Incorporating a quality improvement perspective into measures of salesperson performance

Article Abstract:

The quality improvement management (TQM) perspective has been embraced by an increasing number of firms. The application of response function and confidence interval approaches for establishing sales quota ranges is presented as one way to implement the quality improvement perspective into the measurement and evaluation of salesperson performance. Data from an industrial salesforce are used to compare results from a traditional judgmental sales quota procedure with the response funtion and confidence interval approaches. These comparisons suggest differences in the performance evaluation of individual salespeople from alternative approaches and indicate how the confidence interval approach can be used to implement important quality improvement concepts. The sales management changes associated with a quality improvement perspective and the confidence interval approach are discussed. Important research needs are also identified. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher. )

Evaluation, Total quality management, Sales personnel, Salespeople

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The selling of services: a comprehensive model

Article Abstract:

If service industries are to enjoy repeat customer business and referred customer business, they must realize that all contact with customers and potential customers is vital to success and that, therefore, all employees function in some ways as members of the sales force. When marketing their services or providing the actual services, these firms should follow a seven-part guideline for customer contact success. The proper approach to customer service is analyzed as: (1) orchestrating the encounter, (2) making the service seem tangible, (3) helping the customer to assess quality, (4) using all personnel with potential for customer contact, (5) involving customers during the period of contact, (6) encouraging customers to discuss their satisfaction level with others (thus promoting 'word of mouth' sales), and (7) making the most of the firm's positive reputation.

Marketing, Customer service, Services industry, Service industries, Customer relations

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Using contingency analysis to select selling effort allocation methods

Article Abstract:

In an examination of basic sales allocation and deployment techniques, guidelines are generated that can be applied by management to choose the most suitable location and allocation of sales resources. Various implementation factors are described. Single factor, portfolio model, empirical model, and judgement-based model approaches to deploying sales forces are discussed, and using market and company factors, application examples are given. Profits and sales can be increased if sales force deployment is improved.

Usage, Selling, Strategic planning (Business), Deployment (Strategy), Deployment (Military science)

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• Abstracts: A cross national example of supervisory management practices in the sales force. Comment on 'antecedents of performance and satisfaction in a service sales force as compared to an industrial sales force

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