CRM students take on modern selling competition

The case study competition tests students’ skills in solving a client’s problem utilizing customer relationship management solutions.

Students in Elon’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) course are participating in the first Modern Selling Project sponsored by Oracle.

The Modern Selling Project is a team competition that allows students to put into practice what they have learned in the classroom. After being assigned a prospective client profile, each student team was tasked with presenting how Oracle Sales Cloud can contribute to the overall success of the client’s business.

The teams must research what the client’s business challenges are and then consultatively sell a technology solution that can help meet the client’s needs. Over the course of the project, teams have the opportunity to perform a needs analysis session with the client, collaborate on the development of the solution presentation, and then deliver the solution presentation in a pressure-packed sales call situation.

“Customers have changed,” said Jeffrey Bailey, senior director, Cloud CRM Sales Consulting, Oracle. “They are highly mobile, constantly online and have access to more information than ever before. Selling to an empowered customer has never been more difficult and the old methods of selling aren’t as effective. That’s why we are excited to partner with Elon University’s award-winning professional sales program to help teach a modern sales approach empowered by the collaborative, mobile-centric and insight-driven capabilities of the Oracle Sales Cloud.”

Oracle, a multinational computer technology corporation specializing in developing and marketing computer hardware systems and enterprise software products, provided students with access to a configured Oracle Sales Cloud trial environment and functional support. Company representatives also facilitated a guided workshop on how to use Oracle Sales Cloud, as well as a presentation on social relationship marketing.

The student teams will make their final presentations to a judging panel consisting of Oracle representatives and local sales professionals April 28 and 30 from 3:35-5:15 p.m. in Koury Business Center, Room 300.

“We are extremely excited about the partnership and support Oracle has provided,” said Michael Rodriguez, assistant professor of marketing.  “We all know this generation understands technology. This project provides an opportunity to learn how technology in the form of Oracle Sales Cloud can help today’s mobile sales professional be more efficient in the sales process.”

Offered by the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, the CRM course is designed to introduce students to the utilization of technology in professional sales. The course focuses on sales force automation and principles of CRM. The curriculum introduces students to CRM concepts and functionality for sales representatives and managers.