HPCL: Managing Retail Outlets

Abstract

The case describes the situation faced by a Sales Officer who had recently taken charge of his area in a Mini Metro. He was trying to understand the dealership in his area from the point of view of their operations, performances, competition, and opportunities for improvement. The case describes one retail outlet at highway, one retail outlet in a congested commercial area, and one retail outlet in a congested commercial cum residential area in the Mini Metro. Description of each outlet provides their location, facilities, market, customers, operations, operating philosophy of the dealer, and the performance of the dealership. Future challenges foreseen by the dealers are also described. This case can be (and has been) used after exposing the participants to understand the role of sales officer, competition analysis and concepts of performance analysis. This can be used towards the end of the Phase I of the programmes for sales officers. It could also be used in the early part of the programme for Regional Managers to understand and appreciate the role of sales officer in his area. It can also be used for learning integrated dealer management skills in a programme/ course on field sales management.