Sales Control

Sales co-ordination and sales controlling including sales expense control
Sales co-ordination goes hand in hand with sales control. The sales executives have the responsibility for co-ordinating the different elements of the selling efforts. He should ensure that the various elements do not pull in different direction.

It is through sales control that the sales executive ensures that all the personnel selling objectives of the firm are achieved. Sales control also helps him to ensure that the sales goals are properly aligned with the other goals of the firm. Even in online business sales control is very much important factor. Online blinds store who are selling roller shades and woven wood shades, for them sales control is very much important factor.

Methods of sales control:
Sales managers use both formal and informal control methods in exercising sales control. The more common one among the methods of sales control are as follows:

a) Sales targets and sales reports
b) Sales expenditure budget and expenditure reports
c) Travel plan and tour reports
d) Watching the salesman in the field
e) Information gathered from dealers and major customers.
f) Inspection of depots/warehouse
g) Sales conferences.

In our next post we will discuss on some important part of sales force management and which is Sales Organization and sales promotion.

Sales report

Today we are going to discuss on Sales Report and user of sales reports and types of sales reports. The fundamental purpose of sales reports is to provide control information. Good communications require interaction between those preparing and those receiving reports. A good sales reporting system provides both for communication from field to headquarters and from headquarter to the field. Field sales reports provide sales management with a basis for discussion with sales personnel and it helps to the sales personnel in their self-improvement programs.

Uses of sales reports:
a) Sales reports provide data for evaluating performance.
b) Helps to plan the activity to the salesman.
c) Helps to record the customers suggestions and complaints, about products, service policies, price changes advertising campaigns etc.
d) Helps to gather information on competitors activities.
e) Helps to report changes in local business and economic conditions.
f) To keep the mailing list updated for promotional and catalog materials.
g) To provide information required by marketing research.

Types of sales report:
a) Progress or call report
b) Expense report
c) Sales work plan
d) New business or potential new business report
e) Report of complaint and/or adjustments