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The Role Of The Sales Manager

Written by: Colly Graham

Article Overview: The Sales Manager's role is to develop a highly skilled and productive sales force. In the end, nothing else will matter.

The Role Of The Sales Manager

Definition of Management:
Man•age•ment (màn¹îj-ment) (noun)
Abbr. mgt., mgmt.

1 The act, manner, or practice of managing; handling, supervision, or control; management of a crisis; management of factory workers.
2 The person or persons who control or direct a business or other enterprise.
3 Skill in managing; executive ability.

Definition of Manager:

Man•ag•er (man¹­î­jer) noun
Abbr. mgr., mngr.,
One who handles, controls, or directs, especially
a One who directs a business or other enterprise
b One who controls resources and expenditures, as of a household


THE FUNCTION OF THE FIELD SALES MANAGER


Planning Seeing Doing

I Planning what things need to be done How they should be done

II Leading people to pursue and achieve the desired objectives in accordance with established plans and schedules

III Dealing on a day to day basis with problems and difficulties that arise

IV Measuring the actual performance of people against desired goals and plans

V Taking necessary steps to close any gaps that exist


Planning, Forecasting

Action, Execution, Leadership

Control, Co-ordination

Planning:

1 Provides management with immediate forecasts and long range plans for the achievement of budgets and quota objectives

2 Plans and conducts regular sales meetings. Makes assignments in advance of such meetings.

3 Plans for the development and career path of sales people

4 Frequently assesses sales people in order to determine training needs

5 Carefully plans personal time

6 Assists management in the development of sales forecasts

7 Recommends sales policies to management

8 Assigns sales territories

9 Plans to achieve an agreed net per cent profit on sales

10 Analyses markets to identify new customers and new prospects

11 Plans the overall activity of personal sales team

Action:

1 Recruits quality people following approved selection procedures

2 Continuously trains new and experienced sales people in basic attitudes, sales skills and product knowledge

3 Motivates and develops each of the sales people to achieve their full potential

4 Discharges sales people with unsatisfactory performance levels within company policy and employment law guidelines

5 Communicates with sales people on a regular basis keeping them informed of all matters affecting their work

6 Directs the activities of the sales team

7 Support and directs the application of company sales and marketing promotional activity at the local level

8 Consults with sales people and customers on problems of service, delivery etc.

9 Maintains discipline

10 Encourages sales people after failures and gives recognition where due for a job well done.

Control:


1 Sets standards of work performance and conduct


2 Establishes frequency of customer contact


3 Maintains a record system to provide an analysis of performance of sales team by each individual reporting


4 Evaluates the performance of each individual sales person


5 Constantly reviews the performance record of each sales person


6 Determines in what areas performance is on target


7 Investigates what areas are off target, investigates the cause of under performance and takes immediate action to get on target

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Article Tags: assigns, assists, career path, control management, crisis management, executive ability, experienced sales, gaps, man age, mgt, necessary steps, noun, ordination, personal sales, personal time, quota, sales meetings, sales policies, sales territories, selection procedures



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