Committee Sales Organization

The committee is never the sole basis for organizing a sales department. It is a method of organizing the executive group for planning and policy formulation while leaving actual operations, including implementation of plans and policies, to individual executives. Thus, many firms have a sales training committee (comprised of the general sales manager, his or her assistants, the sales training man-ager, and perhaps representative divisional or regional sales managers) that meets periodically to draft training plans and formulate sales training policies. Implementation of these plans and policies, however, is the responsibility of the sales training manager, if the company has one, or of the line and/or staff executives responsible for sales training in their own jurisdictions. Other, committees found in sales organizations includes customer relations, operations, personnel, merchandising, and new products.

Advantages: Before policies are made-.and action is taken, important problems are deliberated by committee members and are measured against varied viewpoints Committee meetings, where ideas are interchanged and diverse opinions are present, promote coordination among members of the executive team. When problems are aired in the give and take of committee meetings, cooperation is likely to be better than under any other organization plan. However, unless decision making and policy formulation are left to specific individuals, it is impossible to fix responsibility. Committees render their most important service in providing focal points for discussion and for the making of suggestions; so many companies prohibit committees from making decisions or formulating policies. No committee should develop into a vehicle for the evasion of responsibility.

For committees to operate effectively, other precautions are necessary. The agenda must be planned and controlled to avoid wasting time of executives not directly interested in the topics considered. The tendency for committees to consume large amounts of time is counteracted if the chairperson keeps the discussion focused upon the subject at hand.