Disscuss the Importance of Training and Developing the Sales Force?
DISSCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPING THE SALES FORCE?
1.1 INTRODUCTION
According to Dr Breeze, 2004 good training is the beginning, not the end. Many new employees come equipped with most of the knowledge and skills to start work. Others may require extensive training and development before getting ready to make much of a contribution to the organization. A majority, however, will at one time or another require some type of training or development activity in order to maintain an effective level of job performance (Nankervis, Compton and Baird, 2005).
Sales Creators has provided sales training nationwide for over three decades (Sales Creators, 1997).
1.2 WHAT IS TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
Training maybe defined as any procedure initiated by an organization to foster learning among organizational members (Nankervis, Compton and Baird, 2005).
Development is a more general term and goes beyond educating employees for a specific position, whether present or future. Development programs prepare employees with learning which will allow them to grow individually alongside the organization itself (Nankervis, Compton and Baird, 2005).
Development is a broad, ongoing multi-faceted set of activities (training activities among them) to bring someone or an organization up to another threshold of performance, often to perform some job or new role in the future (McNamara, 1999).
1.3 STEPS OF TRAINING
The sales training method is depicted as six interrelated steps: assess training needs, set training objectives, evaluate training alternatives, design the sales training program, perform sales training and conduct follow-up and evolutions (Ingram, LaForge, Avila, Schwepker Jr and Williams, 2003). Training, like any other HR function, should be evaluated to determine its effectiveness (Nankervis, Compton and Baird, 2005). Please refer to appendix A.
1.4 TRAINING METHODS
Training methods can be classified into different categories, namely a few:
1.
1.1 INTRODUCTION
According to Dr Breeze, 2004 good training is the beginning, not the end. Many new employees come equipped with most of the knowledge and skills to start work. Others may require extensive training and development before getting ready to make much of a contribution to the organization. A majority, however, will at one time or another require some type of training or development activity in order to maintain an effective level of job performance (Nankervis, Compton and Baird, 2005).
Sales Creators has provided sales training nationwide for over three decades (Sales Creators, 1997).
1.2 WHAT IS TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
Training maybe defined as any procedure initiated by an organization to foster learning among organizational members (Nankervis, Compton and Baird, 2005).
Development is a more general term and goes beyond educating employees for a specific position, whether present or future. Development programs prepare employees with learning which will allow them to grow individually alongside the organization itself (Nankervis, Compton and Baird, 2005).
Development is a broad, ongoing multi-faceted set of activities (training activities among them) to bring someone or an organization up to another threshold of performance, often to perform some job or new role in the future (McNamara, 1999).
1.3 STEPS OF TRAINING
The sales training method is depicted as six interrelated steps: assess training needs, set training objectives, evaluate training alternatives, design the sales training program, perform sales training and conduct follow-up and evolutions (Ingram, LaForge, Avila, Schwepker Jr and Williams, 2003). Training, like any other HR function, should be evaluated to determine its effectiveness (Nankervis, Compton and Baird, 2005). Please refer to appendix A.
1.4 TRAINING METHODS
Training methods can be classified into different categories, namely a few:
1.
References: Cohen. D. J (1990) "What motivates trainees" Training & Development Journals, vol 44, p 91 - 93 Dr Breeze. F (2004) "Advantages to TLS ' Training Solutions: Provide districts with professional development planning guidance with a unique focus on change", Technology Learning Solutions, 08/01/06 Inchttp://www.tlstraining.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=default&page=2.0 Ingram. T. N, LaForge. R. W ,Avila. R. A ,Schwepker Jr. C. H and Williams. M . R (2003) Sales Management :Analysis and Decision Making, 5th Edition, Thomson McNamara. C (1999) Employee Training and Development: Reasons and Benefits, 11/01/2006 http://www.managementhelp.org/trng_dev/basics/reasons.htm Nankervis. A, Compton. R, Baird. M (2005) Human Resource Management: Strategies and processes, 5th edition, Thomson Reese. S (2002) Increasing Sales Force Productivity, Chief Learning Officer: Solutions for enterprise productivity, 09/01/2006 http://www.clomedia.com/content/templates/clo_feature_hc.asp?articleid=12&zoneid=24 Sales Creators (1997) Does your company develop employees that excel? 08/01/06 http://www.salescreators.com/Section2/training.html Sosbe. T (2002) Linking education and Sales success, Chief Learning Officer: Solutions for enterprise productivity, 09/01/06 http://www.clomedia.com/content/templates/clo_article.asp?articleid=20&zoneid=81