Sales Force Solutions
| Sales forces are unique. As such, unique and highly customized solutions are required to direct, organize and motivate a sales force to achieve high levels of success and productivity.
Wilkening & Company has spent over twenty years working with clients to improve sales effectiveness, and during that time has worked with scores of sales forces and interviewed or surveyed thousands of sales reps. |
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Productivity Strategies
American industry has aggressively addressed the productivity of manufacturing and clerical employees during the last two decades. However, the productivity of sales forces is only now drawing the attention it deserves. Wilkening & Company has found as the result of client assignments a typical sales force can improve its productivity by 15% or better with the application of resource allocation and technology tools.
Wilkening & Company focuses on two areas to improve the productivity and effectiveness of the sales force.
Sales Territory Design
Wilkening & Company has developed proven methods and techniques to help clients evaluate current sales territories and redesign these territories, as needed. The process uses proprietary software (Sales Atlas®) and geographic information system technology, combined with a simple and interactive sales planning technique which involves the entire sales force. A detailed description of this process is included as Chapter 6 of the ESRI publication called GIS Means Business. To learn more or purchase a copy, contact ESRI at online book store.
For actual Wilkening & Company experiences, see case studies.
Wilkening & Company through Wilkening Geographics, also offers a unique and comprehensive follow-up service which allows sales forces and sales management to monitor the progress of each sales rep in terms of:
- Calls made;
- To whom the calls are made;
- To whom calls are not being made;
- Progress versus monthly and annual sales or call plans.
The information is displayed in summary and detailed formats and provides follow-up to assure sales plans created during territory alignment are met. For an example of a sample report page down.
Sales Force Automation Solutions
Technology will increasingly drive and mold selling during the coming decade. Just as technology was applied to manufacturing and distribution in the past, similar tools will be applied to selling processes to improve productivity of the sales force and improve the effectiveness of selling.
Sales force automation (SFA) tools abound in the market today, and most potential users see the decision as: Which software should we buy? In reality, the issues to address are much more complex than software features.
Wilkening & Company believes the real issues is to decide what type of sales process the company needs to succeed in the future, and then use technology in the form of hardware, software and connectivity networks to support the selling process of the future. Our approach is much more basic than software selection.
Sales Force Compensation
Wilkening & Company has conducted over 60 sales force compensation engagements in a broad spectrum of industries. Our approach to sales force pay systems is to build a solid foundation of:
- A clearly articulated business strategy (What do we want to do?)
- A clear understanding of the sales force's role in implementing strategy (What do we want them to do?) and
- A definition of the profile of a successful sales rep. Do they need to be entrepreneurs, consultants, or detailers? (What will motivate the sales forces?)
Wilkening & Company conducts a highly-rated seminar at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Executive Education twice a year entitled: How to Compensate your Sales Force. To learn more, contact University of Wisconsin-Madison Executive Education.
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