2. INTRODUCTION
Sales force management is the soul of the company. Establishing a
world recognize brand does not only require marketing and advertise
efforts, but it also requires the sales representatives or in simple words
sale force along with all other promotional activities.
Sales force - Division of a business responsible for selling products or
services.
Sales force is linking between companies and customer. Therefore,
companies have to be careful in designing and structuring sales force.
3. Elements of Sales Force Management
Lead Generation: The Sales Representatives generate the sales lead
and then track the potential user by gathering the data and customer
related info like phone numbers, tastes, and buying patterns.
Sales Forecasting: Predicting the company future sales based upon the
previous sales for a particular period of time; is sales forecasting
process. The Sales Forecasting is done for the next year.
This enables the company to take important business decisions regarding
production, distribution, advertising budgets
4. Order Management: The sales Force Manages and streamlines the
product orders efficiently.
A well-executed Order Management System results in Sales
Boost, Improved Customer retention and Better Consumer Relations,
delivering Goods and products without or minimum delay is order
management.
Product Knowledge: The basic element for closing a deal or making a
successful sale is having the complete knowledge of the product. To win
the customer trust is of outmost important for the Sales representative.
In order to convince the buyer to spend the money on the
product the Sale team must have the complete know how of the Product
and its benefits
5. Common sales force structures:
Territorial structure is used where every sales representative is
assigned specific geographical area. This structure is preferred for
building relationships with locals.
Product structure is used for complex and un- related product
portfolio. Here the sales people are directly associated with research and
development of the products.
6. Market structure is used if the companies are operating different
industry or market segments. Every sales force specializes in a definite
market and helps push a product efficiently across the given market.
However, the disadvantage would arise if customers are located over a
wide geographical area.
Complex structure is used when companies are in business of selling
complex product to different customer across a large geographical area.
Here sales force structure is a combination of other structures discussed.
7. STEPS IN SALES FORCE MANAGEMENT
1 • Setting Objectives
2
• Recruitment and Selection
3 • Training and Supervision
4 • Motivation and Incentives
5
• Sale Force Evaluation
8. 1.Setting Objectives
1. increasing profit
2. time spent developing new accounts or
3. time spent introducing new products.
2.Recruitment
An essential part for the effective sales force management is
recruitment. Over the decades companies have designed advances
selection programs and procedures to test the behavioral, Managerial,
and Personality Skill and expertise are identified.
1.
9. Recruitment process follows five stages:
1. Preparation of job description and personnel specifications
2. Identification of source of requirement and method of communication
3. Design of application form
4. Interview
5. Supplementary selection aids
10. 3.Training and Supervision
In order to beat the market completion and become a market leader
Trained Work force is required.
Efficient Training during the product life cycle can build a strong Sale
Force.
Supervising the sales Team will keep the moral of the sales people high
and put the sales team in the right direction to manage the customers.
The efficiently managed sales teams perform task effectively and meet
the sales goals.
11. 4. Motivation and Incentives
The Data and Market Research suggests that a Motivated Sales Force is
more target oriented, Goal Achievers, and Result Producers.
To drive up and boost the morale of the Sales employees the Motivation
plays an integral role.
Compensations, Incentives, Sale Shares, Quotas are motivational
elements for the Work Force.
Three types of compensations plans
a) Fixed salary
b) Commission only
c) Salary plus commission:
12. 5. Sale Force Evaluation
Evaluating the Sale Results, Product Numbers and Profit Reports is the
key for the successful Sale Force Management System.
15. How toHandleCustomer Complaints
Listen Repeat
Apologize
Acknowledge
Explain action
Thank
Follow up
Remember not to take it
personally
Remain calm
Focus on the problem
and not person
Turn unhappy people into
happy customers
16. Stepsfor handlingcomplaints
Acknowledge
receipt of the
complaint
It is important that you acknowledge the receipt of all
complaints, verbal or written. Preferably allocate a complaint reference
number and provide the customer with acontact point for further
correspondence.
Accurately record
complaint
information and
make itaccessible
Make sure that your recorded version of the complaint matches exactly
what the customer said.Also make sure that the complaint record is
accessible by any branch of the organization that the customer may
contact.
Attach
timeframesfor
resolution of
complaint
Thecompany should attempt to resolve complaints on first
contact, but if this is not possible, then acomplaint should be finalized
within aspecific number of days eg. 30 days.
At the organization’s level, there isthe need for a complaint handlingsystem which
will involvethe following steps as a minimum:
17. Customers must
be informed
about anydelays
in resolving a
complaint
Assoon asyou realizes that they are unable to resolve a
complaint within the given timeframe, contact the
customer, and inform advising him/ her of the delay and set a
new timeline
Make staffaware
of complaint
handling
procedures
The complaint handling procedures should be known to all
employees and be part of regular training
Inform Customers
Of Complaint
Handling
Procedures
Posting your complaint handling procedures on your office
premises is agood way to inform customers. Also these
procedures may be incorporated in the organisation’s brochure