Overview of Sales Force Management: Strategies, Jobs, and Challenges

1. Chapter 1 Introduction to sales force management

2. ( Figure 1-1)Top Five Customer Complaints About Salespeople Percent of Customers with Complaint Source: The HR Chally Group, Ten Year Research Report, 2002.

3. ( Figure 1-2) Types of Outside Sales Forces

4. Transaction Selling Get new accounts Get the order Cut the price to get the sale Manage all accounts to maximize short-term sales Sell to anyone Relationship Selling Retain existing accounts Become the preferred supplier Price for profit Manage each account for long-term profit Concentrate on high-profit-potential accounts The Nature of Personal Selling

5. 6 Categories of Sales Jobs • Consultative seller • Key account seller • New business seller • Sales support • Missionary seller • Delivery seller

6. (Figure 1-3) Selected Activities of Salespeople Salesperson • Generate sales: • Precall planning • Prospecting • Make sales presentations • Overcome objections • Close by asking for the orders • Arrange for delivery • Entertain • Arrange for credit/financing • Collect payments • Participate in trade shows • Provide service to customers: • Provide management/technical consulting • Oversee installations and repairs • Check inventory levels • Stock shelves • Provide merchandising assistance: • Co-op advertising, point-of-purchase displays, brochures • Oversee product and equipment testing • Train wholesalers’ and retailers’ salespeople • Territory management: • Gather and analyze information on customers, competitors’ general market developments • Disseminate information to appropriate personnel within salesperson’s company • Develop sales strategies and plans, forecasts, and budgets. • Company service: • Train new salespeople • Perform civic duties • Professional development: • Participate in: • Sales meetings • Professional associations • Training programs

7. Sales jobs differ from other jobs because salespeople… • implement a firm’s marketing strategies in the field. • are authorized to spend company funds. • represent their company to customers and to society in general. • represent the customer to their companies. • operate with little or no direct supervision and require a high degree of motivation. • frequently face rejection. • need more tact and social intelligence. • travel extensively, which takes time from home and family. • have large role sets. • face role ambiguity, role conflict, and role stress.

8. Sales Management Responsibilities Strategic planning (Figure 1-5) Organizing the sales force Performance evaluation Communication Coordination Integration Recruiting, selection, assimilation Motivation and supervision Training and development

9. (Figure 1-6) Executive Ladder in Personal Selling President Vice president of sales National sales manager Regional/divisional sales manager District sales manager Staff assistants available for adviceand support at anystep along the ladder. Sales supervisor Salesperson

10. (Figure 1-7) Executive Ladder in Team Selling President Vice president of marketing Distributionlogisticsspecialist Productengineer Client-teamleader Customer sales/service representative

11. Sales Force Management Challenges in the 21st Century • Selling by executives • Customer relationship management (CRM) • Sales force diversity • Complex channels of distribution • An international perspective • Ethical behavior and social responsibility