recruiting & selecting sales personnel

Recruiting & SelectionRecruiting & SelectionEvaluate the SourcesTap identified sources and build a

supply of prospective sales personnel

Select those who have highest probability of success

Pre-recruting ReservoirPre-recruting ReservoirIt is file of individuals who might be

recruited when the need arises.The names are added from different

sourcesVolunteer walk-insInquiries about jobSales executive’s contact

Sources of Sales Force RecruitsSources of Sales Force Recruits

Sources Within the CompanySources Outside the Company

Sources Within the CompanySources Within the Company

Sources Within the Company

Company sale personnelCompany executivesInternal transfers

Sources outside the CompanySources outside the CompanyDirect unsolicited applicationsEmployment agencies Sales people making call to the

companyEmployees of customersSales executives’ clubSales force of noncompeting

companiesSales force of competing companiesEducational institutions Older persons

Recruiting EffortsRecruiting EffortsPersonal RecruitingIndirect RecruitingRecruiting Brochures

Selecting Sales Personnel

Selection SystemSelection System

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Preliminary Interview & Pre-Interview Screening

Formal Application

Interview (s)

References & Credit Check

Testing

Physical Examination

Employment Offer

Preliminary Interview & Pre-Interview Preliminary Interview & Pre-Interview ScreeningScreening

Pre-interview screening is for the purpose of eliminating unqualified applicants.

Such types of interviews can be handled by the low-paid clerk or secretary.

Here the questions about the company and the job are answered and the employees determine whether the applicant meets minimum qualification.

Thus it is generally a low cost selection process.

If this hurdle is passed & the applicant expresses interest, he or she has to go for next selection process

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Formal Application

Interview (s)

References & Credit Check

Testing

Physical Examination

Employment Offer

Formal ApplicationFormal Application It serves as a central record for all pertinent information

collected during the selection process. Is filled out by the applicant personally or by an interviewer. Such application forms includes details like:

- Personal Data- Present job- Education- Employment status- Previous position- Records of earnings- Reasons for living last job

After evaluating this form an applicant is either selected or rejected as per the companies selection criteria’s.

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Formal Application

Interview (s)

References & Credit Check

Testing

Physical Examination

Employment Offer

The InterviewThe Interview Most widely used selection step.

Effective way of obtaining certain information and satisfactory way of judging an individuals ability in

oral communication personal appearance and manners attitude towards selling & life in general reaction to obstacles presented face to face personal impact on others

Who should do the interviewing?- In large organization several persons sit for

interviewing- firstly, district or branch sales manager- then by the authorities at regional office

Cont…Cont…

How many interviews?

Interviewing the spouse

Interviewing Techniques- Patterned interview- Nondirective interview- Interaction (stress) interview- Rating Scales

References & Credit ChecksReferences & Credit ChecksReferences :References provide information on the applicant not available from

available sources. References fall into four classification:

- Present or former employers- Former customers- Reputable citizens- Mutual acquaintances

Credit Checks: Credit files are compiled by local credit bureaus, and special credit

reports and thus analyzing them executives look for the danger signals.

Psychological testsPsychological tests In recent years more & more companies have tended either to

abandon or to rely less upon psychological tests as an aid in making selection decision.

The reasons for this are:- difficulty in validating psychological tests- difficulty in securing the empirical data to prove that the results are predictive or not

Types of tests:- Test of Ability- Test of Habitual Characteristics- Interest tests- Achievement tests

Physical ExaminationsPhysical Examinations

Since good health is important to a salesperson’s success, most companies require physical examination.

because of the relatively high cost, the physical examination generally is one of the last steps.

Building Sales Training programsBuilding Sales Training programsThere are several types of sales training

programs.The most comprehensive and longest is

the training program for newly recruited sales personnel.

Building a sales training program requires five major decisions. Specialists refer to these decisions as A-C-M-M-E decisions- aim, content, methods, execution, and evaluation.

Cont…Cont…

Defining training aims

Identifying sales training needs Job specifications Trainee’s background and experience Sales related marketing policies Identifying continuing training needs

Deciding training content

1. Product data2. Sales technique3. Markets4. Company information

TRAINING METHODSTRAINING METHODS

The lectureThe personal conferenceDemonstrationRole playingCase discussionImpromptu discussionGamingOn the job trainingProgrammed learningCorrespondence coursesGroup versus individual training methods

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

PHILOSOPHIES OF SALES TRAININGPHILOSOPHIES OF SALES TRAINING

Conditioned response philosophy

Insight response philosophy

Which philosophy is most appropriate ?

Trade or Missionary

New Business or Technical

ORGANIZATION OF SALES TRAININGORGANIZATION OF SALES TRAINING

1) Who will be the trainees?

2) Who Will do the training ?

3) When will the training take places ?

4) Where will the training site be ?

1. Who Will Be the Trainees?

Initial sales trainees

Continuing sales trainees

2. Who Will Do the Training ?2. Who Will Do the Training ?

Initial sales training Line Function Staff Function

Continuing sales training

Sales training staff

Training the sales trainers

Outside experts

Timing group versus individual training

3. When Will the Training Take Place ?

Timing Initial Sales training Timing Initial Sales training ProgramProgram

- Larger - Smaller - optimum

Timing Continuous Sale training Timing Continuous Sale training ProgramProgram

4. Where Will the Training site Be ?

Centralized Method Advantage Disadvantage Use Decentralized Method Advantage Disadvantage Use

Instructional materials & training Instructional materials & training AidsAids

1. Materials2. Other printed materials3. Training aids4. Advance assignments

EVALUATING SALES TRAINING EVALUATING SALES TRAINING PROGRAMSPROGRAMS Comparison Written tests Observer with trainee in field Tests and Examination Role playing assignment Evaluating by each other Sales record and market share

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

REFERENCESREFERENCES• Still, Cundiff, Govoni, Sales Management, Decisions,

strategies and cases, 5th edition, Prentice Hall of India Private Limited, New Delhi, 1997

THANK YOU THANK YOU