Conference ilbbak::us_sales_service

    re. 22.0
    Please don't misinterpret my question, AND, I don't want your good
    question to be lost, but.....
    
    <innocence on>
    
    Since we are talking about FY92 and we have a new vocabulary,
    
    what's a CAM?
    
    <innocence off>
    
    
    

    re: .1
    
    Corporate Account Manager.
    
    Nope, not talking about hot cars!  ;^)
    
    Joel
    

    Thanks and right.  Referring to note 11 (the 'new' vocabulary for
    FY92), Joel, how would you ask your question?
    
    "What expenses are being funded by <fill_in_the_blank>?"
    
    My point is, given the new roles and responsibilities in the Sales
    organization for FY92, are they all clear?  Based on how you fill in
    the "fill_in_the_blank" in your question, you are asking different
    questions and thus could come up with different answers.
    
    Do you want to rephase your question, or do you still feel CAM is an
    operative term for FY92 in your account/account set/account group?
    

    re: .3
    
    Ok, ok.  AGM0 would be the new term.  Used to be CAM.  Now
    AGM0.  
    
    So - anyone know if travel for local reps will be funded
    by AGM0's?
    
    Any AGM0's *like* their new title?    ;^)
    
    Joel
    

    Another expense question: should Sales budget for 100% coverage of
    all internal equipment?  This is turning into a sticky issue
    in our office, and I suspect elsewhere.  The sum of getting all
    these details "wrong" could spell the difference between success
    and failure of everyone's plans.  Hope you all don't think
    these kinds of questions are too small; for want of a nail...
    
    Current *official* Digital Services policy is: (3.6.10, pg. 1)
    
    "All internal Digital products must be covered by a Customer Services
    Agreement.  Per Call Service is only available for installations,
    deinstallations, and after hours service.  If a service call is
    logged on products not covered by a contract, the call should be
    completed and the products added to a service agreement...effective
    immediately."
    
    Local Account Groups are planning their budget on the assumption that
    only a portion of their internal equipment will be under monthly
    contracts.  Local billers-of-internal-equipment-costs are not
    under that impression.  For us, the above is the regnant policy.
    Sales Finance tells me an e-mail has gone out revoking the 
    Digital Services policy quoted above and that putting equipment
    under contract is now voluntary.
    
    I happen to feel that it *should* be voluntary and will be very
    glad to track down the source referenced by Sales Finance.
    Otherwise, my explicit charter is to continue billing everyone
    for everything, and this I do not want to do.  If I do this,
    plans are going to be out of whack by a margin point or two.
    Not acceptable.
    
    Anyone out there know of a solution for this conundrum?
    
    Joel
    

    ...meanwhile, any movement on being able to answer these
    questions about expenses?  
    
    Thanks.
    
    Joel
    

    In response to your question "what expenses are being funded by the
    CAM's"
    
    	All of the normal sales rep expenses are included in the CPP (cost
    per person).  There are:
    
    	- salary/benefits		- travel/training/meetings
    	- facility expense		- telecom
    	- information services		- investments
    	- other				- rotation
    	- materials			- agency and contract
    	- depreciation			- office supplies
    	- vehicle/fleet expense		- hiring/relocation
    	- In-DEC services
    
    However, if the AMo/AGMo requires the sales rep to travel over and
    above the normal business travel within the local geography of the
    account set, the AMo/AGMo must work with the AMs in identifying the
    additional funding needed during the expense budgeting period.  The AMs
    would then include this additional expense in their SES submission.
    
    CPP also includes the expense of the Account Group such as the AGMg,
    account group indirect staff, account set indirect and HQ-related
    rewards and recognition expenses.  The AMo/AGMo funds the AMs by
    incrementing the budgeted account effort in the account set by 10%
    since the AMs is not included in the CPP.

    re: .7
    
    Thank you!  Very helpful.
    
    Joel
    

    Reply to 22.5--
    
      Coverage of internal Digital products by a Customer Services
    Agreement is voluntary.  The choice to cover or not should be based
    on the cost center's abiltiy to afford the contract cost, compared to the
    potential down time of the product and it's effect on the operation
    of the group.

    re: .9  
    
    Thanks for the info.  What I wonder is when the policies of
    we who actually "bill" internal products is going to reflect
    this.  As I said, we have zero vested interest in perpetuating
    the current policy.  But we are unfortunately obliged (for
    example, by periodic audit ratings known as `SST's) to follow
    written DS/CSRA policy which is as I stated in .5 of this
    string.
    
    I am quite interested in hearing from anyone in the DS/CSRA
    P&P organization to try to resolve this discrepancy.  I am
    inclined to stop "billing" this internal equipment, per 
    local needs, and take my chances with the auditors.  Do the
    right thing and all that.  But employees in my position are
    *extremely* vulnerable to the formal evaluations of the
    auditors.
    
    And, unless we are formally notified of this change, the
    auditors will consider me to be doing the wrong thing if
    I "violate" this policy.
    
    Rather a conundrum - perhaps we can use this conference to
    assist in the resolution?
    
    Joel
    
    

    Additional point regarding 22.5 and 22.9
    
    Suggestion:
    
    If your group uses older products which are more expensive to
    have on contract, look thru DIAL for expensed, ie free except
    for freight, replacements.  Order one as a hot backup and take
    them all off contract.  
    

Following is a request from Scott Engel, NWAG Sales Finance,
relating to BLUELINE Consignment equipment.  I hope someone
can help us, ASAP. 

Thanks.

Joel


[follows question from Scott]

Please post the following questions regarding BLUELINE Consignment 
inventory in the GERBIL notes conference.

Since consignment IS NOT included in the CPP how is BLUELINE consignment 
inventory to be planned for in FY 92.

A. If all BLUELINE consignment should be transferred to the account 
   cost center then how :

   1. do we identify or reference the cost center to which the 
      inventory should be transferred?

   2. Is the expense for BLUELINE inventory being included in the
      BLUELINE account plans?

   3. When a sale occurs locally who does OMS notify to relieve the
      inventory if the accounting ( tracking ) of the inventory is
      being monitored elsewhere in the Country?

B. No transfer of BLUELINE Consignment - then 

   1. How does the local AM plan (Budget) in SES for consignment
      inventory over which he/she has no control over?

   2. Who will be responsible for the manangement and relief of this
      inventory?

    Any news or update on treatment of BLUELINE consignment
    equipment?  (see .12 in this string)
    
    Joel
    

    A new question on expenses:
    
    If we (an account team - whoops, business unit) use someone from a
    corporate organization ie. Telecomm for a customer presentation - do we
    have to pay (jv) expenses (and time?) since we are already paying the
    corporate 'tax' for those organizations?
    
    	-Barry-
    

    re: .15
    
    Thanks, most helpful!
    
    Joel
    

    Reply to 22.14
         At this time there is no additional charge for the type of service
    you mention in your note.

    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Reply to 22.12 on "Blue Line Consignment".
    
        This issue has been addressed and answered completely in the 
    U.S. Country Budget Advisory.  If anyone needs to get on the
    distribution of this frequently published and updated report,
    send a mail message via ALL-IN-1 to USCSCADVISORY @MRO.
    
      To summarize somewhat what can be found in the budget advisory
    that pertains directly to Scott's questions:
    
     A1.   Rotation and Consignment is also known as Loan (consign.) and
    Demo(Rot.).  There is a customer number or AMID number associated
    with the equipment within the TRACE system.  Therefore the expenses
    associated with the equipment will be charged to the account
    automatically. Therefore there is no need to identify by cost center.
    
     A2.  The equipment is controlled locally and expense for it budgeted 
    locally, but the actual expense rolls to the account.
    
     A3.  The equipment is being monitored locally.
    
     B1. There should be a "white line" discussion between the two
    managers.
    
     B2. The local manager where the equipment is located.