After reading this article you will learn about:- I. Sales Manager II. Salesman III. Sales (Market) Inspectors IV. Sales Agents or Dealers V. Packers VI. Estimators.
I. Sales Manager:
The head of the sales department is known as sales manager and must have the following essential qualities:
(a) He must be a good judge of human nature, a good ‘mixer’ and have know-how to handle men.
(b) He must be able to understand the psychology of the customers.
(c) He must be good organiser, otherwise he will unable to tackle the hard work required to utilize the full efforts of all representatives and agents, whom he must keep in close personal touch. They are the eyes and ears of the firm and their reports must be given weightage.
(d) He must call meetings of all representatives at regular intervals and instruct them about the latest sales position, policy and requirements.
(e) He must keep co-operation with all other departments.
Duties of Sales Manager:
1. He must try to keep maximum sales efficiency at maximum disposal of products.
2. He must always be on the look-out for new and profitable markets.
3. He must always try to improve sales methods.
4. Where the sales are affected through retailer, he should receive the suggestions and provide them every possible help in the extension of sales.
5. He must exercise his full efforts to ensure that the goods reach the customers by the most economical route.
6. With the view to achieve collective efficiency from his staff, he must inspire a spirit of friendliness amongst the members.
7. He must keep in touch for the essential requirements in order that necessary supplies may be made available at the time they are wanted.
8. He must keep constant watch towards comparative study of the competitor products, their marketing efforts, packing methods and modes of transport. These will provide most valuable information as to how to meet competition.
9. He must inspire complete co-ordination between the advertising and sales policies.
10. He must always encourage and welcome suggestions from sales force as also the dealers, in regards to the quality, appearance, price or method of packing and despatch of products.
II. Salesman (Market Agents):
The satisfactory progress of any sales department depends on the ability of the salesmen. It is not possible to secure an effective sale unless salesmen are engaged. For this purpose systematic training and instructions are therefore essential, if the best is to be achieved from the salesmen.
Following are essential qualities, which a salesman must possess:
Qualities of a Salesman:
1. He must have a good physical appearance and leave a good impression in the first instance.
2. He must have highly pleasing manners and cultivated voice.
3. He must have good command on the language.
4. His character and initiative should be very good.
5. He must possess initiative and have constructive ideas.
6. He must make every opportunity to increase the sales.
7. He must be thorough with latest developments in the field.
8. He must possess proud, experience, health and cheerful disposition, ambition, self- confidence, current knowledge, loyalty, tact, imagination and interest in other people.
9. He must wear clean and well-dressed clothes, boots polished and well groomed.
10. He must have knowledge about the product, its utility and its qualities.
11. He must have thorough knowledge of his company, its policy, position of stock etc.
12. He must understand his customers and their nature.
13. He must know techniques of selling goods.
14. He must be polite with his client and should not look up himself in a discussion with him but try to keep himself cool and calm, a patient listener.
15. In the last, a salesman must have good health and personality and sound determination.
16. Last but not the least important is the product knowledge with prices at finger tips.
Remuneration of Salesman:
Remuneration to the salesman is generally paid in the following ways:
1. Salary
2. Commission
3. Salary and commission combined
4. Salary and Bonus
5. Drawing account and commission. This means an advance is paid to the salesman and commission earned by the salesman is adjusted against the drawing account.
III. Sales (Market) Inspectors:
These market inspectors visit the places where their products are consumed and find out complaints regarding the design, utility, type of packing and other complaints. Check leakage, wastage and mishandling of products, which will otherwise bring bad name to the concern.
IV. Sales Agents or Dealers:
This is the actual man-power, who sells the product to the customer and salesmen receive orders through these representatives. Depending upon the nature of product the sales department gives agencies to these representatives, state-wise or town-wise under certain terms and conditions.
V. Packers:
When the products come out in the finished shape, they are packed in packages, and again packed at the time of forwarding them to sales representatives, so that products can be transported safely and no damage should occur during transit.
This packing work is done by persons known as “Packers”.
VI. Estimators:
Sales cost is calculated separately by an estimator to find out the total cost of the product. This sales cost is always kept in the notice of Sales Manager, who keeps control over it.