ascend

Sales
CASE STUDY
INDEX

1 ABOUT NIVEA INDIA

2 CASE OVERVIEW

3 SOLUTION OUTLINE
ABOUT NIVEA INDIA
INTRODUCTION
NIVEA India Pvt Ltd is an affiliate of Beiersdorf AG. Throughout our history we have built trust by staying close to
our consumers and developing innovative skin care brands that are tailored to their needs. We work as one global
team, with one focus: making people feel good in their skin. Everywhere. Every day.

As we head into the future, we want to become the number one skin care company in the world.
NIVEA is the world’s largest skin care brand which uses ingredients inspired by nature to work in harmony with
skin, body and life to make you look and feel more beautiful.

NIVEA India Pvt Ltd was established in 2005. In the last 15 years, NIVEA has established a robust and effective
distribution network, and built strong relationships with consumers and partners. In 2015, NIVEA established its
first manufacturing location in India in Sanand, Gujarat.

In India, NIVEA is present across various categories – All Purpose Cream (NIVEA crème), Body Lotion, Face Wash,
Shower Gel, Deodorant, Roll-ons, Lip, Men’s Grooming, Soap, Talc etc.

We are inspired by our vision to become ‘Emerging India’s Most Loved Skincare Brand’. Our brand and
products are loved by adolescents, young professionals, and families with children.
CASE STUDY
INTRODUCTION
Nusrat Khan was elated to be confirmed as Area Sales Manager, Jharkhand after a very successful & enriching cross-
functional MT program of a leading FMCG company.
She landed in Ranchi with ambitions of delivering one of the best business performances & distribution expansion the state
has ever seen & was confident given her MT stint learning and strong academic pedigree.
She was replacing a manager who has already moved out of the system to an another FMCG almost a month back.
However, she was confident that a lack of direct handover shouldn’t be an issue and she will manage territory well.
Like a true FMCG sales professional she immediately started the next day with a market visit with one of her Sales Officer. By
the lunch time, she has already visited 10 stores, 3 out which told her that they no more buy from the authorized
Distributors but from various undercutters who procure all FMCG brands at cheap rates from different channels.
While waiting for the lunch order she got an email from branch commercial manager that the biggest distributor in
Jharkhand has bounced the cheque of the last month end sales and she should immediately take action to collect the
overdue amount and henceforth her distributor will be put on advance payment mode. She wondered whether the
Distributor is under stock pressure or is just a rotten link in the commercial hygiene?
As she was about to finish her market visit for the day her mobile screen glowed with a message from her RSM – “Nusrat
hope you have reached and are well settled? Jharkhand has been missing on month targets since last 6 months, hope to see
a changed JK this month under your leadership. Good luck! Regards - Pooja”
The eventful first day ended with one of her Sales officer, Meenakshi Sharma, from upcountry market sending a WhatsApp
message to inform about her decision to resign as she has a better offer from a competitor.
CASE STUDY
QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
Consider yourself in the position of Nusrat and answer the below questions –

1. What will be your first month’s top priorities and how do you arrive at them?

2. How will you tackle the commercial issue at hand?

3. What steps to be immediately taken to ensure month’s business is delivered, as mandated by the RSM?

4. How will you handle the fast-approaching attrition & what steps will you take to ensure team engagement in the
future?

5. Why should Nusrat not plan a career with a consulting firm like few of her colleagues and escape the ever-present
turbulence & rigorous travel of FMCG sales?
SOLUTION OUTLINE
PLEASE STICK TO THE BELOW GUIDELINES WHEN SUBMITTING YOUR
SOLUTION
Team Size
• 1 member only

Important points to keep in mind when proposing solutions

• The solutions must be realistic and practical.
• Best practices from the industry can be cited with examples
• Please use reasonable assumptions if you believe some data points are missing
• It is not necessarily to stick to the elements mentioned, free to think on all elements effecting fulfillment to
consumer.

Solution Template
• The submission must not exceed 5 slides
• Slide 1: Case Overview
• Slide 2 & 3: Case Analysis & Discussion
• Slide 4 & 5: Solution Overview & Discussion
THANK YOU