Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
147
Journal of Emerging Trends in Economics and Management Sciences (JETEMS) 3(2):147-152 (ISSN:2141-7024)
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY products, use of selling techniques, use of sales aids,
The main purpose of this study is to determine the making sales pitches, overcoming objections, closing
role of personal selling in enhancing clients’ sales, completing documentation, receiving
satisfaction in the Nigerian insurance market and to payments, recording sales, using sales technologies,
show the effectiveness of personal selling as a providing after–sales services, following up sales,
promotional tool for insurance services. and sales analysis. However, essential elements of
personal selling according to (Palmer, 2005) include;
Hypotheses face-to-face interaction, persuasion, flexibility,
(1) Nigerian insurance companies do not use promotion of sales, supply of Information and mutual
personal selling to reach their clients’. benefit.
(2) Insurance salespersons do not contribute to
the improvement of insurance image in Types of Personal Selling
Nigeria. Personal selling is of four categories (Achumba,
2004; Osuagwu, 2002; Palmer, 2005). All the
LITERATURE REVIEW categories adapt similar methods in achieving their
Concept of Personal Selling objectives. There variance however lies in the
Achumba, (2000) describes personal selling as an differences in their specific objectives. The four types
oral presentation in a conversation with one or more of personal selling are: trade selling, missionary
buyers for the purpose of making sales. The New selling, technical selling and new business selling.
Zealand Qualification Authority, (2008) defined Trade Selling involves the increase in the volume of
personal selling as retail and wholesale sales the company’s sales by providing promotional
activities in which a salesperson actively presents assistance to the intermediaries. This is useful in a
products to customers in seeking to make a sale. It situation when intermediaries are finding it difficult
could also be said to mean the presentation of goods to sell-out their stock of a firm’s products. However,
and services before the customers and convincing or missionary selling is an attempt to boost the
persuading them to buy the products or services. company’s sales by allowing the intermediaries to
Kotler and Armstrong, (2008) posits that personal use the goodwill of the firm. It could be achieved by
selling is the personal communication between a combining the producers sales force with the
firm’s sales force and customers for the purpose of distributors salesmen and then pass all orders
making sales and building customer relationship. received through the distributor.
Kotler and Armstrong, (2008) and Kotler and Keller,
(2009) submitted that personal selling is one of the Technical Selling could be referred to as creative
oldest profession in the world. In fact, its selling. It involves the provision of technical
development could be linked to the period of trade by assistance and advice to customers by salesmen. This
barter, when people exchanges goods for other goods type of personal selling is most suitable for technical
(Osuagwu, 2002). products like insurance services. Technical selling
requires analytical and persuasive ability on the part
Personal selling is a unique element of marketing of the seller in order to convince the customer by
communication. Unlike advertising and sales making him to know the worth of the product
promotion which main focus are to create awareness purchased (Osuagwu, 2002).
about the existence of a product or service and
provide information as to the features of the products, New Business Selling is used to obtain new accounts
its availability and price on a mass basis, personal for the producer. This involves the salesmen looking
selling is an individualistic approach that is designed for new opportunities or new users for his company’s
to meet specific need of prospects. It is usually product in his territory. Obtaining new accounts may
directed to specific market segments. It goes beyond be slightly difficult and require specialists. In
the fundamental role of marketing communication, it situations like this the company’s most experienced
plays significant role in the entire exchange process. salesmen are normally used. (Achumba, 2004).
That is, participating in the activities of each of the
other elements of marketing mix, especially The Personal Selling Process
distribution (place). Personal selling process consists of several steps that
the salesperson follows when selling (Kotler and
According to the New Zealand Qualifications Armstrong, 2008). It could also be seen as the
Authority, (2008) personal selling performs several sequence of stages through which salespersons
activities which include; identification of customers, proceed in making a sale (Warren, 2000). The
development of product knowledge, marketing, objective of these steps is to get new customers and
promotion, prospecting, knowledge of customers, obtain orders from them. The personal selling process
service standards, gaining appointments, choosing consists of seven steps (Achumba, 2000; Warren,
sales approaches, meeting customers, identifying 2000; Osuagwu, 2002; Palmer, 2005; Kotler and
customer needs and requirements, demonstrating Armstrong, 2008). The steps include; Prospecting and
148
Journal of Emerging Trends in Economics and Management Sciences (JETEMS) 3(2):147-152 (ISSN:2141-7024)
Qualifying, Pre-Approach, Approach, Presentation activities, sales strategies and the flow of information
and Demonstration, Handling objections, Closing the within the company and between the company and its
Sale and Follow-Up. customers and business partners. (Smith and Hansen,
1996).
Challenges of Selling Insurance Services in
Nigeria Advantages of Personal Selling to Insurance
Insurance is a service product for which its marketing Services
is yet to be properly defined since the mid-1970s. Personal selling can contribute in a number of ways
Among the four categories of services identified by to the successful marketing of insurance services. The
Osuagwu, (2002) Insurance falls in the pure service following are some of the advantages of personal
category since it has no relationship with a physical selling to insurance services.
product. Marketing of Insurance services followed - As a promotional tool, personal selling can be
the same styles and strategies of marketing tangible used as a veritable instrument for changing the
products. Gummesson, (1999) submitted that rather negative perception of the public towards
than being two different types of marketing, goods insurance.
marketing and services marketing could be - Personal selling also helps in increasing the
approached as two perspectives on the marketing of level of demand for insurance services by both
the same offering. new and existing clients.
- Personal selling reduces the risks involves in
Although it is possible for strategies use for selling purchasing insurance services due to its
tangible products to be adopted for services, selling complex and technical nature.
insurance services in Nigeria is highly challenging. - Personal selling is a significant tool for
This is particularly so considering the uniqueness of building long lasting relationship that is
Nigeria as a nation characterized by varying levels of mutually beneficial between the insurer and the
development, vast income inequalities, and cultural insured.
diversity in terms of language, religion, ethnicity, and - The proper use of the personal selling strategy
resource control crises (Tajudeen, Ayantunji, and will lead to the creation of new clients and thus
Dallah, 2009). help expand the market for insurance services.
- Personal selling provides opportunities for
Oman, (2005) cited in Tajudeen, Ayantunji, and potential insurance buyers to know about new
Dallah, (2009) studied consumers attitudes towards insurance products in the market. Thus, it
life insurance patronage in Nigeria and submitted that informs and educates the clients about new
a reviewed marketing communication strategy that is products.
based on creating awareness and informing the - Another benefit of personal selling to insurance
consumers of the benefits inherent in life insurance services is that it guides clients in selecting the
shall be adopted in order to reinforce the purchasing policy that suits their requirements and taste.
decision. The researcher’s opinion is borne out of the
fact that all the challenges confronting the marketing METHODOLOGY
of insurance services in Nigeria centers on lack of The study focuses on insurance services providers in
awareness and inadequate information on the part of Nigeria. Majority of such firms are located in Lagos
the potential buyers. from where the sample was selected. Four insurance
firms were selected to constitute the study sample.
Gbede, (2003) identified some of the challenges Structured questionnaires designed by the researchers
facing the selling of insurance services in Nigeria. were used to collect data from the sample. 130 copies
They include poor image, insurance touting, rate of the questionnaires were administered.
cutting, poor claims settlement reputation, low
quality manpower, poor innovation, low However, data gathered from a sample were
income/poverty and product intangibility. These randomly selected. Officers and managers of the
challenges can be broadly categorized into two based selected companies were required to respond to some
on the extent to which they could be controlled by statements in the questionnaires. A structured
forces within the insurance market. Some could be questionnaire was used for the collection of the
overcome through the efforts of insurers while others required data. The questionnaire was divided into
are obviously beyond their control, e.g. low income three sections. Section A comprises of statements
or product intangibility. requesting whether personal selling is useful to the
respondents’ organisation. Section B contains
However, most insurance firms in Nigeria have not statements directed to the respondents asking for their
recognized the need for internal restructuring in a expectations from salesforce while section C requests
way that will embrace these challenges. The the relevant Bio-Data of the respondents.
continuous provision of customer value in this 21st A six point scale, ranging from No Extent at All (1)
century demands improvement in production to Very High Extent (6) was adopted.
149
Journal of Emerging Trends in Economics and Management Sciences (JETEMS) 3(2):147-152 (ISSN:2141-7024)
The questionnaire was subjected to expert opinion shows that there is a positive response to the enquiry.
before it was administered. In addition, the same
instrument was used previously for a similar study Table 2: Do you promote your Product?
and the outcome was satisfactory. Data gathered were Option Frequency Percentage
analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical Yes 110 100
instruments while Independent T – test was used to No 0 0
test the hypotheses. Total 110 100
The above table depicts that all insurance companies
DATA ANALYSIS, RESULTS AND
in Nigeria promotes their products adequately.
DISCUSSIONS
Table 3: For what reasons do you promote your
For in-depth analysis the researchers distributed the
products?
questionnaires to all the relevant units and departments of Option Frequency Percentage
the companies chosen as sample. The table below shows To create awareness 86 48.3
the distribution and response rate. To create understanding 12 6.7
Table 1 To create change in attitude 63 35.4
Level of Management No. No. Received To reinforce positive 17 9.6
circulated behaviour
Top management staff 25 25 Total 178 100
Middle management staff 45 33
Lower management staff 60 52 It is shown on the above table that the major reasons
Total 130 110 why Nigerian Insurers promote their
Source: Field survey, November 2011 services are to create awareness and to create a
change in the attitude of consumers.
Out of 130 questionnaires distributed, 110 people
responded. This represents 84.62 %, it therefore
Test of Hypotheses
Hypothesis One
Paired Samples Test
Paired
Differences T Df Sig. (2-tailed)
95% Confidence
Std. Error Interval of the
Mean Std. Deviation Mean Difference
Lower Upper
95.66667 5.57375 2.27547 89.81738 101.51596 42.043 5 .000
RESULT AND INTERPRETATION reach their clients is rejected and the alternative
Since the computed value of 42.043 is higher than the hypothesis is accepted. The implication of this
statistical value of 2.571 at 0.05 (5%) significance analysis is that Nigerian insurance companies make
level. Therefore, the null hypothesis that Nigerian use of personal selling as a promotional tool to reach
insurance companies do not use personal selling to their clients.
Hypothesis two
Paired Samples Test
Paired Differences T df Sig. (2-tailed)
95% Confidence
Std. Error Interval of the
Mean Std. Deviation Mean Difference
Lower Upper
98.00000 6.44981 2.63312 91.23134 104.76866 37.218 5 .000
151
Journal of Emerging Trends in Economics and Management Sciences (JETEMS) 3(2):147-152 (ISSN:2141-7024)
152