Industrial sales and purchasing

The role of sales and sales management and different types of sales in industrial companies are explained and discussed. The sales process, value-based selling, pricing and organisation (e.g. Key Account Management) and sales planning will be covered during the course. Special emphasis is placed on sales support systems, sales strategies, applied customer segmentation and customer relationship development. Specific areas such as negotiation techniques are also included in the course. In addition, purchasing strategies, the company's purchasing function, the purchase of different types of products and services, contracts and relationships in sales and purchasing situations, and the importance of sustainability as a subset of purchasing and sales. In addition, this course covers activities such as procurement, acquisition, sourcing, outsourcing and supply chain management (SCM). The course also addresses how these activities interact, what strategic sourcing is and how it is practised, and the development of relationships and partnerships with suppliers. The course incorporates the changing demands of sustainable procurement and sales, the potential for the circular economy and the role of digital environments on how the sales function is undertaken.