Certified Sales Manager 1

Roles and functions in the sales force

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 The sales force, plays a key role in the
growth, development, profitability and
impact on customers (whether trade or
direct customers) of most companies.

 It is a critical resource that must be nurtured,

developed and motivated to fulfil its
potential within the company.

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 The functional activities undertaken by the
sales and marketing departments can
normally be allocated into one of the three
categories of management, administration
or planning.

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 The sales manager
 forecasting potential sales volumes and
prices.
 Identifying, setting, and achieving sales
objectives, targets, budgets and profit plans.
 Assigning sales force priorities in line with
objectives and plans.

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 Developing motivational reward and
incentive packages.

 Converting overall plans and objectives into

specific standards of performance, sales
targets, and programmes for subordinate
functions and managers

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 Developing systems of monitoring sales
performance at all levels of the organization
and for all trade sectors, including systems
for benchmarking company performance
versus competitors’ performance and
trade/customer expectations.

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 Selecting and training all subordinate
managers and salespersons.

 Communicating with the sales force and with

customers as necessary (including agents and
distributors as appropriate) on matters
concerned with plans.

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 Management span of control

 The number of employees who can be effectively

and efficiently supervised by a manager.

Width of span is affected by:

▪ Skills and abilities of the manager and the
employees
▪ Characteristics of the work being done
▪ Similarity of tasks
▪ Complexity of tasks
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▪ Physical proximity of subordinates
▪ Standardization of tasks
▪ Sophistication of the organization’s information
system
▪ Strength of the organization’s culture
▪ Preferred style of the manager

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 Other organizational considerations

 Workloads of individuals The number of

positions at any level depends on the
workload capacity of individuals within each
functional activity in the sales force.

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 Functional activities It is necessary to
identify the functions requiring separate
management input, control and development
to improve the quality and quantity of
output.

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 Communications within the sales
organization Effective communications are
essential to provide feedback, motivation
planning, recognition, and achievement of
common objectives through coordinated
activities.

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 Flexibility The sales organization should be
flexible enough to adapt to changing market
conditions. Barriers to flexibility should be
avoided or removed.

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 Role clarification Avoid internal conflict and
non-functioning by ensuring each person in
the sales team is very clear on his/her role,
and avoid duplication of functional
responsibilities, assign clear responsibilities,
and promote good formal and informal
communications.

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 Many companies find that a few customers
contribute most sales turnover and profit,
and analysis normally confirms the broad
Pareto Findings that 80 per cent of sales
comes from 20 per cent of turnover.

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