Managing the Sales Force
The face of any organization is the sales force. Companies spend a considerable amount of time and money on sales force rather than on any other promotional activity. However, sales force is expensive and companies are looking forward to managing them in an efficient and effective manner.
Designing of the Sales Force
Sales force is linking between companies and customer. Therefore, companies have to be careful in designing and structuring sales force.
1. The first step is setting out an objective for sales force. Earlier companies had a single objective increasing sale making it objective also for sales people. Sales people are asked to perform a search for prospective clients or lead. Sales people are asked to balance time between a prospective customer and current customer. Effective communication of product and services is essential to close the deal. Sales people also play an important role in after sales service and can make a difference for the company. Sales people are eyes and ears of the company in the market gathering information about competition and customer changing demands.
2. The second step is use sales people strategically. Sales people have to combine efforts with other team members to achieve the objective. Sales people should be aware how to analyze market data been provided and convert them into marketing strategies.
3. The third step is deciding the structure of the sales force. The structure of the sales is dependent on the strategy followed by the company. Common sales force structures are as follows:-
Territorial structure is used where every sales representative is assigned specific geographical area. This structure is preferred for building relationships with locals.
Product structure is used for complex and un- related product portfolio. Here the sales people are directly associated with research and development of the products.
Market structure is used if the companies are operating different industry or market segments. Every sales force specializes in a definite market and helps push a product efficiently across the given market. However, the disadvantage would arise if customers are located over a wide geographical area.
Complex structure is used when companies are in business of selling complex product to different customer across a large geographical area. Here sales force structure is a combination of other structures discussed.
Once the structure is designed companies need to make a decision with respect to the size of the sales force. The size of the sales force is dependent on the market size and number of customers.
4. The next step is to design compensation for the sales force. Compensation plays a big motivational factor for sales people. Companies follow a structure of a fixed amount plus a variable amount depending of success achieved in the market. Allowances play an important factor in the salary owing to continuous travel and market visits.
Managing Sales Force
Integral part for success of marketing strategy is management of the sales force. The management of sales consists of following:-
Recruitment is at the centre of an effective sales force. One approach in the selection is asking a customer what characteristics they look for in a sales representative. Companies develop selection procedure where behavioral and management skills are tested.
Training is essential to remain ahead of the competition. Sales force needs training before entering the market as well as training at different stage of the product life cycle.
Supervision on sales force is decided on the profile of product portfolio. A general supervision is maintained with respect to sales people dealing with potential clients. Another supervision is related to efficient time management from preparation of client call to closing of the deal.
Motivation is a key aspect for management of the sales force. Here compensation plays an important in driving up the motivational level. Compensation can be assigned based on sales quota. Other motivational tools are social gathering and family outing.
Evaluation is essential to management of a sales force. Sales reports sent by the sales force serve a good starting point of evaluation.
Art of negotiation and relationship marketing these two are the important aspects of successful sales representative and long term benefit for the company.
Managing the Sales Force Agency in Navi Mumbai
About Nashik
About Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai lies on the west coast of Maharashtra. It is situated in the eastern trans-harbour of Mumbai. The city was developed as a new urban township and satellite city of Mumbai in 1972. It is also the largest planned city in the world. The main purpose for building the city was to decongest the city of Mumbai.
Navi Mumbai covers 150 km of the total 720 km of the Konkan coast. There are totally 86 villages covering 39,400 acres within Navi Mumbai limits.
CIDCO had created 14 nodes/townships in Navi Mumbai. They are Vashi, Sanpada, Airoli, Ghansoli, Nerul, Kopar Khairane, CBD Belapur, New Panvel, Kamothe, Ulwe, Kalamboli, Dronagiri, Kharghar and Taloja. Each node is further divided into sectors.
CIDCO planned and constructed the railway stations in the city and developed the nearby areas. The Vashi bridge was opened in 1973 for the residents of Vashi, Nerul and CBD Belapur. The Sion-Panvel Expressway was built to reduce commuting time from Sion to Panvel.
The commissioning of a wholesale agricultural produce market in Vashi and building of a commuter railway line between Mankhurd and Vashi in 1992led to a very high population and economic growth.
Navi Mumbai has a vibrant industrial activity in the regions of Mahape and Taloja. The last decade has seen a steady growth of IT/ITeS sectors as well. The satellite city has seen a high growth of residential development in the last 5 years.
Demographics:
According to census data, the city has seen a huge migration of population from the Island city of Mumbai (54.6%) . It also attracts population from other suburbs of Mumbai and Maharashtra (28.9%). There is a small population from outside Maharashtra that has settled here (0.7%).
According to 2011 consensus, the population in Navi Mumbai is 1,119,477 and its urban population is 18,414,288. The sex ratio in the city is 1000:831. The average literacy rate of the city is 91.57% out of which, 95.05% are males and 87.33% are females.
Employment Opportunities
Navi Mumbai has a buzzing manufacturing activity in the state owned industrial estates. The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) areas in Taloja and Mahape have several SMEs. Taloja has several companies such as Asian Paints, Exide Batteries and Asahi Glass.
There are several IT/ITeS companies and software parks making their way into the satellite city such as Reliance group, Patni Computer Systems, TCS and Mastek. The next decade is expected to see a market domination by the IT/ITeS sector.
Most of the employment opportunities in the city is on the stretch of the Thane-Belapur road. The areas of Airoli, Mahape, Rabale, Turbhe, Vashi, Jui nagar and Belapur are locations that have ample office spaces and have good employment opportunities.
Connectivity
The Mumbai suburban railway is the most prominent mode of public transport in Navi Mumbai. This connects most regions of Navi Mumbai to the main city of Mumbai and Thane. The most important railway stations are Vashi, Belapur, Panvel and Nerul. Panvel is the only mainline station as well as the busiest railway station in Navi Mumbai. A new broad gauge line has been made functional between Panvel and Karjat. There are currently three express trains that use this line.
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) and Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) provide bus services throughout Navi Mumbai, Mumbai and other areas of Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). There are regular BEST AC Kinglong and NMMT AC Volvo buses running between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
Navi Mumbai has the most advanced port in India: Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Nhava Sheva near Uran industrial area. It is well connected to roads and handle about 65% of the country’s container traffic.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport is proposed in Kopra-Panvel area. This is expected to decongest the air traffic in Mumbai. The airport will be built through Public Private Partnership (PPP). The airport is expected to be completed in 2017.
Navi Mumbai civic administration
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) was formed in 1991 to maintain some of the developed nodes. Local self-government in Navi Mumbai started on January 1 1992. Under this, NMMC was handed nine of the total 25 nodes of Navi Mumbai project area. These nodes are Vashi, Nerul, CBD Belapur, Kopar Khairane, Turbhe, Airoli, Ghansoli, Sanpada and Digha. The municipal commissioner and a mayor head NMMC.
The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) was created on 17 March 1971 for developing and maintaining the city. When Navi Mumbai was created, CIDCO was the only authority that maintained and developed the city.
There are 64 electoral wards in Navi Mumbai. Each has an elected corporator.
All Localities in Navi Mumbai
| Mahape Rabale Shiravane Turbhe Apta Parsik Hill Khanda Colony Dronagiri Navade Khalapur Bonkode Shedung Ghansoli Ulwe Taloja New Panvel Panvel CBD Belapur Nerul | Kharghar Kalamboli Seawoods Kamothe Airoli Sanpada LOCALITY Khandeshwar Kopar Khairane Uran Vashi Rasayani Pen Mumbai Pune Express Highway Nhava Roadpali Palm Beach Road Juinagar | Karanjade sector 8A sector 11 Talavli savoli sector 26 Vashi Sector 19 Tembhode sector 50 sector 50 New sector 15 sector 19 (shahbaz village) sector 20 Sector 6 LOCALITY sector 7 Sector 10 ( Kopra) Sector 12 | sector 13 sector 20 Kharghar Sector 27 Kharghar sector 30 Kharghar sector 34 Kharghar Sector 35 Kharghar Sector 21 Kharghar Sector 15 Kharghar sector 19 Kharghar Sector 27 – Kharghar sector 36 Kamothe Sector 18 Kamothe Sector 21 Kamothe Sector 22 Kamothe Sector 25 Khandeshwar Sector 19 Ulwe Sector 21 Ulwe Sector 18 Ulwe Sector 17 Ulwe sector 5 Ulwe | Sector 02 Ulwe Sector 09 Ulwe LOCALITY Sector 08 Ulwe Vichumbe Palaspa Dighe Nevali Koproli Bonshet Garpoli Akurli Chouk Rohinjan Nilje Gaon Kalundre Shil Phata Chipale Shilottar Raichur Nere Usarli Khurd Valap Adai Umroli Chirle Ranjanpada Dhansar |
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