Client:

The largest software company in the world.

Participants:

• Marketing and Sales Managers
• Operations Managers

Challenge:

Microsoft was changing the way that it distributed its products in the U.S. and was going to direct selling instead of using distributors. Microsoft needed to get all of their marketing and operations staff up to speed on retailers’ needs, wants and how they ran their businesses.

Solution:

Dionco designed a four-day workshop on all facets of retail and a follow-up course with more in depth information. The courses were each delivered four times on Microsoft’s corporate campus in Redmond Washington.

Program Overview:

• A review of the retail business today, focus on brick and mortar with some Internet.
  • How retailers make money
  • Strategies of different retail businesses – pure play virtual vs. brick and mortar vs. multi channel approaches
  • The ten most important technologies in use in retail
  • Basic retail math
  • Store branding and branding issues
  • Retail profit models
  • Merchandising
  • Store operations
  • Product presentation
  • Pricing strategies
  • Markdowns and returns
  • Retail advertising, co-op expectations
  • Retail personnel issues
  • Inventory planning, sales forecasting
  • Assortment planning and category management
  • Selling strategies – store vs web
  • Benchmarks, what is considered good, great and superior performance on the top ten factors
  • Retail receiving, distribution and logistics
  • Basic retail web site analysis
• Pre-Tests were given to the participants before the courses, which allowed the participants to identify gaps in their knowledge and help them to better focus their attention during the course
• The course was presented in Power Point format with the supplemental material included in the Appendix of each Participant’s Manual
• Post-Tests were given to the participants at the end of the course to evaluate the degree of knowledge and skills acquired as a result of the training provided

Services Provided:

• Instructional Design (content and format)
• Delivery of 24 Workshops

Results: