A Local Manufacturer That Serves About 1000 Retail Stores Is

A local manufacturer that serves about 1000 retail stores is experiencing a slow yet steady decrease of its customer base over the last couple of years. Attributing the situation to increased competition, management has hired a team of sales representatives to attract new clients and promote the manufacturer's products. However, after four months there is still no progress. Management has engaged a business analyst (BA) to investigate this issue. What should the BA do first?

A) Perform market research to identify on which competitive advantages the sales team should focus
B) Create a training program to close potential skill gaps for the sales team
C) Review historic sales and related data to understand what is happening to the customer base
D) Identify appropriate training providers and send out a request for proposal