Business Management and Leadership Part 1, Essay Example

New services division is recruiting a manager that has to be a “good manager for a new division as per instructions of the VP. The manager must possess skill of: “conceptual, communication, effectiveness, and interpersonal with experiencing in planning, organizing, leading, and controlling a new service department in order to provide excellent customer service.” The following questions will emphasize whether the candidate fits this scenario by showing whether the potential candidate can take charge, motivate people and be organized in a service motivated working environment. Further there will be a description of the types of experience and characteristics that the VP will be looking for in the potential candidate to hire.)

Question1

If a customer came into the department and asked you what type of part was needed to fix a lawnmower and you did not know but had access to the company computer and parts book what would you tell and do for the customer? (With this question I am searching to see how the manager would handle his/herself without having prior knowledge of the product. I am hoping the manager would tell the customer that he/she will be back in just a minute with the answer and excuse him/her to the back office and look up the part or ask a professional in the service department for the answer. The key is remaining tactful and professional in front of the customer at all times, attentive to the customer needs and remaining in a professional and courteous demeanour.)  The manager should seat the customer in a room where the customer is comfortable while the manager attempts to locate the answer for the customer. You should not have the customer waiting vicariously especially if the manager has no clue of what the answer is and has to research the answer. The point is to remain tactfully confident while keeping the customer happy.

Question 2

You are working on a global project of developing new marketing strategies for an Asian vendor and you are stressed out. Your boss comes to you and leaves you with another job to do that requires your immediate attention but your other job is supposed to require immediate attention too. How do you address your boss with this new task and how do you organize your work to get both jobs accomplished?

(The key to this question is seeing how the manager would address the top manager under stressful conditions. Further how the lower manager would handle organizing multi-tasked situations where they both seemed of equal importance. Part of organizing is asking questions then prioritizing according to the feedback you receive.).

Question 3

You are managing a service department of 10 personnel. You just brought in a new hire and paid him $4 dollars an hour more than a person who has been there 3 years. The reason you did this is because the new hire is more experienced, has management experience and the older person is lazy. The older person finds out that the new hire is making more money and threatens to sue the company. How will you handle this situation? (The point of this question is to control the situation effectively and lead in the role as manager whilst considering the legal ramifications of the laws of the state while addressing the older employee. People’s feelings have to be considered but you are within your legal boundaries to hire a new person and pay them more especially considering the old employee is not doing their job.)

Question 4

You have a weekly meeting scheduled for Monday and no one shows up. What is this a sign of? (This is definitely a sign of poor communication on your part or insubordination of the whole work team assuming there was no accident or any other natural event that kept the entire team from the meeting.)

Question 

A manger is often called a facilitator. What does this mean to you? (Tests the manager’s abilities to lead in teams and groups such as inspirational environments, team meetings, etc.).

Question 6

We are starting a new restaurant in a really good location in New Orleans. What would be in your opinion the best way to advertise and what locale would you try to target and why? (Tests the manager’s ability to constructively think market and promote new business. Further tests his business sense of product development and marketing skills, communication and on-hands local promotion methods and why he/she believes this way will work (i.e. experience, information, research.)

Question 7

You are at work and you have a disagreement with upper management over a service agreement product. You think it should be promoted domestically and not globally because global promotion is too costly. Upper management disagrees and threatens to fire you if you don’t back down. You know if you can get your ideas across to them they would see your side. What do you do? (Tests to see if the manager will go the extra mile to fight for the cause or simply bow down to pressure. Further tests the manager’s character and temperament. There are other ways to handle dissention. The manager could present his full research later to another manager and then handle this situation instead of arguing with this non-compliant upper management member. He does not need to back down with good ideas simply because he is lower management.)

Question 8

You are faced with choosing one of two employees for a position with high exposure. How do you choose one of them without discounting the others feelings? (This question is geared at people skills which are essential to this environment. Further it is geared promoting a team environment going in the work place.)

Part 2 of the Essay Work

The new manager must have specific experience with sales and service. “The key role of a service manager is to establish good communication with other managers and employees, building a strong relationship with suppliers, creating a catalogue or list of available services, developing a SLM structure for the organization and working with change managers to negotiate SLM propositions.” (“Bureau of Labour Statistics”).

The new manager should have a background in sales, management, public administration or human resources. Other qualifications should include highly developed personal skills, an analytical mind, the ability to think quickly and the ability to communicate and persuade people effectively. Self-confidence, motivation, flexibility and good judgment go a long way in the success of a good business service manager. Since the role of a service manager may involve “answering questions, answering the phone, giving information and dealing with complaints”, (“Jobs4ucareerdatabase”) it is essential for the manager to be in tune with a customers need through different customer service training programs such as the Dale Carnegie Sales and Service Program that has effectively helped many managers and businesses achieve their greatest potential.

References

Bureau of Labour Statistics (2009) Retrieved November 13, 2009 from, http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos012.htm#training

Jobs4ucareerdatabase (2009) Retrieved November 13, 2009 from, http://www.connexions-direct.com/Jobs4U/index.cfm?pid=60&catalogueContentID=729