Sales Force Management

Abstract

Sales training is considered critical in a marketing organization because it improves “sales competencies such as creativity in the sales process, problem solving, ethical decision making, and effective listening skills.”1 According to scholars such as Attia, Honeycutt, and Leach,2 sales force training improves the effectiveness of marketing strategies, specifically to achieve higher sales and consumer satisfaction. Leach and Liu3 report that effective sales training programs improve organizational commitment, sales performance, and customer relations. Studies have assessed the influence of training from the perspectives of both buyers and sellers to get 360-degree feedback.4 However, previous sales management studies have not explored how training influences knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors of both the sales force and consumers, attributes that are at the core of a consumer persuasion process. We contribute to the sales force training literature by exploring these influences using Donald Kirkpatrick’s model5 for evaluating the effectiveness of sales training. Kirkpatrick’s model recommends carrying out the process in four steps: at level 1 (the reactions stage), trainees provide information on how much they like and comprehend the training program. Level 2 (the learning stage) entails assessment of the skills and knowledge trainees have acquired and how their attitude toward the subject matter has changed. Level 3 (the transfer stage) emphasizes ascertaining whether trainees’ changes in knowledge and attitude transfer to change in sales behavior. Level 4 (the results stage) measures change in sales and consumer performance as a result of sales training.