STAFFING THE SALESFORCE

SALES FORCE STAFFING PROCESS

Recruitment planning and selection process. Recruiting a sufficient number of applicants.

Selecting the most suitable applicants.

Hiring the selected candidates. Socialization of the new recruits.

(A) RECRUITMENT PLANNING AND SELECTION PROCESS.

The planning stage it involves three activities:
1) Establish Responsibility: - Company has to decide who will be responsible for the various stages and activities of staffing process. - the decision may vary, from company to company, depending on the size and culture of the organization. - In small organization, staffing decisions are made by the Head of the organization. - In medium & large size company, responsibility of identifying & selecting the sources contacting the recruits, developing a system of tools and procedure, socialization and assimilation are made by Human Resource department manager.

2) Deciding the number of salespeople needed

companys regional and branch sales managers has to plan their manpower requirements well in advance. For calculating the number of salespeople needed, each sales manager should consider the following points:Quits, Terminations, Promotions, Transfers Out, or Retirement

C u rre n t S a le sF o rc e P e rs o n n e l

H ir in g , P r o m o tio n s , T r a n s fe rsI n

P e o p l e F o r e c a s t s

After identifying the number of salespersons needed from each territory sales manager, the national sales manager calculates the total number of new salespersons to be hired.

3. Outline the type of salespeople needed Finally, at planning stage, a detailed description and specifications of the salespeople needed. The steps involved in the process of developing a profile or outline of the type of salespeople are shown in Fig.

Job Analysis

Job Description

Job Qualifications/ Specifications

Fig. Process of developing sales force profile.

A job analysis refers to the formal study of jobs to define specific roles or activities to be performed in sales promotions. The three steps in the job analysis are to: 1. Examine the total sales force and each job, and determine how each job relates to other jobs. 2. Select the jobs to be analyzed. 3. Collect the necessary information through observation of what people actually do in the jobs, interviews of people in the jobs, and questionnaires completed by job holders.

Job descriptions are formal, written statements describing detailed account of the job.
Well prepared job descriptions generally cover the following points: Title of job Reporting relationship Types of products and services sold Types of customers called on Duties and responsibilities

Location and geographical area to be covered.

TABLE 8.1 FORMAL JOB DESCRIPTION, TRANSTEX AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLY CORPORATION

Position: Sales Representative Reports to: District Manager Organizational Unit: replacement Parts Date: ( When Job Was Described)

NATURE OF JOB Responsible for developing new accounts and reaching profitable sales goals in assigned territory. PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBLITIES

Meeting total sales goals for product lines and individual products.
Maintaining an average of six daily sales calls. Maintaining an average of one monthly product presentation to wholesalers. DIMENSIONS Develop strong promotional support from retail and wholesale customers. Plan effective territorial coverage resulting in high sales/call ratio.

Inform management of activities by submitting daily and weekly call and sales reports to district manager.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED General and specific tasks are assigned for each sales period. Every two months work with supervisor for a minimum of one day.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED
None

Job qualification / specifications is a statement of employee characteristics and qualifications required for satisfactory performance of defined duties and tasks comprising a specific job or function.

TABLE: SELECTED CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL SALESPEOPLE

1. High energy level

2. High self-confidence

7. Good physical appearance 8. Likable 9. Self-disciplined

10. Intelligent 11. Achievement oriented 12. Good communication skills

3. Hardworking
4. Requires little supervision 5. High perseverance 6. Competitive

(B) RECRUITMENT

Recruitment is the set of activities and processes used to legally obtain a sufficient number of individuals in such a manner that the recruits and the sales forces best interests are taken into consideration.

FIG.

MAJOR INFLUENCES AND COMPONENTS OF SALES RECRUITMENT

I n te r n a l S o u rce s

Sales Human Resource Planning

R e c r u i t m e n t

A p p l i c a n t P o o l

Q ualified A p plicant P o ol

E v a lu a te R e c ru itm e n t R e s u lt s

S e l e c t i o n

E x te r n a l S o u rce s

RECRUITMENT OF SALESPEOPLE
To be an effective recruiter, a sales manager must have the answer to several questions, including:
How many people do I need to recruit?

Who does the recruiting?

Where do I find recruits? How can I develop a qualified pool of applicants? How can recruiting programs be evaluated?

SOURCES OF RECRUITS
INTERNAL SOURCES Internal recruitment sources come from inside the company: Current Employees. Promotions. Transfers.

EXTERNAL SOURCES
Advertisements The Internet. Employment agencies. Radio and television. Competitors Customers, non-competitors colleges and universities Job Fairs

( C) SELECTING SALES FORCE

There are two activities in the selection stage:

1. The company should develop a system or process of tools and procedure for measuring applicants against the job specifications or qualifications that was developed in the planning stage.
2. To make the decision on selection.

Selection of sales personnel refers to the process of selecting the best available person for the job.

1. Selection Process
1. Screening resumes
2. Application blank 3. Interview 4. Testing 5. Reference check 6. Physical examination

2. Selection Decision

Which applicants are to be selected?

(D) HIRING

1. There are two activities in the hiring stage: (a)Make the job offer: Compensation as an important factor in job offer includes salary, performance-based incentives, company vehicle, house-rent allowance, medical & relocation expense reimbursement,

b. Acceptance of the job

Job offers are initially made over the telephone and then formal letter is rendered if accepted by the candidate.

(E) SOCIALIZATION

Socialization is the process by which salespeople learn the sales culture and behaviors appropriate for their roles in the organization. It continues throughout a salespersons employment. It involves teaching new employees, and even current ones, the appropriate values, norms, attitudes, and behaviors for the roles play in the sales force. Socialization is primarily accomplished through the salespersons interaction with others.

Properly done the socialization process can help: 1. Increase performance and job satisfaction. 2. Reduce job anxieties and the fear of failure. 3. Reduce turnover. 4. Impart a positive image of the company, job duties, and future expectations. 5. Save the managers time and thus reduce costs.