Unit 10 Training The Sales Force

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UNIT 10 TRAINING THE SALES FORCE

Structure

10.1 Introduction

Objectives

10.2 Training process and objectives

10.2.1 Sales Training Process

10.2.2 Training program objectives

10.2.2.1 Imparting attitude skills

10.2.2.2 Notifying organization policies

10.2.2.3 Bestowing organization culture and values

10.2.2.4 Understanding the goals and objectives

10.2.2.5 Developing the team working skills

10.2.2.6 Developing the product/ service knowledge

10.3 Training process and analysis

10.3.1 Source and type of training program

10.3.2 Program Design

10.3.3 Action Planning

10.3.4 Feedback and Follow up

10.4 Summary

10.5 Keywords

10.6 References
10.7 Suggested Readings

10.1 Introduction

In the previous module we have understood about the characteristics and the skill set
required for the sales job. We have understood the significance of carrying out a well
defined job analysis and design in creating the jobs that best suits to the profile of the
candidates. We have also understood the importance of recruitment and selection
process in identifying and selecting the right candidates for the job. In this unit we shall
understand the importance of training program in shaping up the employees to perform
their job effectively. In this unit the candidate means the employee who is undergoing
the training program.

Before the initiation of training program it is very important to understand the objective
of it. The main objective of the training program is to inculcate the required knowledge,
skills and attitude and make employees more productive to the organization. In this unit
we shall understand the objectives of the training program and the benefit it provides to
the sales representatives and the company. Identifying the sources for training is an
important task which decides the quality and impact of the training program. We shall
understand also understand the program design for the sales representatives in terms
of contents, logistics and the feedback process. Once the training source and the needs
are analyzed, the next step is about action planning i.e. the actual implementation of the
training program.

For a sales representative training, there might be a considerable difference of what is


being taught in the training and what is being done in the market place. Hence the
action planning has to deal with such problems using various teaching methodologies,
technical tools etc and impart training program that is closely related to the market
place. No training program would end without a feedback process. Feedback process
should not end with just taking the trainees comments but has to include the follow up
process as well. In this unit we shall understand about the importance of the follow-up
activity for a sales representative training program.

Objectives

After studying this unit you will be able to:-

1) Understand the steps in sales training process

2) Define the objectives of sales training program

3) Identify the importance of attitude skills for the sales representative

4) Identify the type of training program required

5) Explain the design of the training program

6) Understand the importance proper action planning

7) Highlight the need of feedback and follow up

10.2 Training Process and objectives

After the successful recruitment process you will have the best talent your organization
requires. It is now the duty of the organization to conduct the necessary training
program and make use of the talent in increasing the revenue for the organization.

10.2.1 Sales Training Process

Let us understand the typical sales training process as explained by Ingram (2009):-

Asses Set Evaluate Design Perform Conduct


Sales Training Training Sales Sales Follow up
Training Objectives Alternatives Training Training and
Needs Program Evaluation

Fig: Sales Training Process


The 1st step sales training need assessment deals with identifying the necessary skills,
attitudes, perceptions and behaviours for the sales representatives. The 2nd step deals
with setting up the training objectives i.e. the necessary measurable outcome of the
training program. The 3rd step deals with identifying various alternatives to conduct the
training. The 4th step deals with the design part of the training program which involves
identifying the training program period and modules and the necessary skills to be
imparted, logistics arrangements etc. The 5th step performing the sales training is the
actual implementation of the sales training program which deals with the way how the
training is conducted and the methodologies adopted by the trainer in imparting the
necessary skill set. Once the entire training process is completed the 6th step of the
sales training process i.e. conducting follow-up and evaluation deals with analyzing the
quality of training program held and the benefit received by the candidates and the
organization.

We shall learn more about the individual steps in the training process in subsequent
sections in this unit.

10.2.2 Training Program Objectives

Training is a continuous process in the employee career. Training might be required


whenever a new designation is given in the appraisal system. So having the set of
objectives in place for any training program is an important task. Let us now look at
some of the common objectives which most of the training programs would try to
achieve:-

10.2.2.1 Imparting Attitude Skills

We have already studies in the earlier units about the importance of positive attitude for
a sales representative. Sales job is a challenging one which requires positive attitude
and continuous self motivation. For a candidate who has passed out from college,
imparting attitude skills is a significant task. Apart from positive attitude, there will be a
necessity to impart professional behaviour skills as well. Sales representatives may
notice other employees advance in their career by shortcuts. It is therefore very
important that the training program highlights the importance of hard work. Hence, in
brief some of the objectives in imparting the right attitude skills would include:-

Î Imparting positive behavioural attitude

Î Encourage the candidates to depend on hard work rather than shortcuts

Î Inculcate the willingness to work even in difficult times

Î Recognizing the importance of self motivation

Î Understand the importance of value system

Î Improving the leadership qualities i.e. ability to take challenges

10.2.2.2 Notifying organization policies

Clear understanding about the organization policies will decimate any future
misunderstandings between the employees and the organization. Every training
program should make it clear about the organization policies to the employees. In brief,
Organization policies may include the following:-

Î Dress code of the employees

Î Work schedules and facilities when working overtime

Î Logistics provided like internet, telephone connections, faxes etc.

Î Rules and regulations as per the government laws for proper behaviour with
employees, smoking regulations etc.

Î Salary structure, designation, employment type i.e. regular or contract and other
benefits like Insurance, LTA etc.

10.2.2.3 Bestowing organization culture and values

It is important that the employees/ candidates who have joined the organization are
imparted with the organization culture and values. This is done as an attempt to
increase the loyalty towards the organization. During the training programs a lot of
importance is given in this activity. The main objective in doing so is to create a sense of
feeling that the company is for the employees and the employees are an important
asset for the company. The candidate unless is a fresher, might have worked with
several companies and will have a mixed feeling of self belonging with the present
organization. The previous company might be the competitor of the present organization
and he/she might have to compete with their friends to make the sale. So, for a sales
representative it is very important that he/she shows a lot of dedication towards the
work in the present organization and would overcome any personal relationships in
making the sale. Hence, imparting the organization culture and values is very important
for the sales representatives.

Another important reason for inculcating the organization culture and beliefs is to
convey that:-

Î Employees are working in a positive organization which cares for the employees
all the time

Î The group in which the employee work will be a positive group

10.2.2.4 Understanding the goals and objectives

Before getting into any work it’s is important to understand the goals and objectives of
the work. In any training program the goals and objectives should be clearly stated so
that the employees can be mentally prepared to face the challenges in the work. For
example, if you are the pre-sales representative and if you have been promoted as the
sales representative for the Asia Pacific Region, then you should clearly know the
objectives of the work and the goal that is to be achieved every quarter. Objective might
be to gain some customers in the countries of Asia Pacific region where the presence of
company is null. The goal may be to increase the revenue or sales by at least 15% of
what it is in the previous quarter. Hence the employees must be given realistic goals
and objectives for each training program. For the newly joined candidates, he/she must
be explained about the expected objectives from the work and the goals to be achieved.
10.2.2.5 Developing the team working skills

The nature of work will vary upon the type of sale you make. In the personal selling, the
sales representative will be alone most of the times, hence there would be the needs of
a team work. But when you come to the industrial/ institutional sales, team work plays a
significant role. For example industrial sale can be selling a network platform to the
telecommunication company or installing the technical product like servers in the
customer company. In such cases the selling process may involve the sales team, pre-
sales team, technical team, finance team, testing team and many more depending upon
the sale. Hence the sales representative should know how to perform in the team and
perform and effective sales process. Some of the team working skills include:-

Î Identifying the coordinator for the team

Î Caring for the opinions of the entire team members

Î Effectively managing the time available among team members

Î Monitoring the performance of the team members and checking for any lag in the
action plan

Î Clearly assigning the duties among team members

Î Ensuring a proper and timely feedback mechanism among the team members

It is very important that the coordinator for the team has the leadership qualities to
ensure proper functioning of the team in making the sale.

10.2.2.6 Developing the product/ service knowledge

The basic requirement to sell a product/ service is to know completely about them. The
training program must take care that the entire description and features of the product/
service is conveyed to candidates. The basics thing which the sales representative must
know before going for a sale includes:-

Î About the company of the product/ service


Î The list of competitors and their similar products/ services

Î The complete set of features of the product/ service

Î The benefits the product/ service provides to the customer

Î The key competitive advantages of the product/ service over the competitors

Î The price and the maximum allowable discount for the product/ service

Î The installation time and after sales service available with the product/ service

In this section we have understood the training objectives and the necessary skill set
required by the sales representatives. The following diagram helps in understanding

SAQ 1
1) Explain the sales training process with a neat diagram
2) Narrate the importance of notifying the organization policies to the employees
3) Explain the need of developing organization culture and values in the training
program
4) Identify the necessary product/ service knowledge required by the sales
representative before going for a sale

10.3 Training program implementation and analysis

The training objective might be excellent but the outcome mainly depends upon the way
the training process is implemented. The success of many training programs depends
upon the trainer i.e. the source for training. Selecting the best trainer is a challenging
task. Let us now examine the various sources available to train the candidates.

10.3.1 Source and type of training

The sources for training can be internal to the firm and also the external to the firm.
However internal or external depends upon the availability of the right trainer for the
program. If there is no availability of the well qualified internal trainer within the
organization, then the HR department may consult an external company who
specializes in the training programs. The type of training program for the newly joined
candidates depends upon the recruitment process as stated below:-

Î If the recruitment process selected already well qualified candidates with work
experience relevant to the job description, then only an induction program which
is common to all the applicants would be enough

Î If the recruitment process selected the fresher who doesn’t have any essential
experience about the job, then a detailed training program would be required
explaining about the job the candidate needs to perform

Î If the recruitment process selected the candidate within the company as a part of
the appraisal system, then the induction program may not be required and the
training has to take care of the additional duties that have been assigned to the
candidate

Î Most of the times if the candidates have no time for training or the nature of job
demands gaining expertise in the field rather than like a classroom setting, then
the best way to train is by “on the job training”. On the job training involves
training the candidate by assigning the actual work in the workplace with the real
resources he/she would be using in the job.

On the job training has many advantages and disadvantages too. Let us look at some of
the advantages as stated below:-

Î Economical Way: On the job training may not require external training classes
and may not incur the expenses for a good trainer and the logistics. Right from
the day1, candidate will be presented with the job to do under the guidance of a
supervisor who may be his/her higher authority at the work place

Î Better test environment: This training process gives the opportunity to test the
candidate’s performance in the real test environment throughout the training
program. This might be very helpful for the supervisor to known the candidates
key strengths and weakness and will be able to provide proper feedback for
improvement

Î Proper Feedback: Since the trainer is the real candidate who has experienced
the nature of work and faced challenges in the past, you as the candidate would
get the right feedback that might help you to face the challenging tasks

Some of the disadvantages of the on the job training program includes:-

Î Time consuming: Unlike in the regular training programs where the trainer will
be available all the time, in on the job training program you may have little time
spent per day with the supervisor as he/she may not be available all the day to
train you since they have to perform their regular daily work.

Î Lack of theoretical knowledge: The regular training program will provide the
necessary theoretical knowledge which might be helpful for the candidate in
his/her job when faced with unexpected challenges which haven’t experienced in
the past

Î Monotonous way of cognitive development: The candidate may start thinking


like the supervisor all the time when facing with the challenges in the job. It is
important to know that the supervisor view point in handling a challenging
situation may not be true all the time, hence the candidates have to use their own
cognitive abilities to judge the problem and arrive at a solution

Î Suited for a small group: This type of training might not suitable if the
candidates are in larger numbers. A separate training program would be best in
such a scenario

10.3.2 Program Design

Program design deals with designing the program with necessary content, logistics and
feedback mechanisms. Fortunately or unfortunately in most of the training programs the
trainees are not involved in the design process. Some of the guidelines while designing
the training program includes:-
Î Training program must be designed according to the time available

Î Feedback of previous participants must be taken into account to improve the


current training program

Î Desist the desire to pack in everything in a single program i.e. not more than a
couple of skill set must be imparted in a training program

Î Have multiple training programs at regular intervals to add on the required skill
set, for example have the separate training programs for presales, sales and post
sales activities for the sales process

Î Design should be done in such a way that the candidate is not over burdened

Î Training program should have a mechanism for obtaining the feedback from the
candidates after their field work

10.3.3 Action Planning

Action planning the training program deals with the actual implementation process.
Action plan should deal with the program design in a manner to make it interesting and
encouraging the participant to learn more from the training program. Some of the
guidelines include the following:-

Î Training program should be a combination of lecturers, exercises, cases,


simulations, role plays/ mock sessions etc., whichever is necessary to enhance
the training program

Î The training program shouldn’t be monotonous

Î Make use of anthropological approach in handling the training program i.e.


understanding the training needs of the candidates from the candidates
perspective rather than your own judgments

Î Treat the candidates as adults i.e. they have the necessary level of training
requirements and only a proper direction in implementation is required
Î Don’t wish away the candidates objections in the training program i.e. the
objections of the candidates are mostly real as they are from the field and have
faced it in the past

Î Training process should encourage a two way learning process between both the
trainee and the trainer

Î Don’t be penny bound while conducting the training program i.e. provide the best
trainer even if it cost a little high for the company

Î Identify the trainer who can go off the topic have discussions, bring in the mode
of the candidates and then start the topic again. This is very useful in long
training programs which may run into weeks or months.

Î Provide decent logistics to the candidates as studies reveal that candidates learn
faster in a better environment

Î Training program should aim at developing the candidates to take responsibility


and challenges, as in good organizations the sales employees take the target as
compared to weak organizations where the targets are given

Î Necessary training technologies should be used for example, if the sales


representative uses CRM softwares then training program must use the actual
application and handling techniques

Î Avoid the classroom setting i.e. make use of a circular setting which favours
group discussions

Î Make use of outdoor training whenever required i.e. making the teams with the
experienced employees and going on for actual sale process i.e. if you are in a
training program for a personal sale then you and the experienced employee can
go together and make a sale
10.3.4 Feedback and Follow up

Training program should have a proper feedback process to know about how
informative the training process is? The feedback mechanism also provides about the
necessary changes that are required to be done in order to enhance the training
programs in the future. Feedback process may also include the feedback given to the
candidates by the trainee. Follow up activities are very important in the training process
because of the following reasons:-

Î Training programs might be effective only for a limited period

Î Employees might fall back to their own work style before the training commenced

Î Employees might face new problems in the field and a follow up is required to
remove such problems

SAQ 2
1) Explain various types of training provided to the employee in an organization
2) List the advantages and disadvantages of on the job training method
3) Illustrate various guidelines to be followed while designing a training program
4) Identify various issues to be dealt with during the action planning stage
5) Explain the importance of feedback and follow up in an effective sales training
program

10.5 Summary

In this unit we have learned the various steps in performing the sales training process.
Sales needs should be identified and the candidates for training are selected. Once the
candidates are selected the training objectives should be set. We have understood
various objectives of the training program like imparting positive attitude, self motivation
capability, leadership qualities and many more which are essential for the sale
representative to keep mentally fit in the challenging sales career. We have also
understood that it is important for the candidate to know about the organization policies,
culture and values, goals and objectives, product/ service knowledge etc. before
working in the job. Hence the sales training has to acknowledge all these and make the
candidate aware of his duties and responsibilities. We have examined that the industrial
sales need a lot of team work and hence sales training have to take care of imparting
the team working capabilities among the candidates. In the latter half of the unit we
have understood the source and type of training required for the candidate. We have
understood the merits and de-merits of on the job training for the candidates. We have
also examined various guidelines in the program design and the action plan to ensure
an effective and efficient sales training program. We have also understood the important
of selecting the best trainer and the facilitation of two way learning process on the
candidates performance. We have understood that every objection from the candidates
have to be acknowledge and cleared in the training program. Finally we have
understood the importance of the feedback and follow up to ensure that the candidates
are applying the knowledge gained in the training period in their field.

10.6 Keywords

1) Anthropological Approach Understanding the training needs of the


candidates from the candidates perspective
rather than your own judgments

2) Simulations The act of stimulating the behaviour of a


situation or a process in a suitable way i.e.
performing the field situation in a training hall in
a suitable manner
10.7 References

1. Thomas N. Ingram, Raymond W. LaForge, Ramon A. Avila, Charles H.


Schwepker Jr., Michael R. Williams (2009), “Sales management: analysis and
decision making”, M.E. Sharpe Inc., New York, USA.

10.8 Suggested Readings

1. Mark W Johnston, Greg W Marshall (2009), “Sales Force Management (9th Ed.)”,
Tata McGraw Hill, New Delhi, India.

2. Ralph W. Jackson, Robert D. Hisrich (1996), “Sales and Sales Management”,


Prentice Hall, New Jersey, USA.

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