Chapter 17

Managing the 
Sales Force
 Objectives
 Review the types of decisions firms
face in designing a sales force.
 Learn how companies recruit, select,
train, supervise, motivate, and
evaluate a sales force.
 Understand how salespeople improve
their selling, negotiation, and
relationship-building skills.
 Designing the Sales Force

Types of Sales Representatives

 Deliverer Technician
 Order taker Demand creator
 Missionary Solution vendor
 Designing the Sales Force
 Objectives
Steps in Process
–Sales volume and
 Objectives and profitability
strategy –Customer satisfaction
 Structure  Strategy
 Sales force size –Account manager
 Compensation  Type of sales force
–Direct (company) or
contractual
 Designing the Sales Force
 Types of sales
Steps in Process
force structures:
 Objectives and –Territorial
strategy –Product
 Structure –Market
 Sales force size –Complex
 Compensation  Key accounts
 Designing the Sales ForceD
 Workload approach:
Steps in Process –Group customers by
volume
 Objectives and –Establish call
strategy frequencies
 Structure –Calculate total yearly
sales call workload
 Sales force size –Calculate average
 Compensation number of calls/year
–Calculate number of
sales representatives
 Designing the Sales ForceD
 Four components of
Steps in Process compensation:
–Fixed amount
 Objectives and –Variable amount
strategy –Expense allowances
 Structure –Benefits
 Compensation plans
 Sales force size –Straight salary
 Compensation –Straight commission
–Combination
 Managing the Sales Force

Steps in Sales Force Management

 Recruitment
and selection TrainingSupervising
MotivatingEvaluating