TOCICO

This presentation describes the role of sales management as managing your own sales (time management, negotiation skills, product/process learning, customer calls, closing skills, account profiling, etc.) or managing your people (sales force/sales operation) and the tasks of the sales force manager. The current belief that a good salesman equals a good sales manager is dispelled. The problem is that the sales manager focuses on the sales, not the sales operation and the sales process is an island in the company. The traditional approach to sales management is described as mission impossible. The systematic approach of TOC applied to the sales process consists of applying the five focusing steps to the selling process of selection, qualification, needs assessment, letter of understanding, presentation demo, solution proposal and technical check, production demo, quotation submission, negotiation, and closing. The sales funnel concept is outlined and an example provided illustrating the traditional approach and the TOC approach. Approaches to improving the steps are provided considering that step is the constraint. The focus of this presentation is on shortening the sales cycle or making the constraint more efficient with TOC. The problems of multitasking are illustrated. Reasons for the end-of-quarter syndrome are provided. The prospect-to-order chain (and steps) and the prospect-to-cash chain (and steps) are described and illustrated using the five focusing steps.