Edited by: Tecnológico Superior
Corporativo Edwards Deming
July - December Vol. 6 - 2 - 2022
https://revista-edwardsdeming.com/index.php/es
e-ISSN: 2576-0971
Received: November 18, 2021
Approved: January 11, 2022
Page 45-55
Direct sales post Covid 19
La venta directa post Covid 19
Luis Fernando Lema
*
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a change in the
educational environment, it went from being face-to-face
to virtual, it is necessary to think about didactic strategies
for subjects that need a different treatment in their
development and explanation. The objective of this article
is to propose a virtual teaching strategy for the
strengthening of online learning of the subject
Entrepreneurship and Management in the baccalaureate.
The research conducted is hermeneutic in approach and
descriptive-explanatory in scope. The sample selected was
58 students of the third year of high school of the Unidad
Educativa Fiscal Durán, a probabilistic intentional sampling
by quotas was applied, which facilitated the interpretation
of results on the lack of use of virtual learning
environments and technological tools by students and
teachers. In addition, educators presented difficulties in
planning, development and evaluation for online classes. A
virtual teaching strategy was designed that generates
interaction and reflection in the teaching-learning process
from the virtual environment, which has the following
phases: virtual teaching-learning planning, virtual teaching-
learning communication and activity, and online evaluation
of assimilated learning.
Keywords: Virtual Teaching Strategy, Computer-assisted
instruction, Online learning, Correspondence teaching,
Baccalaureate.
* Ingeniero en Gerencia y Liderazgo, Instituto Tecnológico Superior Corporativo
Edwards Deming , Quito, Ecuador, llema@edwardsdeming.edu.ec, ORCID: 0000-
0002-6630-6825
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Tecnológico Superior Corporativo Edwards Deming - Vol. 6 - 2 - 2021 https://revista-edwardsdeming.com/index.php/es
e-ISSN: 2576-0971
RESUMEN
La pandemia de la COVID-19 ha provocado un cambio en el ámbito educativo, pasó de
ser presencial a virtual, es necesario pensar en estrategias didácticas para las asignaturas
que necesitan un tratamiento diferente en su desarrollo y explicación. El objetivo del
presente artículo es proponer una estrategia de enseñanza virtual para el fortalecimiento
del aprendizaje en línea de la asignatura Emprendimiento y Gestión en el bachillerato. La
investigación realizada es de enfoque hermenéutico y de alcance descriptiva-explicativa.
La muestra seleccionada es de 58 estudiantes de tercero de bachillerato de la Unidad
Educativa Fiscal Durán, se aplicó un muestreo probabilístico intencional por cuotas, que
facilitó la interpretación de resultados sobre la carencia del uso de entornos virtuales de
aprendizaje y herramientas tecnológicas por parte de estudiantes y docentes. Además,
los educadores presentaron dificultades en la planificación, desarrollo y evaluación para
las clases en línea. Se diseñó una estrategia de enseñanza virtual que genera interacción
y reflexión en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje desde el ámbito virtual, que tiene las
siguientes fases: planificación virtual de enseñanza-aprendizaje, comunicación y actividad
virtual de enseñanza-aprendizaje, y evaluación online de los aprendizajes asimilados.
Palabras clave: Virtual Teaching Strategy, Computer-assisted instruction, Online
learning, Correspondence teaching, Baccalaureate.
INTRODUCTION
The restrictions generated by the COVID-19 pandemic directly affected the commercial
sector, not being able to reach the customer who normally visited them frequently made
many businesses and enterprises think about the economic debacle. Direct selling was
initially affected enormously, but its power to adapt, plus technology made it grow,
adapting to a new reality with the same selling principles. This article provides an outline
of direct selling, its effects, the restrictions it had to overcome and highlights the most
common methods and techniques used. In our country is important the number of
people dedicated to generate income in this way, according to the AEVD in 2020 there
are more than 800,000 people registered of which the percentage of women dedicated
is 90% compared to 10% of men and the growth in young people who opt for this source
of income of 40% increase. It is necessary to indicate that the total percentage of people
dedicated to direct sales is totally superior and constitutes the non-formal direct sales.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The research is qualitative and interpretative, it has a descriptive scope, the research is
non-experimental. It uses as a source the percentage of formal, registered direct sales
and the theoretical basis of the research is centered on the theory of sales, marketing
and microenterprises. It combines classical methods with the present, especially
emphasizing technological development, platforms and their contribution to the
development of direct sales.
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"Direct selling is a form of selling used by companies, in which they market their
products by bringing them to the customer's location; using person-to-person
sales, in-home demonstrations or online sales." Quiroa (2020)
It is time to understand the commercial changes generated in the wake of the pandemic,
which help us to look at it from a different perspective and be ahead of the possible
outcomes. Consumers have found alternative ways to purchase products and services.
Competitors in a struggle for survival have adopted new strategies, original
presentations, new offers, new ways of delivering and displaying their products. Many
are the companies that are working to dispel the uncertainty generated by the pandemic;
in this environment direct selling is seen as a great tool because the buyer is plagued
with information online, but does not decide; an example is quoted by Hosteltur Spain
edition in the recommendations of Pablo Delgado to journalist Vivi Hinojosa on June 11,
2021, where he exalts that, it should work on the return to normality, changes,
segmentation, simplify the channel mix. Direct sales will be able not only to maintain its
share but also to grow and this will depend on the managers, even if nothing will be the
same as before, it could be better and take advantage of the wave left by the companies
that did not know how to take advantage of this crisis.
RESULTS
The rate of online purchases grew significantly and direct sales are affected by the closure
of stores and companies seeking to sell without affecting customer safety.
"Global e-commerce reaches $26.7 billion as COVID-19 drives online sales" UNCTAD
(2021).
The economic reactivation seems to be a little delayed, due to outbreaks, collective fear,
lack of adequate government policies, distrust in vaccines, among others. The struggle
of the governments to return to the new normality is reflected in the treaties, in the
meetings between state representatives.
"The trade agenda is positioned as a determining factor for economic reactivation.
Minister Julio José Prado held meetings with the ambassadors of the Dominican Republic,
Panama and Canada in Ecuador, as well as last week he met with the diplomats of Russia
and China, in order to maintain dialogues aimed at boosting trade relations with those
countries". Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries (2021).
But the effort is not enough and the battle continues to be lost, every day businesses
are closing, offices are still being rented, house sales have multiplied, micro-
entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs do not hire, production cannot be increased, no
matter how many offers and prices are lower every day, there is no one to buy, no one
takes the risk.
In most sectors of the capital we see advertisements for available office or commercial
space. The supply has grown while the demand barely shows signs of recovery"
Armendáris (n.d.).
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Purchases are the necessary and basic ones and in this survival scenario, the only real
thing is that the businesses that are surviving are those that have modified the value
proposition; finding a balance between digital as an input and human interaction with an
immediate response capacity, strengthening the affiliation with stability and effective
communication to the customer.
"Surely, the COVID-19 crisis will be the most critical moment in the relationship with
your client, and it is a moment in which you must lead the situation and, as far as possible,
act with greatness and long-term vision." Llopis (2020).
With this vision, the customer also prefers to buy from those who transmitted trust
during the crisis, having as a reference the businesses that maintained the relationship,
personalized marketing, because it will always be less expensive to keep our old buyers,
even if they do not adapt to the changes versus looking for new market niches.
According to Useche et al. (2020) there is a business strategic form called "4re":
reconversion to digital marketing, reinvestment from the objectives of sustainable
development, organizational resilience and health safeguard for economic benefit,
development, value creation, competitive advantage "The complexity of the Ecuadorian
environment requires SMEs to motorize response capabilities and for this they must
activate their goodness: flexibility and adaptation ipso facto, to urgently meet the needs
of consumers and rearrange themselves in their market segment so as not to yield space
to the competition and avoid losing customers and, therefore, income."
"We will create the Marketplace of the future, more aligned with what consumers want
and need." Explained Donahoe. In 2018, the company set a goal of 30% of its sales coming
from online by 2023. On Friday, the executive announced that this goal will be moved
forward two years and achieved in 2020. "Looking ahead, we now anticipate that online
penetration in our global business will reach 50%. According to Nike executive Jhon
Donahoe.
It is of vital importance that our buyers change the way they see our services and
products, it is time to intensify communication and closeness to our customers, transmit
trust and emotional connection, support them is key, understand what changes are
transcendental for them, know more than ever the gap between what they expect and
what they receive.
"One of the ways in which companies seek to highlight their offerings is through the
creation of value and unique experiences for the user. An example of this is the store
environment, sounds, smells, the functionality of the service, the attention of the
salespeople, among other factors that influence the emotions of consumers". Correa
(2021).
Salespeople as a showcase for the company, telemarketing and direct sales in itself, at
this moment and in a good way, splices the client-company relationship; and most
importantly, the
y give that human contribution to the business.
"However, companies have not considered doing without salespeople. "Without
independent entrepreneurs the volume of sales would be minimal. In this business model
there is an army of people who reach more clients," says María Fernanda León, executive
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director of the Ecuadorian Association of Direct Selling (AEVD)." (Ecuadorian Direct
Selling Association 2020). Contrary to what one might think, technology did not come
to withdraw or change direct selling; it came to improve it; with its platforms for
inventory control, expenses, data and behavior analysis, logistics, and organization, which
is usually the failure in direct selling. Telemarketing, emails are becoming obsolete and
communication platforms such as WhatsApp are in full use, social platforms tighten the
links between seller and customer.
It can be seen as a threat to direct sales the changes generated by the pandemic and its
restrictions, technological advances, the change of generation, among others; or it can
be seen as an opportunity because the characteristic of direct selling is that salespeople
are independent, that is, they are not part of the company's payroll, so they do not
generate expenses or extra costs required to recover economically, for them the cost
of starting a business is low, but they contribute a lot with commitment and business
development to the companies they represent, there is no supply chain or stores and
they are the ones who deliver the product or service, they are in charge of the
demonstration and most importantly in their face to face or door to door visit they
transmit the human side, the emotion; They know the behavior patterns, needs,
motivations and reactions (insights) that are difficult to differentiate in the platforms; it
is necessary for their clear orientation, the intense and lasting customer loyalty.
The role of salespeople at this time is even more important, not only because of the
role they play, but also as a challenge for companies and sales managers in an
unprecedented scene of uncertainty to project lines of action in the so-called new
normality.
"During this first semester of 2021, the sector is reactivating economically and with the
entry of more and more people to direct sales companies as independent entrepreneurs,
representatives or consultants, who set up their own businesses through this sector."
Calvopiña Andrés (2021)
THE modern post-pandemic salesperson
According to Cocimo Chiesa in his article written on July 13, 2020 about the hybrid
salesperson; he emphasizes that the mask, social confinement and distance are not
impediments to sell; the modern salesperson was not created by covid, for several years
he has been transforming and working on the new trends and variations that the world
demands. Technology, the high cost of visiting the customer, the optimization of
resources, professionalism, changes in the way we communicate among others have led
to study and prepare in emotional intelligence, marketing, business strategy and more
than ever must provide value as an expert in knowledge of the product, service, sector
and understand a customer who every day knows, studies and compares products and
services. It must be more practical and intercept the customer in the buying cycle that
is found; transmit messages that add value. Prospecting on the internet; the digital
presence is very important as a letter of introduction, the development in social
networks, etc.
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"The modern salesperson will have to develop new skills in the digital field such as the
use of new applications for communication with their customers: Zoom, Blackboard,
Skype, Hangouts, WhatsApp, Messenger among others; and better manage their
portfolio with free CRM platforms such as Hubspot, Zoho, and Bitrix to name a few.
Understand that retail e-commerce channels are beginning to double their weekly
penetration levels". Palacios (2020).
A salesperson learns about resistance, is always in a constant struggle to prevail, to resist
and looks at resilience as the ability to overcome fears; as an example we have; those of
not completing the goals and objectives set by the company, or the refusal of a customer
to purchase a product. In these post pandemic times mental health is very affected by
the effects of COVID; sudden deaths, collective depression due to lock-ins, company
closures, increased unemployment, low purchasing power among others. It must fight
to protect itself and survive; for this, applied biosafety technologies and in-house training
play an important role.
"About emotions in catastrophes and disasters it is stated that when there is a rupture
of everyday life and the usual functioning of society and life, they develop accordingly
with different psychological effects, mainly anxiety, neurosis and depression". Fernandez,
(2020).
Looking for new ways to address the customer speaking affirmatively and positively has
always been the right way to communicate in a sale; today even more, without
exaggerating or generating a false positivism that affects the direct sale and transmits the
feeling of frustration before what we cannot control the seller must reach the customer
in an assertive way. According to Contreras, 2020. COVID-19 has forced distance, but
it has not been able to condemn societies to silence and distance without presence,
because they learn to reinvent their modes of socialization and encounter. p38. At this
point it is not only about the right expressions but also about the right procedure to
reach the client in post pandemic.
"Communication being the basis for any type of interpersonal relationship, it is important
to know the techniques and strategies in our behavior to communicate in an effective
and healthy way that allow us to develop properly in our environment for our personal
development, well-being and quality of life. It is even proven that people who do not
have many social skills are more prone to suffer from psychological or even
psychosomatic diseases". Paredes and Ramos, (2020)
Persuasion has lagged behind the logical position of the buyer and the arguments have
been modified, have developed new technical edges and require quick, concrete answers
and assertive solutions.
Strategic alliances to sell: With other marketers so that they talk to your customers and
open the range of possibilities for your colleague by crossing information; with
customers (referrals) giving them in exchange discounts, product, or customers for
customers; with suppliers because their customers may not have the products or
services you have. The important thing is to look for new customers. Look for new
market niches: with the commercial activities in constant change the forms and the