Marketing Management, Millenium Edition - epiheirimatikotita.gr

300 CHAPTER 16 MANAGING THE SALES FORCE4. Technician: A salesperson with a high level of technical knowledge (the engineeringsalesperson who is primarily a consultant to client companies).5. Demand creator: A salesperson who relies on creative methods for selling tangibleproducts (vacuum cleaners or siding) or intangibles (insurance or education).6. Solution vendor: A salesperson whose expertise lies in solving a customer’s problem,often with a system of the firm’s goods and services (such as computer and communicationssystems).In general, salespeople perform one or more of the following tasks:➤➤➤➤➤➤➤Prospecting: Searching for prospects, or leads,Targeting: Deciding how to allocate their time among prospects and customers,Communicating: Communicating information about the company’s products andservices,Selling: Approaching, presenting, answering objections, and closing sales,Servicing: Providing various services to customers—consulting on problems,rendering technical assistance, arranging financing, expediting delivery,Information gathering: Conducting market research and doing intelligence work, andAllocating: Deciding which customers will get scarce products during shortages.As this list suggests, the sales representative serves as the company’s personal linkto its customers and prospects while bringing back much-needed information aboutcustomers, markets, and competitors. Therefore, smart companies look carefully atthe design of the sales force, including the development of sales force objectives, strategy,structure, size, and compensation (see Figure 5-15).Sales Force Objectives and StrategyEach company needs to define the specific objectives its sales force will achieve.Increasingly, companies are setting objectives for sales reps based not only on sales volumeand profitability targets, but also on their ability to create customer satisfaction.Consider Tiffany, the famous retailer of expensive jewelry. A purchase in thisstore can be like an investment, so management trains its retail sales staff to be consultantsrather than strictly salespeople. Salespeople are trained to offer advice and informationabout the quality and cut of stones, the suitability of various settings, and thechoices available in various price ranges. Even when selling less expensive items, salespeopleknow that part of the purchase is the experience and prestige of shopping atTiffany. They also know that a satisfied customer is a potential repeat customer. Inaddition to its retail sales staff, Tiffany has 155 field reps, a catalog, and a Web presence(www.tiffany.com) to serve corporate customers. Training for new corporate salesFigure 5-15Designing a Sales Force