Training Program

Module One
–New Consultant Skill Building
April 16, 2000

Module 5
 Training Program
Agenda

• Questionnaire Design
• Interview Skill
• Interview Note
• Basics of Spreadsheet
• Appendix: Source of Information

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 Questionnaire Design
Questionnaire Format
C:\training\sh\questionnaire.doc
Distributor Interview Questionnaire

General background (fill in after interview):

Store Name:
Address:
Telephone and fax:
Type of player:
Ownership Type:
chain store___ drug store in supermarket___ independent drug store___
state-owned public private JV foreign other:
•Filing and pathing-Header
Size:
Company revenue(1998)
Approximate square meter:
Total sales (RMB):
and Footer
(please specify: annual or
monthly or daily)
Sales in pharmaceuticals (RMB):
 TCM (%):
•Questionnaire title
 Western drugs (%):
Typical first half year of total sales (%): •Subsection title
Physical location:
Company starting year :
Residential Commercial
•Interviewing information
Total number of employees:
Total number of employees in OTC: •Background of interviewee
Interviewee and Title:
Interviewer: organisation
Sales volumes: •questions
1A. Sales in each category Total sales of 1998 (RMB) Total sales of 991H (RMB)
Total sales of business
Total sales of western medicine and TCM
Pain & Fever
G.I
Fungicides (Vaginal treatment)
Multi-Vitamins & Minerals
1B. What are your main categories of western drugs besides the four mentioned above:
1) ________ 2) _________ 3) _________

2. What is your overall split in sales of drugs:

TCM ____% and Western: domestic ______% JV ______% imports ______%

3. Please provide more details for each product category

A. Pain & Fever
3.A How many brands do you carry? Domestic ______ JV ______ Imported ______
Top 4 brands Total Sales 1998 (RMB or Units?) Total Sales 1999E (RMB or Units?)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Others (specify)

B. G.I
3.B How many brands do you carry? Domestic ______ JV ______ Imported ______

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 Questionnaire Design
Designing

Prepare for writing Write questionnaire

• Understand objectives of: • Translate blanks into

• case survey content
• workstream • Develop a logical structure
• interviews • Obtain feedback from
• Preview blank slides manager, case team
• Determine information to • Consider potential
be gathered from sensitivities when writing
interviews (quantitative for questions
graphs, qualitative for
quotes)

*Ask the Bain Research and Data Analysis Group in Boston for help in designing complex questionnaires
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 Questionnaire Design
How to Write a Questionnaire (1 of 2)

Content Structure Design

• Write a short introduction (your name, purpose • Group questions logically • Facilitate data entry
of Interview, flattery). Mention any contact – prices, costs, market size – number questions
name that you may have
• Place “must-know” questions – standardize format
– “My name is Ruma Sanyal from Sinotrust. before “nice-to-know” ones
I spoke with Ray Gonzalez in your sales
• Facilitate note taking
department; he gave me your name as
• Start with an easy or intriguing – add lines/check boxes
question
someone who really understands the – leave space after each
importance of managing supplier – “How long have you been in question for taking notes
the business?”
relationships.” – highlight key
• Tie each question to a blank slide • Put most difficult/sensitive words/phrases
• Write unbiased questions and offer ranges if questions toward the end
possible – “What is your gross margin
– “Would you say growth is less than 25%, on ceramic tile?”
25-49%, or 50% or more? Not would you • Add prompts for difficult
say growth is, 25%” questions
• Avoid jargon – “Can you give me an
– CAGR, ROS example?”
• Ask follow-on questions – “Do you think that segment
– How? Why? is growing or shrinking?”
• Ask alienate questions, if needed
– What is the growth rate? OR
– Is growth rate between 10-20% or 20-
50%?

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 Questionnaire Design
How to Write a Questionnaire (2 of 2)
Each question should tie to a blank slide.
Situation: You have been asked to assess potential growth opportunities for China rental car
market.
Blanks: 100
100 100
100.0

Rental Car Market: Business(MM RMB)

China Rental Car Market (MM RMB)

Segment D
80.0 Leisure 80

66 Segment C
60.0 60
Leisure
Segment B
40.0 40
Business
20.0 Business 20 Segment A

$0.0 $0
1997 2000 2000
Questions: • What percentage of the current • What are the customer segments for
market is business? Leisure? the business market?
• How big do you think the market will • How much share of the market will
be in the year 2000? each segment have in the year 2000?
• In the year 2000, what percentage of • Will there be any new segments in the
the market will be business? Leisure? year 2000?
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 Training Program
Agenda

• Questionnaire Design
• Interview Skill
• Interview Note
• Basics of Spreadsheet
• Appendix: Source of Information

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 Interview Skill
Interviewing Steps
There are five basic steps for conducting an interview

Take
Set up Provide Control the End
detailed
interview introduction conversation interview
notes

• Determine best • Say your name • Keep • Capture • Make sure you
time to call/visit and reason for conversation data and have all key
Interview moving quotes information before
• Get contact ending the
name for the • set up • Anticipate • Write conservation
right person interview time responses detailed
• Schedule
or start
• Probe
notes • Thank interviewee
interview immediatel
interview
• Validate y after each
• Ask if you may call
or visit with follow-
interview
up questions
• Ask for more
contacts who can
answer your
questions

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Before Interview
• Review proposal/blank
slide/questionnaire to
understand the objectives of
case and interview
• Determine key information
required
• Decide whom to call/interview
• Decide which are the most
important and which are the
least important interviewees
• Decide which interviews to
make first
• Establish timeline for
completing interviews
• Rehearse/ask an experienced
team member to make the first
interviews to-gather with you ,
if you feel inexperienced
*Ask the Bain Research and Data Analysis Group in Boston for help in designing complex questionnaires
Interview Skill
Interviewing
During Interview After Interview
• Introduce yourself politely and • Write interview note immediately
confidently after interview
• Refer to contact of authority • Call or visit again if any key
• Use terminology with which the information missing
person is familiar • Prepare for next interview
• Move quickly from question to
question
• Switch conversation to relevant
topics
• Determine what the interviewee
will be able and willing to answer
• Ask for clarification
• Force interviewees to be specific
• Understand reasons behind
interviewee’s opinions
• Prompt with ranges when
specific information is not
available
• Ask for explanation of terms
• Rephrase interviewees
statement to ensure total
understanding
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 Training Program
Agenda

• Questionnaire Design
• Interview Skill
• Interview Note
• Basics of Spreadsheet
• Appendix: Source of Information

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During Interview
• Begin writing as soon as
interviewee begins answering
• Write down key words or phrases
• However, do not let note taking
interrupt the “flow” of the
connection
• Fill in questionnaire as much as
possible
Interview Note
Note Taking
After Interview
• Schedule breaks between
interviews to write notes
• Recall and fill in questionnaire
unfilled during interview
• Make “qualitative notes”. For
example, take notes to remind
yourself about the interviewer.
This will help you in choosing who
to call back, if there in needy
• Interview note summarize
interviewee opinions or insights
which questionnaire does not tell
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 Interview Note
Interview Note Format
C:\case\sh\word\LJ

Interviewee: Mr. Dai zhong, Marketing Manager

Organization: XXX Company
Telephone: 010-66043399-2250
Address:Changqiao, Ping An Street, Beijing
Interviewer: Zhang Jiangyan
Date: 2000-04-16

Summary
 The root cause for loyalty is
• filing and sourcing
 Customer switch to new competitors
• Interviewing information
Key findings
 The sales team is not so professional
 The company positioning is not clear • Highlighting summary
Customer Segmentation
 Beida Hospital is one of the largest and the famous hospital in Beijing • Highlighting key findings
 It purchased and installed 2 units of Broad absorption chillers 97
 The chiller is of ______RT each
 The chillers cover existing building of _______square meter
 It is planning to install electric chillers for another hospital area
 They are of _____ RT
 And cover existing building of ______square meter
Purchasing cost
 Total expenditure: Rmb20MM
 Chiller purchasing cost: Rmb4.7MM(two units)
 Pipeline construction: Rmb1.6MM
 Other cost related to pipeline(building dismentle and compensation for residents movement):
Rmb1.4MM
 Installation charge: Rmb12MM (including pump/water tank/labour)

Maintenance cost
 The chiller system is still within warranty

Operating cost • Interview findings

 Estimated energy cost: 365 days*Rmb5,000=Rmb1.8MM
 # of staff: 9; average wage=Rmb800/month, labor cost=Rmb
Purchasing process/criteria

 Purchasing process
 The villa visited design institutes to consult the AC system design
 Manufacturers came to the villa to present their products
 Based on discussion with institutes, it decided to use absorption chiller
 It compared the product attributes among Broad, Suangliang Trane, Sanyo and a local brand based
on purchasing criteria and other working requirement
 It visited many end users to refer to their advice about brands’ advantages and disadvantages
 Sanyo was selected
 The customer decided absorption chiller because
 It has a very good gas supply and supply network within villa area which makes it easy to operate
absorption chiller
 It would have to pay high fee for electricity expansion within the area

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 Training Program
Agenda

• Questionnaire Design
• Interview Skill
• Interview Note
• Basics of Spreadsheet
• Appendix: Source of Information

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 Training Program
Spreadsheet Format

filename: C:\sino\training\module1\[regression.xls]GDP Enter:=cell(“filename”)

author: simon hu
creation: 99/05/01 Enter: =now()
version: 04/17/00
source: SSB, EIU, CRAA and Bain analysis
•Filing and sourcing
assumption:
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
GDP growth: 7.80% 7.60% 7.80% 8.30% 8.40%
•Assumptions
Population growth: 1% 0.98% 0.92% 0.92% 0.92%
US to RMB rate: 8.3
•Calculations
China GDP CAGR
year 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998E 1999E 2000E 2001E 2002E (93-98E) (98E-02E)

GDP(US$ Bn) 599 547 711 824 902 999 1075 1159 1255 1360 11% 8.0%

market trends
Air-con(RT) 1,683,064 1,822,156 2,170,632 2,647,724 2,699,490 2,848,957 3,150,167 3,375,944 3,634,935 3,918,800 11.1% 8.3%
household(RT)
Commercial(RT) 358,400 546,000 903,921 1,196,165 1,426,037 1,646,109 1,880,121 2,113,761 2,381,769 2,675,520 35.6% 12.9%
Electric(RT) 1,324,664 1,276,156 1,266,711 1,451,559 1,273,453 1,202,848 1,270,046 1,262,184 1,253,165 1,243,281 -1.9% 0.8%

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 Training Program
Agenda

• Questionnaire Design
• Interview Skill
• Interview Note
• Basics of Spreadsheet
• Appendix: Source of Information

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 Training Program
Appendix: Sources of Information
Typically, there are several sources for the information you are seeking.

Specific facts about

General industry facts suppliers, customers, or
competitors

• Government agencies
Type of information Sources
• Trade associations
• General information Investor relations, Public
• Magazine editors relations

• Cost data
Purchasing

• Authors of articles
• Plant size and operations Manufacturing, Maintenance

• Source cited in article

• Number of employees Personnel

• Investment analysts
• Automation, new Engineering, Manufacturing,
R&D
technology

• Sales plans, distribution Sales, Marketing,

Customer service
strategy

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