Who trains salespeople?: The role of sales trainers and sales managers

Abstract

This study examines the roles played by sales managers and sales trainers in the sales training process. Findings confirm that joint participation by sales managers and trainers in sales training is higher today than in the past, yet several problem areas still exist. Sales trainers claimed to be primarily responsible for sales training in large companies, but did not seek inputs from field sales managers when planning, conducting, and evaluating training programs. In smaller firms, sales managers are almost totally responsible for sales training. However, they conduct little evaluation and follow-up activities. The implications of these findings are discussed, and suggestions for managerial actions are provided.