Sales Management issues at BiolabIf we take the evidence available in the case study at face value then Biolab presents as an organisation with less than ideal processes in relation to sales management.Due to the word count limitations I have chosen to concentrate on the following sales management issues identified in the case. Recruitment
Considering that to most customers and prospects the salespeople are the company, recruiting the right people is one of the most important decisions that can be made (Hair et al, 2009). Combine this with the high cost of the recruitment process that comes from maintaining recruitment teams, placing recruitment ads and other ancillary costs and we can see it’s critically important that the company has a process in place that maximises the probability of hiring the best candidate.Issues appear with Biolabs recruitment of both the junior salespeople, “… the sales rep’ basic motivational structure is pretty well set when we hire them. If they’re lazy, we’re not going to be able to change it.”Also in the current position of Dobbs herself – it’s important to remember that while Biolab, and Dobbs’ supervisor Simpson have given her the responsibilities of a sales manager, she isn’t a sales manager. Nor is it clear that she was recruited to the current supervisory role she is undertaking, rather than simply being appointed.Biolab has hired five new sales people. Dobbs tells us that she wasn’t responsible for the hiring of the junior sales reps that she has in her team. Hiring the right staff is one of the most important responsibilities for a sales manager (Hair et al, 2009). Neither is she qualified to be their sales manager. Biolab have not actively trained her to take on the role of sales manager, but have appointed her to the position and all the responsibility it entails.LeadershipWilkinson (2009) identifies Leadership as a key attribute required in a sales manager. At it simplest definition…