Objectives

Department of Marketing

z Understand recruitment and selection

z Identify key activities in planning and executing
recruitment programs
z Understand the legal and ethical considerations
LECTURE SIX in sales force recruitment
z Understand sales training
z Look at the sales training process
Staffing the Sales Force: z Identify sales training needs
Recruitment and Selection z Identify key issues in evaluating sales training
alternatives

Department of Marketing
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www.monash.edu.au

Importance of
Sales Human Resource Management
Recruitment and Selection
Problems associated with inadequate
implementation: Sales
– Inadequate sales coverage and lack of customer follow- Human Resource Management
up
– Increased training costs to overcome deficiencies
– More supervisory problems People Planning Employment Planning
– Higher turnover rates
– Difficulty in establishing enduring relationships with How Many Type of Recruitment Selection Socialization
customers to Hire? People?
– Suboptimal total salesforce performance

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Introduction to Sales Force Proposed Model of

Socialization Sales Force Socialization
Recruiting/Selection Training Person Job
Sales Force Socialization refers to the Objectives Objectives Outcomes Outcomes
process by which salespeople acquire the
Initiation to Task Specific Job
knowledge, skills, and values essential to Realism
Task Self -Esteem Satisfaction
perform their job.

Achieving Job
Involvement/
Congruence Important during Commitment
recruitment and
selection Resolution of
Achieving Role Conflicting
Congruence Performance
Realism Definition Demands at Work

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1
 Planning for Recruitment and
Recruitment and Selection Process
Selection
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3
Planning for Recruitment: Locating Selection:
Recruitment & Selection Prospective Candidates Evaluation and Hiring
Job Analysis:
• Screening Resumes Entails an investigation of the tasks, duties, and
and Applications responsibilities of the job.
• Job Analysis
• Initial Interview
• Job Qualifications
• Intensive Interview
• Job Description
• Internal Sources • Testing
• Recruitment &
• External Sources • Assessment Centers
Selection Objec.
Objec.
• Background Invest.
• Recruitment &
• Physical Exam
Selection Strategy
• Selection Decision
and Job Offer
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Planning for Recruitment and Planning for Recruitment and

Selection Selection

Job Qualifications: Job Description:

Refers to the aptitude, skills, knowledge, personal A written summary of the job containing the job
traits, and willingness to accept occupational title, duties, administrative relationships, types of
conditions necessary to perform the job. products sold, customer types, and other
significant requirements.

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Planning for Recruitment and

Detailed job description
Selection

1. Title of the job

2. Duties and responsibilities Recruitment and Selection Objectives:
The things the organization hopes to accomplish as
3. Reporting to … a result of the recruitment and selection process.
They should be specifically stated for a given
4. Technical requirements period.
5. Location and geographical area
6. Degree of autonomy

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2
Planning for Recruitment and Recruitment:
Selection Locating Prospective Candidates

Internal Sources
– Employee referral programs
Recruitment and Selection Strategy: – Internships
The plan the organization will implement to – Transfers
accomplish the recruitment and selection
objectives. The sales managers should consider – Promotions
the scope and timing of recruitment and selection.
External Sources
– Advertisements
– Private employment agencies
– Colleges and universities
– Job fairs
– Professional societies
– Computer rosters
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Selection:
Steps in sales selection process
Evaluation and Hiring 1. Application

z Screening Resumes and Applications

6. Physical 2. Initial
z Interviews Examination Interview
z Testing
z Assessment Centers Yes Decision No
z Background Investigation 5. Reference 3. In-depth
z Physical Examination Checks Interviews
z Selection Decision and Job Offer

4. Testing
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Screening Resumes and

Interviews
Applications
Types of interviews
z Evidence of job qualifications – Initial Interviews
z Work history – Intensive Interviews
– Stress Interviews
z Salary history
z Accomplishments Locations
z Responsibilities – Campus
z Appearance and completeness – Recruiter’s Location (i.e. Plant Trip)
– Neutral Site
– Telephone

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3
Testing: Value and Types Testing: Guidelines for Using
Value
– May be used to assist with initial screening
– May indicate compatibility with job responsibilities z Do not attempt to construct tests for the
– May indicate compatibility with organization’s purposes of selecting salespeople
culture and personnel
z If psychological tests are used, be sure the
Types
standards of the American Psychological
– Personality
Association have been met
– Intelligence
– Psychological z Use tests that have been based on a job
– Ethical Framework analysis for the particular job in question

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Testing: Guidelines for Using Background Check

z Be wary of first-party z Obtain a numerical scale

z Select a test that minimizes the references
applicant’s ability to anticipate desired z Radial search referrals
responses might be used
z Use an interview
z Use tests as part of the selection background check
process, but do not base the hiring z Use the critical incident
decision solely on test results technique
z Pick out problem areas
reference rating
z Identify an individual’s
best job
z Check for idiosyncrasies
z Check financial and
personal habits
z Get customer opinion

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Selection Decision and Job Offer The recruitment pyramid

Recruitment Pyramid Ratio Days

z Evaluate qualifications in order of
importance 2 Report to Work 2:2 21
z Look for offsetting strengths and 3 Offer/Hires 3:2 14
weaknesses
30 Interview/Offer 10:1 21
z Rank candidates
z If none meet qualifications, may extend 120 Leads/Interview 4:1 30
search
z May have to offer market bonus (signing
bonus) to highly qualified candidates
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4
Legal and Ethical Considerations: Legal and Ethical Considerations:
Guidelines for Sales Managers Guidelines for Sales Managers

z Become familiar with key legislation

z Sources of job candidates should be
affecting recruitment and selection
informed of the firm’s legal position
z Conduct job analysis with an open mind
z Communications must be devoid of
z Job descriptions and job qualifications
should be accurate and based on a discriminatory content
thoughtful job analysis
z Avoid other practices that may be
z All selection tools should be related to job perceived as ethically questionable
performance

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Role of Sales Training in Sales Training as a Crucial

Sales Force Socialization
Sales training helps socialize the new hires,
providing them with a positive:
z Initiation to Task — The degree to which a sales
trainee feels competent and accepted as a working
partner
z Role Definition — An understanding of what
tasks are to be performed, what the priorities of the
tasks are, and how time should be allocated among
the tasks.
Investment
z Most organizations see a link between sales
training and salesperson productivity
z U.S. companies spend approximately $7.8
billion annually on training
z The need for sales training is continual
z Sales managers play a crucial role in the
training process

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Managing the Sales Training Assess Training Needs

Process
Assess Sales Training Needs

Set Training Objectives z Determine desired skill set and levels of

performance
Evaluate Training Alternatives z Assess salesperson’s actual skill set
and levels of performance
Design Sales Training Program z Analyze gap between desired and actual
to determine training needs
Perform Sales Training

Conduct Follow-
Follow-Up and Evaluation
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5
Assess Training Needs: Methods Typical Sales Training Needs

z Sales Force Audit z Sales Techniques:

Salespeople have an ongoing need to learn
z Performance Testing “how to sell”
z Observation
z Product Knowledge:
z Salesforce Survey Salespeople must know their product benefits,
z Customer Survey applications, competitive strengths, and
z Job analysis limitations

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Common Mistakes Common Mistakes

Sales Training Addresses Sales Training Addresses

• Ineffective listening and questioning • Lack of sales strategies for different

• Failure to build rapport and trust accounts
• Poor job of prospecting for new accounts • Failure to match call frequency with
• Lack of preplanning of sales calls account potential
• Reluctance to make cold calls • Spending too much time with old
(without an appointment) customers

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Common Mistakes
Typical Sales Training Needs
Sales Training Addresses

• Over-
Over-controlling the sales call
z Customer Knowledge:
• Failure to respond to customers’
customers’ needs Salespeople should know their customer
with benefits needs, buying motives, buying procedures,
and personalities.
• Giving benefits before clarifying
customers’
customers’ needs z Competitive Knowledge:
Salespeople must know competitive offerings
• Ineffective handling of negative attitudes in terms of strengths and weaknesses.

• Failure to effectively confirm the sale

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6
Typical Sales Training Needs Training Objectives

z Increase sales or profits

z Time and Territory Management: z Create positive attitudes and improve
Salespeople should learn to maximum work salesforce morale
efficiency.
z Assist in sales force socialization
z Reduce role conflict and ambiguity

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Training Objectives Training Objectives

z Introduce new products, markets, and z Teach administrative procedures

promotional programs z Ensure competence in the use of sales
and sales support tools
z Develop salespeople for future z Minimize sales force turnover rate
management positions
z Prepare new salespeople for assignment
z Ensure awareness of ethical and legal to a sales territory
responsibilities z Improve teamwork & cooperative efforts

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Evaluate Training Alternatives Evaluate Training Alternatives

z Selecting Sales Trainers z Selecting Sales Training Methods

– Internal – Classroom/Conference Training
– External – On-the-job Training (OJT)
> Mentoring
z Selecting Sales Training Locations > Job rotation
– Decentralized (e.g., district or regional offices)
– Centralized (e.g., corporate headquarter)

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7
Evaluate Training Alternatives Design the Sales Training Program

z Selecting Sales Training Methods

– Behavioral Simulations z Finalize the Training Program
– Absorption Training z Schedule Training Sessions
z Make Necessary Travel Arrangements
z Selecting Sales Training Media
– Internet
z Make Necessary Accommodation
– Computer-Based (e.g., CD-ROM)
Arrangements
– Paper-Based

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Perform Sales Training Conduct Follow-Up and Evaluation

As the training is being conducted, the It is always difficult to measure the

sales manager’
manager’s primary responsibility
is to monitor progress of the trainees
and to ensure adequate presentation of
the training topics.
effectiveness of sales training.
Nevertheless, a reasonable attempt must
be made to assess whether current
training expenditures are worthwhile and
whether future modification is warranted.

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Next Lecture

Directing the sales force.

TUTE:

Modern Plastics Page 357 Sales

Management

Department of Marketing
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