A successful application of the assessment center concept to the salesperson selection process

Article Abstract:

Subjects were chosen from the life insurance industry to be tested on their potential success. An assessment center technique was used as a measurement and included role playing, situational exercises and simulations and discussion groups. The participants were somewhat preselected as they went through the insurance company's screening process first, thus creating a smaller group to test than would have been preferred. Agents were asked what abilities, knowledge and skills were needed for their jobs, and these choices were rated along with observations of the exercises and discussions. The assessment center technique seemed to be successful because in a follow-up of which insurance agents had continued in the field, 80% of those who were predicted to do well were still in the insurance industry and 79.2% of those who had quit has been assessed as unsuitable.

Methods, Officials and employees, Insurance industry, Human resource management, Appointments, resignations and dismissals, Employee recruitment, Sales personnel, Salespeople, Personality assessment

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An empirical investigation of sales management training programs for sales managers

Article Abstract:

Newly selected sales managers often have problems making a successful transition from personal selling to sales management. Yet, sales management training remains one of the most neglected areas in the personal selling and sales management literature. In the past thirty-two years, only three studies have been published on this important topic. Findings from these studies reveal that most sales managers receive little or no formal training for their sales management roles, and that the training provided often has glaring weaknesses. This study is the first to investigate the availability and characteristics of sales management training programs from the perspectives of sales managers. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Sales management, Management training, Sales managers

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Needs assessment and evaluation in sales-training programs

Article Abstract:

A study was conducted which investigated the extent to which needs assessment and evaluation practices have been used in planning and evaluating sales training programs. Findings suggest that some needs assessment practices have been used in planning sales training programs. However, systematic formal needs assessment practices were not widely adopted. Findings indicate that most evaluation measures are relatively simple, such as course evaluations or trainee/supervisor reactions. More complex approaches such as learning, behavior and/or results measures are used much less frequently. Implications of these results are discussed. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Selling, Planning, Medical care needs assessment, Needs assessment

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