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  • December 1987 (Revised September 1995)
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IDS Financial Services

  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:20
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Abstract

Scarce managerial talent, sales force turnover, and client attrition were potential problems underlying IDS' disappointing performance at mid-year 1987. The marketing vice president had three potential "fixes": 1) increasing or decreasing the $35 million budget for marketing programs, 2) accelerating the expansion of the 6,746-person sales force numerically, and 3) emphasizing the strategic geographical expansion of the sales force. The teaching objective is to show the intricacies of planning, organizing, and budgeting as a three-way interaction which impacts results.

Keywords

Marketing Strategy; Salesforce Management; Performance Improvement; Financial Services Industry

Citation

Bonoma, Thomas V., and Minette E. Drumwright. "IDS Financial Services." Harvard Business School Case 588-044, December 1987. (Revised September 1995.)
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