The area of salesman behaviour is characterized by a lack of theoretical and empirical research contrasting with the need for an understanding of salesman behaviour in the area of…
Abstract
The area of salesman behaviour is characterized by a lack of theoretical and empirical research contrasting with the need for an understanding of salesman behaviour in the area of several sales management problems. For instance, when designing a new compensation scheme, a sales manager needs to know what to change, with what probable effect on sales, on salesmen's earnings and, consequently, on net profits. It has been shown that the compensation plan structure should be largely dependent on salesman behaviour patterns. In the same way, knowledge about salesman behaviour has managerial implications for recruiting salesmen displaying desirable behavioural patterns, whenever possible.
A new integrated method based on the means‐end chain (MEC) analysis and factor analysis is proposed for developing intangible product‐mix strategies for convenience store (CVS…
Abstract
A new integrated method based on the means‐end chain (MEC) analysis and factor analysis is proposed for developing intangible product‐mix strategies for convenience store (CVS) chains. With variables obtained from a survey on CVS service items, both analyses were used to derive the hierarchical value factor map (HVFM). The new map can handle and develop strategies for product differentiation, advertising and market segmentation. The purpose of this article is two‐fold: to propose improvements for the traditional MEC method of constructing the service hierarchical value map (HVM) and to formulate effective intangible‐product strategies.
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Nigel F. Piercy, David W. Cravens and Neil A. Morgan
The significance of the search for sales organization effectiveness is underlined by the major costs represented by the field salesforce for many organizations, and it is…
Abstract
The significance of the search for sales organization effectiveness is underlined by the major costs represented by the field salesforce for many organizations, and it is heightened by the pressures of global competition and new challenges to develop long‐term customer relationships as the foundation for competitive and sustainable marketing strategies. A study of sales management in British companies adds to an emerging research stream by identifying certain characteristics of superior performance and effectiveness in the business‐to‐business sales organization. We find that conventional measures of salesforce size, call‐rates, costs and productivity reveal relatively little about the differences between more effective and less effective sales organizations and may be dangerously misleading. The hallmarks of effective sales organizations we found to be: balanced compensation strategy; successful salesperson characteristics, in terms of motivation, customer orientation, team orientation, and sales support orientation; high performance in the drivers of sales effectiveness, i.e. sales presentation, technical knowledge, but most particularly adaptiveness, teamwork, sales planning, and sales support; the use of behaviour‐based control approaches involving effective monitoring, directing, evaluating and rewarding activities by sales managers; and, sound organizational structures. The research findings contribute benchmarks to a powerful management agenda to be addressed by executives in pursuing sales organization effectiveness.