliamento River but were forced back when the Germans bridged it on November 2. Continuing the retreat, the Italians finally halted behind the Piave River. In achieving his victory, von Below advanced eighty miles and had taken 275,000 prisoners. Revolution in Russia The beginning of 1917 saw troops in the Russian ranks expressing many of the same complaints offered by the French later that year. In the rear, the Russian economy had reached a full war footing, but the boom that resulted brought about rapid inflation and led to the break down of the economy and infrastructure. As food supplies in Petrograd dwindled, unrest increased leading to mass demonstrations and a revolt by the Tsars Guards. At his headquarters in Mogilev, Tsar Nicholas II was initially unconcerned by events in the capital. Beginning on March 8, the February Revolution (Russia still used the Julian calendar) saw the rise of a Provisional Government in Petrograd. Ultimately convinced to abdicate, he stepped down on March 15 and nominated his brother Grand Duke Michael to succeed him. This offer was refused and the Provisional Government took power. Willing to continue the war, this government, in conjunction with the local Soviets, soon appointed Alexander Kerensky Minister of War. Naming General Aleksei Brusilov Chief of Staff, Kerensky worked to restore the spirit of the army. On June 18, the Kerensky Offensive began with Russian troops striking the Austrians with the goal of reaching Lemberg. For the first two days, the Russians advanced before the lead units, believing they had done their part, halted. Reserve units refused to move forward to take their place and mass desertions began (Map). As the Provisional Government faltered at the front, it came under attack from the rear from returning extremists such as Vladimir Lenin. Aided by the Germans, Lenin had arrived back in Russia on April 3. Lenin immediately began speaking at Bolshevik meetings and preaching a program of non-cooperation with the Provisional Government, nationalization, and an end to the war. As the Russian army began to melt away at the front, the Germans took advantage and conducted offensive operations in the north which culminated in the capture of Riga. Becoming prime minister in July, Kerensky sacked Brusilov and replaced him with anti-German General Lavr Kornilov. On August 25, Kornilov ordered troops to occupy Petrograd and disperse the Soviet. Calling for military reforms, including the abolition of Soldiers Soviets and political regiments, Kornilov grew in popularity with Russian moderates. Ultimately maneuvered into attempting a coup, he was removed after its failure. With Kornilovs defeat, Kerensky and the Provisional Government effectively lost their power as Lenin and the Bolsheviks were in the ascent. On November 7, the October Revolution began which saw the Bolsheviks seize power. Taking control, Lenin formed a new government and immediately called for a three-month armistice. Peace in the East Initially wary of dealing with the revolutionaries, the Germans and Austrians finally agreed to meet with Lenins representatives in December. Opening peace negotiations at Brest-Litovsk, the Germans demanded independence for Poland and Lithuania, while the Bolsheviks wished for peace without annexations or indemnities. Though in a weak position, the Bolsheviks continued to stall. Frustrated, the Germans announced in February that they would suspend the armistice unless their terms were accepted and take as much of Russia as they desired. On February 18, German forces began advancing. Meeting no resistance, they seized much of the Baltic countries, Ukraine, and Belarus. Panic-struck, Bolshevik leaders ordered their delegation to accept Germanys terms immediately. While the  Treaty of Brest-Litovsk  took Russia out of the war, it cost the nation 290,000 square miles of territory, as well as a quarter of its population and industrial resources.

German History The Holocaust - 2588 Words

Germany Research Paper Germany had many huge problems throughout their years as a country, but one major problem that made a huge impact was the Holocaust. The Holocaust refers to the period January 30, 1933 when Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany. Then in May 8th, 1945, the war officially ended. It all started after its defeat in World War I, Germany was humiliated by the Versailles Treaty, which reduced its prewar territory, drastically reduced its armed forces, demanded the recognition of its guilt for the war, and stipulated it pay reparations to the allied powers. â€Å"With the German Empire destroyed, a new parliamentary government called the†¦show more content†¦The term Holocaust, originally from the Greek word holokauston which means sacrifice by fire, refers to the Nazis persecution and planned slaughter of the Jewish people. The Holocaust began in 1933 when Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany. In 1933, the Jewish population of Europe stood at over nine million. Most European Jews lived in countries that Nazi Germany would occupy or influence during World War II. By 1945, the Germans and their collaboraters killed nearly two out of every three European Jews as part of the Final Solution, the Nazi policy to murder the Jews of Europe. Although Jews, whom the Nazis deemed a priority danger to Germany, were the primary victims of Nazi racism, other victims included some 200,000 Roma. At least 200,000 mentally or physically disabled patients, mainly Germans, living in institutional settings, were murdered in the so-called Euthanasia Program. Jews also revolted in the death camps of Sobibor, Treblinka and Auschwitz. All of these acts of resistance were largely unsuccessful in the face of the superior German forces, but they were very important spiritually, giving the Jews hope that one day the Nazis would be defeated. The camps were liberated gradually, as the Allies advanced on the German army. 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Telenor Sales Report free essay sample

Telenor Pakistan Sales Management Report Submitted By: Humair Ahmed Khan Kandhari M. Moiz-Ul-Haq Submitted to: Mr. Javed Mehmood Contents Acknowledgement3 Vision and Values4 Company Overview4 Telenor Products and services6 Products6 Services7 The Competition9 The Hierarchy11 Departments within different regions11 The Sales Channels12 The Sales Hierarchy14 Selling Methodology15 Prospecting15 Qualifying15 Foot in the door15 Presenting the sales pitch15 Closing the Deal16 Follow Up16 Sales Forecasting17 Sales Budgeting17 Compensation18 Employee Motivation18 Reward System18 Compensation and benefit plans18 Salary policy19 Performance Appraisal System19 Frequency of the Performance Review19 Practices at Telenor for Performance Appraisal System20 Performance Review20 Recommendations23 Appendix24 Acknowledgement We extend my heartfelt gratitude to Telenor Pakistan for this wonderful opportunity and experience. We would specially like to thank Ms. Saadia Pervez, Area Manager, South 1, Mr. Athar Ali Shah, MNP Executive, Mr. Muhammad Raza, Postpaid Executive and the Sales Distribution Department specially the Operations Team for helping us on our report. Most importantly, we are grateful to the Mr. Javed Mehmood and the Institute of Business Administration for empowering us with enlightening education that is constantly being reinforced by all our experiences with the professional world. We thank everyone sincerely and deeply. Vision and Values The vision of Telenor is: â€Å"Were here to help† Telenor deeply focuses on facilitating its customers to get full benefits through the different communications services. A lot of credit to achieving this goal needs to be given to the Telenor sales team. The vigilance and dedication with which they work enables that Telenor remains accessible at even the most distant places in Pakistan. Telenor’s four core values provide the guiding principle for their entire sales team. The core values are: * Make it Easy * Keep Promises * Be Inspiring * Be Respectful From the perspective of the sales team their main task is to make it easy for Telenor’s products and services to reach the customers and deliver the promises that the company makes. Amongst the sales team the seniors or the team leads lead from the front and inspire the best performance out of their teams. But in the entire process the sales persons are required to respect each other irrespective of their rank, status, caste, influence or any other factor. These core values are made an integral part of the culture at Telenor through constant trainings of the employees so that these values are ingrained in their every activity. Company Overview Telenor Pakistan acquired a GSM license in 2004 and began commercial operations on March 15, 2005. At the end of May 2010 it had a reported subscriber base of 23. 65 million, and a market share of 24% making it the countrys second largest mobile operator. Telenor Pakistan is the countrys single largest European investor, with investments in excess of US$2 billion. Telenor Pakistan is 100% owned by the Telenor Group, an international provider of high quality voice, data, content and communication services in 14 markets across Europe and Asia. Telenor Group is among the largest mobile operators in the world with over 195 million mobile subscriptions in 2010 and a workforce of approximately 34,000. Offering mobile financial services In November 2008, Telenor Pakistan acquired 51% of Tameer Microfinance Bank. In 2009 Easypaisa was launched. This made Telenor first telecom operator in Pakistan to partner with a bank to offer mobile financial services. Contributing to Pakistans economy The Company continues to contribute to Pakistans economy. Here are some of the key features: * Telenor has created 2,500 direct and 25,000 plus indirect jobs. * Expansion of Telenor’s sales network has resulted in 29 sales ; service centers, more than 250 franchises and around 150,000 retailers. This has provided means to livelihood to thousands. * For 2010 it is estimated that Telenor Pakistan contributed around Rs30 billion in various forms of direct and indirect taxes to the economy of Pakistan. Internet service provider Telenor Pakistan provides wide EDGE connectivity across the country. It has one of the largest data networks (GPRS) in Pakistan providing Internet services to customers. Environmentally conscious Telenor Pakistan has taken and continues to implement a number of environmentally-friendly initiatives. These include mainstreaming energy efficiency and alternate energy solutions, and implementing occupational health ; safety practices that comply with international standards. In January 2010, Telenor became the first telecom operator in Pakistan to receive ISO/IEC 27001:2005 certification for Information Security Management System for mobile banking services. Corporate Responsibility Khuddar Pakistan is Telenor flagship corporate responsibility program. This program aims to create dignified opportunities for persons with disabilities. The purpose is to become the most disabled-friendly organization in Pakistan in terms of employment, service, and community support. Telenor Products and services Products Telenor provide products of two types 1. Prepaid 2. Postpaid Prepaid packages are * Dejuice * Talkshawk The prepaid customers after purchasing the connection need to pay upfront for the service charges. These charges can be paid through the scratch card or easy load facility that is available at retail stores. The sales teams ensure that both these facilities are available at the maximum number of retail outlets. To ensure availability, the retailers are offered several incentives. For instance under one of the schemes the retailer was given a particular target to achieve for the month and on achieving this target certain gifts were given to him. Once a target is achieved it is revised and a new target is assigned. On achieving three months targets a bigger price such as motorcycle or television were kept. The key for the sales team is to maintain strong relationship with the retailers. The sales people in the telecom sector are considered fortunate since retailers are often very keen to keep their scratch cards and easy load. This makes it imperative for the team leads to continuously reminding the sales team that no matter what they need to respect and maintain a strong bond with the channel members. Postpaid offers are * Persona individual * Persona karobar Bills are sent to the postpaid customers who pay their dues just like any utility bill. Usually corporate purchase the persona packages for their individual or company needs. For the sales corporate sales is challenge. Sales person have to visit several companies and individuals whom they prospect to be their customer. Services Apart from the usual communications services, Telenor Group provides a wide range of innovative services. Here is a selection. Mobile Fun Following are the mobile fun service of Telenor. Mobile Sports Sends a text message alerting about a sportive highlight at the instant it happens. Mobile Music The Telenor music service allows around 1 million songs ready to be downloaded to the mobile. These songs can easily be shared by the customer because these songs are digital rights management-free. Mobile TV The customer has available his favorite TV shows in his pocket and watch them anytime, anywhere. Live TV channels can also be accessed on the move by the customer through the fast EDGE internet service of Telenor. Mobile Communities With Telenor the customer can access communities such as Windows Live MSN and Facebook on his mobile. Mobile Interaction Following are mobile interaction services providing by Telenor. ApnaPCO Share a Mobile ApnaPCO is a business-in-a-box solution, which allows people in remote areas to share a mobile phone where there are no other alternatives. TeleDoctors Through Telenor the customers can get expert medical advise by simply dialing 1911. This connects the customer with experienced doctors who can help him with his problems wherever he is in the country. Mobile in Flight The consumer can call your colleagues, customers, friends and family whilst in flight from his mobile phone using AeroMobile secure mobile communication technology. Mobile at Sea Maritime Communications Partner enables mobile phone coverage by installing and operating the ship borne radio networks, linking the vessels with public networks via satellite. Mobile Marketing The customer needs to register his phone number with his favorite shops and services. This will allow him to receive sms’s regarding the latest events and offers. Child Internet Protection The Security Shield technology offered by Telenor protects children from accessing sites that have not previously been approved or from coming into contact with unsuitable people on the Internet. Children have their own login with a protected desktop controlled by parents. Mobile Commerce Mobile commerce services of Telenor are as follow: Easy Paisa Easy paisa is a unique service offered by telenor. This service allows the customer to send your mony nationwide. The customer just needs to present his id at the Easy Paisa outlet and his money can be transferred to the desired person within seconds who can collect it from his nearest easy paisa outlet. CellBazaar Marketplace in Your Pocket This service has truly bridged the gap between the urban and rural areas by making trade very convenient between them. Using CellBazaar, buyers and sellers in Pakistan can trade basic goods from their mobile phones. BillPay Pay by Phone BillPay is an innovative service, the first of its kind in Pakistan. This service provides for the bill payment of utilities services and for other companies electronically via the cell phone. Customers can pay their utility bills and other bills through this service regardless of whether they own a mobile connection or not. The Competition The telecommunications sector of Pakistan has seen tremendous growth over the last decade. From a subscriber base of merely 0. 3 million the number of telecom users has exploded to over 90 million users. The growth has stalled over the last couple of years due to market saturation and general drop in the income levels of the country. There are five prominent mobile operators that are currently active in Pakistan: 1. Mobilink is the market leader with a market share of 33%. The market share for Mobilink has gradually eroded due to competition coming in. However due to its strength in the corporate sales it still sits comfortably at the top. The prominent products for Mobilink include: a. Jazz- Prepaid b. Indigo- Postpaid 2. Telenor has the second highest market share in terms of subscribers of 24%. 3. Ufone has a market share of 19% and is known for its strong marketing campaigns. Ufone is the closest competitor to Telenor in terms of subscriber base. Ufone also has separate prepaid and postpaid products but has a name for each package within these categories. 4. Warid is next with a 17% market share. Zem is its prepaid product whereas it also offers a postpaid product. 5. Zong entered into the market by acquiring PAKTEL and since then has gained a market share of 7%. The Hierarchy Telenor Pakistan is divided into the following five regions. Its corporate headquarters are in Islamabad, with regional offices in Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, and Hyderabad. These regions are divided into further departments. Departments within different regions The regions are divided into various departments which include: 1. People Excellence- looks after recruiting, training and developing employees. At Telenor Pakistan the Human Resource Department is called the People Excellence. 2. Sales ; Distribution- looks after the sales and distribution of various products through the franchise, retailers and sahulat ghar. 3. Sales ; Service Centre- looks after the sales and distribution of various products through the walk in centers which are company maintained and managed. 4. Corporate Sales- handles direct postpaid sales done to organizations, SMEs and other corporate individuals 5. Technology Departments; Radio Frequency Handling Department, Networking Department, Field Operations, Real Estate Management- all these departments handle the technology related works and manages the issues pertaining to networking and the functioning of GSM network. 6. IT Departments- handles the IT issues faced by employees. 7. ESS- works on software development thereby providing an easy and user friendly interface for employees to communicate. 8. Organization Support ; Service- looks after managing the activities at the office, performs the task looked by the administration department. The Sales Channels From the sales perspective the functioning of the sales and customer services departments is critical since they are the face of the company and at the forefront of all company challenges. Sales department Indirect sales * Manage the franchise network * Ensure achievement of sales target of franchise * Coordinate with other departments for development programs * Training of franchise staff Direct sale (corporate sales) * Meet assigned sales targets throughout the  year * Maximize customer satisfaction and minimize churn * Generate new accounts and manage old ones * Strong follow-up Customer services Department The customer services department handles the following responsibilities: * To facilitate and guide the customer * To resolve customer’s queries, requests and provide  optimal solution in minimum turnaround time, keeping both companies and customer interest in focus. * To inform and update customers about upcoming promos, AS and products. * To minimize cost and  increase revenue The Sales Hierarchy The smallest unit of division of the sales force at Telenor is a territory which is assigned a territory sales supervisor who is responsible for around five territory sales officers. The territory sales supervisors report to the assistant managers. The company has been divided into five regions each with a regional manager and a regional director that oversee their regions. They report to the national sales director. Selling Methodology At Telenor the sales can be broadly divided into the indirect and direct sales (corporate sales). The indirect sales require the sales persons to visit different retail outlets and ensure their cards and POS material are in place. Corporate selling involves greater degree of personal selling where the sales person tries to convince the individual to purchase the Telenor connection. This approach is adopted for high volume customers who would purchase the connection for themselves or their company. The selling process starts from identifying the target market. The six process introduced in the sales management theory apply here as well. Prospecting The process starts with searching for leads. All business directories, journals, contact persons in SMEs, personal references, references from company colleagues and industrial and trade associations are all sought for potential leads. Most important are the current customers who are requested to refer people who could potentially buy the package. Qualifying The potential customers are narrowed down to identify which of them can actually buy the package Telenor offers. The qualifying is done on the basis of: a. Whether the prospect has the financial strength to keep the package b. Whether the prospect is influential enough to represent the company and can lead to sales from the company. c. Whether he actually needs the package or not Foot in the door When the customer is being studied all the possible links to approach him are also identified. If appropriate he is approached directly through one of these contact person. However most of the times a more formalized approach is adopted where a letter from the company is sent to the person. The letter comprehensively defines the services that are being offered by Telenor who are the current users of these services and what benefits the individual or his company can derive from the package. The letter also contains a formal request to setup a meeting time. Presenting the sales pitch The pitch is usually prepared well in advance and is tailored to the needs of the potential customer. The pitch is the most critical part and in considered as the make or break part of the whole sales process. The pitch starts with the sales person asking the potential customer about what he expects from his mobile service connection. The sales person further tailors his pitch according to the customers needs and also identifies what additional benefits can the customer derive from Telenor’s packages. Closing the Deal The sales person gradually leads the conversation towards the purchase of the package. In this process he handles all the customer complains and finally leads the discussion towards signing of the agreement. Follow Up The sales person conducts a regular follow up with his client for any problems encountered with the package in use. This is very important in establishing a relationship with the customer since Telenor relies quite a lot on reference sales from its current users. Sales Forecasting The sales forecast is essential to plan for future costs and capacity requirements. Variable cost is directly related to the sales volume made while fixed cost is not directly affected. Better sales forecasting result in better inventory management, spot trends in customer buying behaviour, help in better staffing and managing financing etc. The sales forecasting is done is a very systematic manner at Telenor. The corporate clients are assigned an individual territory sales officer who is then responsible for handling the account and servicing it as requirement arises. Sales forecasts are prepared by keeping in view the previous targets and the actual results. If a salesperson does not achieve their targets, their orecast is lowered and targets are cut down, and if a salesperson meets the target, then their target is upgraded, keeping in mind the salesperson’s potential and the market potential. Sales Budgeting A sales budget is the amount of money available or assigned for a definite period. At Telenor it is based on estimates of expenditure during that period and on proposals for financing the budget. These estimates are based on the previous sales trends. Thus the budget depends on the sales forecast and the amount of revenue expected to be generated for the organization during that period. Like any other company, budget is an important factor in the successful operation of the sales forces at Telenor. Top Sales managers spend a great deal of time trying to convince the corporate management to increase the size of their budget Using the Top Down approach, the Sales managers re-distributes the budget for the sales force among lower level managers. Budget funds are also appropriated wisely in order to properly support selling activities that allow sales personnel and total marketing group to reach their performance goals. Compensation The core compensation includes: * Base salary * Bonus/commission * Long-term incentive plans In addition, Telenor offers a total package that may include insurance, recreational activities and other benefits adapted to the local market and individual employee’s need. Sales Managers are rewarded according to their achievements. Apart from monetary rewards, such as variable pays/increments, other motivational tools such as recognition (Employee of the Year rewards) are used. Employee Motivation Telenor’s compensation plan operationalizes the sales force, get them aligned with the business goals, and get them motivated and driven to implement new strategies. Underperforming sales managers are encouraged through mentoring and counseling by their respective directors. At Telenor the goals set for the sales team are such that they challenging and get them into action. The turnover is not high as compared to that of the industry. There is no defined employee exchange program. Employees on their merit are taken up to work in the Telenor Group. Reward System Telenor considers its employees as an investment made from which it expects valuable return. Pay policies and programs are one of the most important human resource tools for encouraging desired employee behaviors. The advantage of paying above the market average is the ability to attract and retain the top talent available, which can translate into highly effective and productive work force. The incentive schemes and incentive objective are clearly communicated to all individuals and weekly progress report is also communicated to all concerned. Compensation and benefit plans Telenor has a different department that deals with staffing and compensation. This department has all the information regarding who is being employed and how he/she is performing. That’s makes it easy for them to design compensation plans because they know every employee inside out who is being hired. Compensation and benefit plans are particularly based on performance. If performance is up to the mark or standard of the company and the employee has good conduct then he/she will be rewarded for sure. After every performance evaluation, results are rechecked and matched with the standards. Based on that, proper compensation plans are designed. Salary policy The company will pay salaries of the employees as fallows * All new employees have to open bank accounts in specified banks prescribed by the company so that their salary can be credited at the end of each month. * Employees should forward this account number to HR. * Upon termination of services the employee will receive his salary within 15 days up to the time of date of his last working day. Upon resignation the employee will be paid his dues during a maximum period of 15 days from the date he left the job Performance Appraisal System Policies at Telenor for Performance Appraisal Objectives: The purpose of this policy is to provide a formal review program to evaluate work performance and to promote communication and discussion of job performance. The intent of these discussions should be to review current job performance and responsibilities, set goals, and discuss future opportunities with reference to past performance at Telenor. The Objectives of the Performance Review Program are: * To measure work performance * To identify employees with high potential for advancement * To provide objective information for making decisions on salary increases, promotions, bonus and transfers. * To motivate and support employees in improving their performance and achieving their personal/professional career goals * To identify employees for training and development * To provide a solid path for career development for each individual Frequency of the Performance Review Informal performance discussions are conducted frequently as and when the need arises. These discussions provide the basis for an objective summarization of performance during formal Performance Reviews and allow more time for discussing future plans and organizational as well as personal objectives. Formal written performance reviews is conducted with all employees annually. Notification along with Performance Evaluation Forms is sent from the Human Resources Department in advance with the scheduled performance evaluation date. All employees will be reviewed at least once at confirmation. Therefore, Performance Reviews is held on an annual basis from the date of hiring or more often if desirable to do so. Practices at Telenor for Performance Appraisal System Telenor uses the computerized performance appraisal method. It conducts performance appraisal in order to evaluate their employee’s current performance or past performance relative to company’s performance standards. Telenor try to adapt the performance appraisal in which their employees understand what his or her performance standards were and that the upervisor also provides the employee with feedback, development, and incentives required to help the person eliminate performance deficiencies or to continue to perform above par. Performance appraisal is conducted to evaluate employee’s performance, current or past, relative to company’s performance standards. Performance for the sales period is reviewed with each individual salesperson. It is noted if that salesperson met the goal that was established at the beginning of the period. If he/she did, the salesperson is given a positive review for meeting the goals. In Telenor the performance appraisal of employees is conducted in December. The Telenor HR department develops a performance appraisal sheet and downloads it on the intranet of Telenor so that the supervisor performs the evaluation of their employees. When the supervisor completes the evaluation, he/she sends the performance appraisal sheet to the employee for the confirmation, if the employee does not agree with the supervisor’s remarks or appraisal he/she will not sign the PA sheet. After the time of submitting PA sheets is crossed, HR department approaches the supervisors and employees having conflict and tries to resolve their problems. Performance Review At Telenor a review is something like an informal discussion between an employee and their Sales Team Leader/ Sales Manager. There are two phases: first in which discussion takes place over area of strength which needs to be built up on as displayed by the job holder over the past year. The second phase is concerned with discussion about the training needs/inputs activities that are considered to be appropriate to help the jobholder overcome some of development areas discussed in the review and also those activities that are deemed appropriate to build upon their current strengths. Appraisal categories The sales personal along with other employees are classified in one of the categories: Appraisal category| Definition of category| % Of total numbers of employees which can be rated in this category | 1. expert| Indicates exceptional performance| 15%| 2. ery Good| Indicate performance that consistently meets the requirements of the position,† very good† indicates the individual is on track for advancements| 10%| 3. Good| Indicated performance that requires improvement (i. e. meet requirements without initiative or advancement)| 8%| 4. Basic | Performance to be improved (hardly meets requirements)| 5%| Training The methods of training differ from function t o function. In training the most important thing, Telenor believes to get across is how this training is going to increase their reps sales, as well as benefit the company. Following are some objectives of training when conducted for sales function. Recommendations Telenor is regarded as the top employers in Pakistan and is doing brilliantly on the business front. However there always is some room for improvement. One of the recommendations for Telenor is develop its muscle in the corporate sales segment. In this segment Mobilink sits comfortably at the top with other companies trying to snatch some share. The Persona package that targets corporate need a stronger push from the corporate sales team since the retail market has matured and telecom companies need to venture elsewhere for growth. Another important recommendation is the training of the sales team. On visiting certain shops and asking about sales personal from different telecom companies the general response was that sales personal have a very hackneyed approach to selling. Telenor could make a difference by adopting unique selling techniques inculcated through their training programs. Appendix Subscribers (From Telenor Resource person) [ 2 ]. http://www. telenor. com. pk/about/history. php [ 3 ]. Telenor resource person

Cash Versus Credit Card free essay sample

We are all familiar with the convenience of credit and debit cards, and there’s no denying that they’re the preferred method of payment for many transactions. But sometimes good old hard currency is preferable. (Although maybe not pennies. ) Here are four situations in which greenbacks are a better choice than plastic. 1. When you’re trying to stick to a budget. There are a slew of studies out there that compared cash and card spending behavior, and they all came to the same conclusion: you spend more with plastic. Part of the reason behind this is the disassociation factor: you don’t feel as if you’re actually parting with money when you swipe your card at a terminal, especially if you don’t have to face the bill for a month. Paying cash is the equivalent of a dieter’s keeping a food diary: it forces you to hold yourself accountable for what you buy over the course of a day. We will write a custom essay sample on Cash Versus Credit Card or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This is especially valid when it comes to small purchases, as the few bucks here and there on lunch, coffee and incidental purchases really add up. Using cash, it’s easy to see how quickly they empty your wallet. (MORE: Your Credit Card Rewards Aren’t Worth as Much as You Think) 2. When you’re shopping at a mom-and-pop store or a farmers’ market. More Americans are taking pains to eat and shop locally these days. Often that impulse is driven by a desire to help out the little guy rather than funnel spending dollars to the big-box chain stores. It’s a commendable sentiment, and one that small-business owners and farmers certainly appreciate. But when you hand over your credit or debit card, you’re undoing some of that good intention. We’ve written at length about interchange fees, those obscure charges banks levy on merchants who accept plastic. Here’s the short version of why they matter in this case: paying with plastic sends as much as 3% of your total purchase price to the banks instead of to your local dog groomer or florist’s bottom line. 3. When you’re at a flea market or craft show. Yes, more vendors these days have credit-card readers like Square, but there are arguments to make for cash. First, there’s the point we made above about interchange fees eating into the profit these small-business owners earn from their sales. Second, it’s much easier to bargain if you have a handful of bills rather than a card. These venues are practically made for haggling (see a list of other places you should negotiate prices here), and as the saying goes, money talks. (MORE: Terrible Financial Advice: Top 10 Tips You Shouldn’t Follow) 4. When you’re buying something you might have to return. Store return policies vary widely, so it’s advisable to check before purchasing an item you might return. (And by â€Å"check,† we mean going online or to the customer-service desk to read the store’s written policy, not asking a cashier who might be misinformed. ) Provided you have your original receipt, many retailers will issue you a refund in the same format in which you paid. If you paid with a credit or debit card, this could mean waiting a few days for the transaction to clear. A cash refund, on the other hand, puts that money back into your pocket immediately. 5. When you’re leaving a tip at a restaurant. This is an instance in which paying cash is primarily for the benefit of the recipient, but if you plan to revisit a restaurant in the future, your consideration may translate to better service next time. Depending on the restaurant’s policies, there could be a number of reasons cash is a better choice. The biggest perk a server gets with a cash tip is leaving at the end of the shift with cash in hand. Some restaurants distribute tips left via credit or debit cards weekly; for people living paycheck to paycheck, getting that 15% of customer checks in cash every day can make a difference. According to CreditCards. com, some eateries will even ding waitstaff for the interchange fee on the tip portion of the bill, which can cut up to 3% off the total. Some restaurants require all serving staff to pool tips, so if you got knockout service and want to make sure the person who did the work gets the reward, pay cash. There is a moral ambiguity here, in that the server would be breaking the rules if he or she just pocketed the tip. There’s also the unfortunate possibility that leaving cash tips helps waitstaff avoid paying taxes on the money by not declaring it, but the IRS has been cracking down on this practice in recent years, so it’s less of a concern than it used to be. Read more: http://business. time. com/2012/09/10/5-times-you-should-always-pay-cash/#ixzz2TO1M7b5p http://business. time. com/2012/09/10/5-times-you-should-always-pay-cash/