Designing and Redesigning the Sales Force in Today’s Changing World

The success of any company depends on its ability to acquire and retain customers. Sales forces are particularly good at helping a company accomplish this in many ways. For example, salespeople sell complex products and solutions into large key accounts with a high degree of control over the sales process. Salespeople provide two-way communication and social interaction with customers; they listen, assess needs, provide solutions, reduce complexity, handle objections, create value, and provide long-term continuing service. Salespeople are flexible; they can customize the product offering and message to a specific customer’s needs and buying process, they can smooth out rocky relationships, work cooperatively with other selling partners, and engender customer loyalty. Because of their close, personal relationship with customers, salespeople are an important information gathering resource for the firm.