Employee motivation is essential in all organizations in order to improve the quality of services provided by them. There are various forms of motivation that are available in a working environment. This persuasion speech is meant to pursue the human resources department of Cooperative Insurance Company that buying mobile phones for workers in the marketing department will help to improve their productivity. The introduction of these phones will also enhance effective communication between the company and the external parties like customers and suppliers.
The introduction of this form of motivation is unique in its own way. For instance, many insurance companies have not adapted to this form communication. It would therefore act as a step ahead of all the major competitors of the company. Many people would ask why these phones should mainly be given to the marketing department. This department is the one that connects the internal environment of the organization to the external environment. The company should therefore ensure that proper communication is maintained with the outside world in order to maintain good reputation (Poulter 4). In addition, most of the people that work in other departments are involved in performing duties that are within the premises of the organization. The employees working in the marketing department work both in the internal environment and outside the organization.
It is important to explain why there is need for this type of change in the organization. The need for this transition can be explained by the previous problems encountered as a result of using the current system. Being an insurance company, most of the customers need to be engaged and maintained through customer relations. This is the major reason why marketers are required to visit the customers, owing to the fact that many of them are corporate bodies. In addition, the marketers need to search for new customers in order to increase the customer base of the insurance company. The current communication system involves the use of desk telephones. This is mostly useful when the employee is at the desk. However, if he has gone out to the fields, he won’t be present to communicate with any customers that call the department.
The problem of not reaching the marketers when they are in the fields is a serious problem (Poulter 9). This is because the company loses potential clients who call to ask about the products offered in the organization. Other customers call to confirm appointments. When they find out that they cannot reach the marketers, they get a reason to cancel the appointments. This has made the company to lose potential sales that could have been translated into high profits. Within the organization, there are important matters that may arise within the course of the day. This may call for an urgent meeting. If some marketers don’t have cell phones, it will be difficult to reach them.
The problem of communication in the marketing department has created negative impact on both the customers and the entire organization. When customers fail to reach the marketers, they become frustrated (Poulter 11). This may make them to make complaints about the people working in the marketing department. The communication problem has also seen the company lose initial customers who contribute to the revenue realized by the company. Some customers may publicize their complaints and this may lead to the worsening of the company’s reputation.
According to some workers in the organization, this problem does not bring much impact since there are some workers who are left in the office to cover up for the marketers who are in the field. They argue that the marketing department is not empty at any time because all marketers cannot go out at the same time. There are marketing administrators to take care of any customers that visit the premises. I tend to disagree with this argument because there are times when there are many visitors. A large number of visitors cannot be handled by few marketers. In addition, there are customers who need to see a specific marketer. Specific appointments cannot be sorted out by other members of the marketing department (Donner 5).
Having looked at the problems encountered in the marketing department, it is important to explain the required solution. The solution to the problem of communication can be solved by purchasing mobile phones for all the workers in the marketing department. The administrators in this department should not be left out in this program in order to avoid discrimination in the office. This will have a positive impact on the productivity of the employees as well as the effective communication between the company and the external environment (Donner 8). The purchase of these phones will also act as a form of motivation to the workers in the marketing department.
The mobile phones bought will enable employees to communicate with the customers of the organization both in the office and in the fields. The major advantage of using mobile phones rather than desk telephones is that the former is portable and can be used while moving around. The customers will be able to communicate with the marketer even at odd times. This means that if the marketer is having lunch, he can still communicate with his customers. If the company trusts its marketers, it can also give them the privilege of allowing them to carry the cell phones at home. There are customers who are always busy during the day. They therefore get the chance to ask questions about products and services after working hours. Communication after work will help to maintain the effective relationships created between the customers and the insurance company.
It is also important to proof that this kind of solution yields positive results. The introduction of mobile phones in this company had been done for the top managers in the marketing department. The managers are usually engaged in unending meetings with related companies and other customers. They were given mobile phones to be communicating while in the outside environment. The good thing about these phones is that they have enabled the managers to send short messages while in meetings (Donner 10). If customers call them while in meetings, they use the mobile phones to send messages to them. This has enhanced communication with customers. If the use of mobile phones is stretched to the rest of the marketing department, there will be improved customer satisfaction.
Some people may argue that marketers should use their personal mobile phones to communicate with customers. This is not a good idea since a person may be having bad intentions with the marketer. In addition, it is not good to use personal items to conduct businesses on behalf of the organization (Poulter 14). The organization should ensure that the employees incur no costs in the course of undertaking businesses on its behalf. In case an employee has incurred costs on behalf of the company, he should be fully compensated. If employees are allowed to use personal phones, some of them may opt to switch off their phones to prevent disturbance from customers. If employees are provided with mobile phones, they will be required to be available within the working hours of a day. Failure to do this will attract certain penalties. This action will therefore prevent any mischief by the employees.
Technology is changing over the years. Using this solution will therefore incorporate change in technology. The purchase of mobile phones for the marketers will create a transition from the older telephone system to the new portable cell phone system (Poulter 15). Another advantage of using mobile phones is that it does not involve the connection of telephone wires. The desk telephone involves the connection of wires, which may be hectic. If these wires are tampered with, there will be no communication flowing within and outside the company. If marketers had no cell phones, it would be difficult for them to communicate any problem encountered while in the fields.
We can take a brief picture of how the insurance company would be if the solution is adopted. Firstly, there would be customer satisfaction. This will arise since the customers will be in a position to reach the marketers wherever they are. All the problems of the customers will be addressed and all questions will be answered comprehensively. The use of this solution would improve the performance of the employee since it would act as a form of motivation to them. Other members of the company will be able to reach the marketers when they are not in the office. While in the fields, the marketers will have easier time to update the company on what is happening in the outside environment (Donner 14).
In conclusion, the purchase of mobile phones for the marketers would be efficient in solving the problems encountered in the marketing department. It would help to solve the communication barrier caused by the use of telephone desk. The human resource department should adopt this solution in order to enhance improved performance in the company. The marketing department is the one that attracts new customers and enhances high sales for the customers. Without this department, the company would not have revenue to carry out other activities. If the human resources department does not adopt this solution, the company might face the risk of being overtaken by other large competitors. If it adopts the solution, it will help the company to conform to the current technological changes in the business environment. This action will help the company to grow in terms of proper communication, improved performance and increased productivity.
Conclusion
The introduction of cell phones for workers in the sales and marketing department will help to prevent the current communication barrier encountered as a result of using desk telephones. The use of telephones is usually made difficult due to the interruption of wires that are connected to the devices. This problem is not encountered in the use of mobile phones. The marketing department is important since it is responsible for attracting and maintaining customers in the company (Poulter 15). For this to be possible, effective communication must be enhanced between this department and other parties related to the company. Introducing cell phones will therefore make this possible.
Work Cited
Osborn, M. Public Speaking (5th ed.) Boston. Houghton Mifflin. 2000. Print.
Poulter, S. Cell Phones: Impact in the Organization and Personal Level. London. Palgrave Macmillan. 2012. Print.
Donner, J. Mobile Phones: Communication and Technological Change. Oxford. Oxford University Press. 2011. Print.
