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University Daily Kansan Thursday, November 2, 1961
THURSDAY·FRIDAY·SATURDAY·NOVEMBER 2.3.4 Gala MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE
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"Selling more efficient data processing methods . . . "
IBM will train you
When you ask IBM Marketing Representative Robert H. Holmes what he sells, he tells you: "More efficient data processing methods. Whether I'm talking to a small manufacturer about a simple punched card system or to a huge insurance company about a large-scale electronic data processing system," he explains, "I'm still talking about the same thing: Better ways of managing a business. My goal is to give management timely information with which to operate its business.
"This is tremendously interesting and challenging work. You find yourself dealing with top management of both large and small organizations. Your assignments take you deep into the operational control of business, industry, government, and science. You become vitally concerned with everything from payrolls, inventory control, and operating statements to advanced engineering projects. Whenever I tackle a job, I have the confidence that we can provide the proper methods and equipment to complete the assignment successfully. This is why I find my work so satisfying."
"I knew nothing at all about data processing — electronic or otherwise — before joining IBM," Bob Holmes recalls. "I came to IBM directly from the Marine Corps after graduating from Dartmouth with a liberal arts degree. While there are no hard and fast college course prerequisites for IBM sales, if you were to prescribe the most useful background it would probably be a broad liberal arts background with exposure to math or the physical sciences.
"Of course, the job does require considerable technical knowledge. But IBM has a first-rate program that will give you all the technical information you need. This training continues throughout your IBM career."
In IBM's marketing training program, Bob Holmes combined formal classwork with tours of duty in the field. After a sound orientation in equipment and its applications, he began an extended period of practical, on-the-job training as a contributing member of an IBM marketing team. Under the supervision of experienced marketing representatives, he worked on a variety of problems involving several different customers. As an assistant to senior men, he helped write methods and equipment proposals, programmed new data processing systems, and taught procedures to customer classes. The final step in his comprehensive and interesting training program was attendance at IBM's well-known marketing school.
Exactly how does the Marketing Representative go about making a sale? "The first thing to do," Bob Holmes says, "is to analyze the problem of the customer or prospect involved. You find out what he wants. What are his present operating procedures? In what respect are they inadequate or too costly in terms of time or money? How can he achieve top operating efficiency—by extending the application of his present data processing system or by installing newer, more advanced IBM methods and equipment? In short, you make a study in depth, cost the study and determine the advantages to the customer.
"Of course, you get plenty of support from IBM. A task force of specialists scientists, engineers, instructors, and technicians — is available to lend a helping hand when you need it.
"When you've analyzed the problem and determined what's needed, you'll find — as I have — that IBM has the equipment and methods that are applicable. Somewhere in the vast range of products and methods know-how will be a solution to your customer's, or prospect's, problem.
"In IBM sales, however, your responsibilities don't end with the order," he points out. "It's up to you to assist the customer in making the installation. In this way you become an important and valued advisor to his organization—helping him to apply his equipment to further advantage and keeping him informed about new product developments and methods."
Operation: sales
Personal qualifications
"You don't have to be a scientist or an engineer to be successful in IBM sales," Bob Holmes says. "Anyone who is interested and has the capacity to absorb instruction can soon understand the operations of the most advanced and powerful electronic data processing equipment that IBM produces."
What personal qualities should an IBM marketing representative have? "You need an inquiring mind, the ability to think objectively and to act with good judgment. You have to be a self-starter—operate on your own—show initiative. Not only must you be able to work alone and independently, but you must also be able to operate effectively as a member of a team—more often than not as the controlling member of that team—a spot which calls for leadership and, at the same time, the capacity to recognize, accept and adopt the good ideas of others.
"One of the most stimulating aspects of this work is the fact that I constantly find myself in new and interesting situations involving a variety of working relationships with many different management people whose responsibilities run the gamut from operations to top-staff policy making. No other job I can think of offers the recent college graduate such an opportunity to become acquainted with all phases of commercial, business, industrial, and governmental activity. This kind of experience is excellent preparation for the many management positions available in this fast-growing company."
"Advancement opportunities in IBM," Bob Holmes says, "are excellent. Ahead of me on the marketing management advancement road are over 200 branch or assistant managerships, special representation to an industry, and numerous district, regional, and headquarters positions in five different IBM divisions.
What other IBM advantages can he point to? "In planning a business career," Bob Holmes says, "I looked for three major satisfactions; an interesting job, one with promotional opportunity, one that offers financial reward.
Bob Holmes reports that IBM's reputation for leadership and service in data processing methods and equipment makes his selling job easier than he had anticipated. "It's an advantage that you don't fully appreciate until you are out in the field."
Advantages of IBM
"In spite of its phenomenal growth, the electronic computer systems field is still in its infancy," says Bob Holmes. "We are going to witness a host of new applications and uses of electronic computing and 'memory' devices. That's why I feel that I am in on the ground floor. My future at IBM? Unlimited! Many of IBM's top executives started in sales. My next step will be to more important responsibility in the sales organization. I feel that opportunities for the future are excellent—and up to me." In the fall of 1958, Bob Holmes was promoted to a key position in IBM's well-known school for customers' executives.
An unlimited future
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