Organization For Sales Training

The execution step of A-C-M-E-E (the first E) requires four key organizational decisions:

• Who will be the trainees?
• Who will do the training?
• When will the training take place?
• Where will the training site be?

Who Will Be the Trainees?

Identifying trainees is more complex for continuing than for initial sales training programs. A company identifies the trainees for its initial sales training program when it firms up sales job descriptions and hires sales job applicants.

While continuing sales training programs are prescribed for all personnel in some companies, the general practice is to select trainees according to some criterion. Four criteria are in common use:

• Reward for good performance,
• Punishment for poor performance,
• Convenience (of trainee and trainer), and
• Seniority (the greater the seniority, the greater the opportunity for added training). Those selected for continuing training should be aware of the criterion used.

Who Will Do the Training?

Initial sales training: Initial sales training is a line function in some companies, a staff function in others. If a line function; responsibility for initial training is assigned to the top sales executive. If a staff functions, responsibility for initial training is given to the personnel director, and sales management has an advisory role. Actually both executives should participate in initial sales training the sales executives because of selling expertise and the personnel director because of training expertise.

Continuing sales training: Responsibility for continuing sales training resides with the top sales executive. Introduction of new products, adoption of revised sales policies, perfection of improved selling techniques, and similar developments call for training. The top sales executive is in the best position to recognize the need and design and execute appropriate sales training programs. Sales training is a never ending process, and, regardless of who is responsible for initial training, the sales executive has continuing responsibility.

Sales training staff: Top sales executives usually delegate sales training performance to subordinates. Large sales organizations often have a sales training director, reporting to the top sales executive. The director conducts some training and coordinates that given on a decentralized (and usually part time) basis by regional and district sales managers. In smaller organizations, some top sales executives handle some training themselves, but, in most cases, they rely upon others, such as assistant sales managers or district managers, to do the training, Companies without sales training directors often have fulltime or part time: sales trainers, or both. The large sales organization makes efficient use of a fulltime sales training director and sometimes even a fulltime staff, but the small organization must rely on executives to train in addition to other duties.

Outside experts: Many companies hire outside experts to conduct portions of sales training programs, generally portions relating to sales techniques. Numerous outside training consultants present sessions on sales techniques (for instance, in prospecting, selling by telephone, or basic ways to meet objections) and, through broad and long experience, achieve high effectiveness. Other outside experts, including university professors and similar “moonlighters,” also offer this instructional service.

When Will the Training Take Place?

Timing group versus individual training Opinion is divided as to the proper timing of group and individual training. Most sales executives contend that newly recruited trainees should receive formal group training before starting to sell. A sizable minority, however, assign trainees to selling jobs before sending them on to sales schools In support of the minority view, three things can be said:

• New personnel prove that they can sell before money is spent on their training;
• New persons are not always, not even usually, hired in groups large enough to justify immediate formal training people hired between programs can be put to work until the next school begins; and
• On the job experience furnishes needed learning motivation and makes initial training more meaningful.

The minority position, nevertheless, is inappropriate when highly technical products are sold to sophisticated buyers. In such cases, product training is not only important but is best provided through formal group instruction at the outset of trainees’ careers.

When there are large numbers of new personnel, group training is the way to train at the lowest cost per person.

Individualized training is conducted in the field office or in the trainee’s home. On the job training features personal conferences (of the trainer and trainee) and demonstrations (as the trainer explains “this is how to do it”). But not all field training is on the job training. In many companies, for example, trainees in the field are enrolled in correspondence and programmed learning courses.

Both types of field training are supervised on the job training by a supervisor in person and trainees participating in correspondence and programmed learning courses by mail, phone, or cassette correspondence (convenient for playing in the auto in between calls on customers).

Timing initial sales training programs: Timing of initial sales training depends upon the number of new personnel trained each year, and this, in turn, depends upon the size of the sales force, sales personnel turnover, and management’s plans for changing sales force size. With a large number of new personnel, comprehensive highly structured programs are scheduled several times a year, dates being set after consideration of recruiting quotas and deadlines. When the number is small, initial training programs, if held at all, are infrequent. One company with a small sales force recruiting June college graduates schedules initial sales training to begin in late June or early July.

Timing continuing sales training programs: Effective sales management believes that training and learning must be continuous new information must be assimilated and older concepts modified in the: light of new developments. New products, new refinements of selling techniques, new product applications and uses, new customer problems, new selling aids, new selling, suggestions _all these and other developments require that each salesperson’s training continue as long as he or she is on the Job. In some situations, sales personnel are kept abreast of new developments informally, perhaps through field distribution of information bulletins. . But when new developments accumulate, are unusually important, or imply a need for substantial changes in salespersons’ attitudes and behavior patterns a formal retraining program is scheduled. Many companies integrate retraining programs into a series of sales meetings or a single sales convention.

Management should assume that sales personnel are eager to improve selling techniques; feel entitled to explanations of policy changes; want to learn how to tie in more closely with advertising programs; and are ‘eager to learn about new products, model and design improvements, and market shifts. ‘Continuing sales training programs are designed and “sold” as a means of helping salespeople do their jobs more effectively. If it is demonstrated that training results more take home pay and increased job satisfaction, salespeople are motivated when salespeople see that these benefits are obtainable through the continuing sales training program, its chances of successful execution are enhanced.

Where Will the Training Site Be?

Some companies hold initial sales training programs at the central offices; others conduct separate programs at branch offices. Each practice has advantages disadvantages.

The centralized program generally provides better product training, but higher costs are incurred in bringing trainees to the central point. In many companies the small number of trainee’s does not justify decentralized initial training, and central location is a necessity.

Numerous large companies, by contrast, have the option of decentralized initial training. They can train new salespeople near their future territories and acquaint them early with field selling problems. However, decentralized product training often requires the substitution of motion pictures, slides, and working models so it may be less realistic, less interesting, and less effective than centralized training.

Decentralized programs have even more serious defects. Unless supervised by higher management, their execution tends to be poor, and the trainers, who have other responsibilities and regard training as a sideline, often turn in poor teaching performances. Except in a company with a vast pool of administrative and training skills, initial sale straining programs should be at central locations.

Instructional Materials and Training Aids

Critical to successful execution of sales training programs are the instructional materials and training aids. These vary not only for different companies but for programs with different aims, contents, and methods. Pertinent features and uses of the main types of instructional materials and training aids are discussed in the following sections.

Manuals: Often known as workbooks, manuals are used in most group type sales training programs. The best manuals contain outlines or summaries of the main presentations, related reading materials, statements of learning objectives for each session, orienting questions or thought provokers, cases and problems, plus directions for sessions involving role playing or gaming. Many include concise statements of selling, pricing, training of sales personnel, and other policies as well as details on company systems and procedures. Some contain information on the products and their applications.

Other printed materials: These include company bulletins, sales and product handbooks, information bulletins, standard texts, technical and trade books, and industry and general business magazines and journals. Company publications are used chiefly to furnish field sales personnel with up to date and needed information.

Training aids: The most used and indispensable is the blackboard no training facility should be without one on which to illustrate points, summarize discussions, and the like, adding visual to vocal appeal. Modern substitutes for the blackboard (for example, projector, transparency roll, and screen) offer improvements’ such as making it possible for the trainer to face the class even while his or her writing appears on a screen, and conserving time through using prepared diagrams, charts, statistical tables, and so on

The motion picture projector and film are effective when the training is to explain complex situations. In conveying technical information on installation and operation of new machine tool models

Tape recording and playback equipment is ideal for training in sales techniques. Actual or simulated sales presentations are taped and played back for individual or group appraisal. Miniature (sometimes concealable) cassette tape recorders make it easy for salespersons to tape their own sales interviews and play them back later. Thus, they gain greater objectivity in appraising their own effectiveness and in finding ways to improve performance.

Advance assignments: To conserve time, many programs require trainees to prepare assignments in advance. In some situations, these are reading assignments chosen to provide some minimum comprehension of subjects scheduled for coverage in formal sessions. In other situations, the assignment is to read a case and prepare a plan of action for use in a scheduled session. It is important that trainees understand the purposes of advance assignments and receive clear instructions (most expert trainers recommend written instructions