June 3, 2022: In-Field Experience

This summer, I am a full-time Sales Intern with Kellogg's with Customer Strategy & Planning on the National Grocery Team.

My internship started on Monday, May 9th. The first week consisted of orientation, getting to know different people in the company across many functions of the company, and overall learning about our schedule for the summer. There were many presentations, but my favorite was the one describing Kellogg's BERGs, or Business Employee Resource Groups. Here, they had different spaces for people to explore themselves and join communities for support from others. Along with the other interns, I also learned about K-values, listened to advice from former interns, and applied business etiquette both virtually and in-person.

The Sales specific orientation was days 3, 4, and 5 of the first week. Here, we learned more in depth about the summer ahead of us, as well as how to sell within each store. I learned that I would be in Walmart stores using the 9-step store call process. My first six weeks would be in the field, and the second six would be in an office role with a team of analysts. Additionally, the SPARC selling process was outlined and we were told to ask high gain questions to utilize our time well. The interns learned about the systems that Kellogg's uses: StayInFront, Tableau, and Volt. As my experience has progressed, I have used all of these programs and continue to learn new features.

Another thing that was introduced to the interns during the first week were two projects. The first is the Intern Innovation Challenge, which is a challenge for interns to come up with innovative ideas to implement within Kellogg's. At the end of the internship, my group will present to a panel. This year, the product that the intern class is innovating for is Eggo Waffles. I am excited to be able to find some new ways to sell an amazing, delicious breakfast option!

The second project is a personal project utilizing what I am learning in the field to create an analysis of Kellogg's. Since I am still in the field, I haven't gotten too much progress done with this project, but I will get more into it as I transition to an office role.

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My time in the field started on May 16th. In this role, I am responsible for shadowing a KSR, or Kellogg's Sales Representative. I am Walmart specific, and visit anywhere from 3-5 stores per day depending on drive distances. In this role, I have so far learned Kellogg's products through and through with first hand experience moving product, creating displays, and selling displays to store managers. Using the 9-step store call process, I have been able to become independent of my KSR in selling cases. Utilizing Volt and StayInFront, I can correct negative inventories, sell cases, create displays, find alerts and address them correctly, as well as note the out-of-stocks and accurately identify where display locations are in the store. This experience has been very helpful in learning the many Kellogg's products. I am also finding it invaluable, as I am able to experience the front line of sales to store managers, effectively selling more product for Kellogg's.

In the pictures below, I am shown with many displays that I helped my KSR sell and build over the course of the past couple of weeks. Many of these show before and after photos!

I am excited to see what the next two months of my Kellogg's experience holds!