Preparing for the Next Normal: How University Sales Competitions and the Development of Students' Sales-Relevant Skills Have Changed Through COVID-19

• Published in: Journal for advancement of marketing education 2021-10, Vol.29, p.29-41
• Main Authors: Unger, Vivien, Haas-Kotzegger, Ursula, Reiterer, Johannes
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Colleges & universities; Communication; Competition; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Education; Employment interviews; Experiential learning; Licensed products; Salespeople; Skills; Students; Success; Teachers; Teaching methods
• ISSN: 2326-3296; 1537-5137

Purpose of the Study: Businesses globally are in need of highly skilled sales personnel, yet they face an ongoing shortage of suitable candidates. Universities offering top sales programs support the closing of this demand/supply gap by preparing students with the help of sales competitions. During the COVID-19 crisis those contests also had to be transferred into the virtual world. This study investigates which sales-relevant skills students can develop through preparing and participating in a university sales competition and if those skills vary between online and face-to-face competition settings. Method/Design and Sample: The study classifies as an exploratory research design and includes 23 in-depth interviews conducted with competition participants, sales educators and company representatives from eleven nations during the European Sales Competition. The intention was to get a first-person description of how students perceive the experience and to obtain insights from a third-person view by interviewing educators and judges, enriching the data by including various perspectives. Results: The study identified six sales-relevant skill areas (communication skills, intercultural skills, personal and social skills, professional demeanor, sales acumen as well as utilization of tools in sales) and revealed differences between the competition formats. Although the online setting prepares students for the new work environment to come, not all sales-relevant skills can be trained in an online setting yet. Value to Marketing Educators: The results gathered have relevant implications for educators in the sales discipline and other teachers focusing on communication or interpersonal skills, who incorporate virtual formats in their pedagogical toolbox. Furthermore, the study provides suggestions on organizing and preparing students for a virtual sales competition.