The sales office is responsible for keeping accurate sales records, monitoring stock levels, liaising with other departments, and following up with customers. Key functions include maintaining customer records, price lists, sales receipts, stock levels, and communicating with accounts, purchasing, production, and HR. Regular customer follow up is also important to build loyalty and ensure customer needs are met.

1. Section 11
Objective 1 (a)
By G. Flanders-Hinds

2. 
Maintenance of sales records;
Stock control
Liaising with other departments
Customer follow-up
Functions of the sales office and
its staff

3. 
The sales office is responsible for keeping accurate records of
all transactions in the business. Today, many companies use
the computer with database software to record sales
transactions. There are number of records that are kept by
the Sales Office:
 Customer records – this include customers name,
addresses and order history
 Price lists – an outline of prices of the goods and services
available for sale
 Sales receipts – records of orders sent to customers
Maintenance of sales records

4. 
 Sales call log – an outline of telephone conversations
with existing customer or prospective customers
 Commission summary – document used to calculate
the commission payable to the sales personnel over a
period of time
 Sales summary card – this document provides
information on the sale of products and services

5. 
The sales office is responsible for monitoring stock
control, that is, the movement of stock inward and
outwards is monitored through a computerized stock
control process or a manual check of inventory is made.
Monitoring stock control enables the sales department
to avoid – over-stocking and under-stocking of
inventory. This also enables them to keep track of the
purchasing pattern of customers, as well as the volume
of sales over a period of time e.g. daily, weekly,
monthly, quarterly or annually.
Monitoring stock control

6. 
The sales department must liaise with a
number of department offices within the
organization, such as the Accounts Office,
the Human Resource Office, the
Purchasing Office, and Production office,
to ensure the smooth running of the
business operations.
Liaising with other departments

7. 
It is important for business firms to attract and retain its
customers by developing a long and meaningful
relationship with them. This not only builds the firm’s
reputation of goodwill but it also ensures that the
customer remains loyal and their needs are satisfied.
Therefore, it is essential that the sales department
develops a well-organized after-sales support for its
customer when they have purchased goods and
services.
Customer follow-up

8. 
Carysforth, C., Neid, M., Maxime, C. & Metz, Y. (2012).
Office Administration for CSEC. A Caribbean Examination
Council Study Guide. Nelson Thornes.
Finisterre, S., Payne, L., & Reid, J. (2004). Longman Office
Administration for CXC. Pearson Education Limited
Trendfield-Newsome, A. & Walker, C. (2011). Office
Administration for CSEC Examinations. Macmillan
Publisher Limited.
Whitcomb, A. (2012). Heinemann Office Administration for
CSEC. Pearson Education Limited.
References