Este estudo abordou os esforços dos fabricantes para influenciar o comportamento dos vendedores do canal de distribuição e revelou uma ferramenta de influência motivadora: a identificação. A partir de uma survey com 147 vendedores, este estudo explora o alinhamento dos sistemas de controle de vendas do canal de distribuição com o fabricante e a identificação, e os seus impactos na performance de vendas do fabricante. Este estudo também analisa os comportamentos positivos como consequência da identificação. A partir de análise de equações estruturais, os resultados demonstram que tanto a adesão do canal a sistemas de controle do fabricante e a identificação influenciam positivamente os resultados de vendas do fabricante, como também demonstram que a identificação gera comportamentos positivos do canal de distribuição, a favor da marca do fabricante, e com isso uma maior promoção da mesma. No entanto, os resultados não foram conclusivos em relação ao impacto destes comportamentos positivos nos resultados de vendas do fabricante. Adicionalmente, a identificação gera maior performance de vendas para o fabricante quando há um maior alinhamento dos sistemas de controle de vendas. Estes resultados sugerem que os fornecedores podem exercer influência sobre a força de vendas de canal de distribuição através do reforço da ligação psicológica entre as suas marcas e os vendedores do canal de distribuição. / This study addressed the efforts of manufacturers to influence the behavior of the sales makers of the distribution channel and revealed a motivating influence: identification. From a survey with 147 distribution channel sales makers, this study analyses the impact of manufacturer-channel member control systems alignment and identification, on manufacturer’s performance. This study also examines the positive behaviors as a consequence of identification. From analysis of structural equations, the results demonstrate that both the adherence to manufacturer control systems and identification positively influence the manufacturer sales performance, and also demonstrate that identification generates positive behaviors of the distribution channel in support of the manufacturer's brand. However, the results were inconclusive regarding the impact of these positive behaviors on manufacturer’s sales performance. In addition, identification generates greater sales performance for the manufacturer when there is a greater alignment of manufacturer-channel sales control systems. This results suggests that suppliers can exercise influence over the channel sales force by strengthening the psychological connection between its brands and channel sales personnel.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Aleksan Shanoyan / In recent years across the United States, product sales have seen a downward trend when compared to the robust sales figures posted around the 2010 time period across the major players in the product manufacturing space. Due to depressed commodity prices, large product sales have caused a lot of the dealers to shift in its prioritization of sales from a predominant large product business model, to a more diverse large product and small product strategy portfolio to stay profitable amidst economic headwinds. This study will look into ways that the Company A dealer channel could pivot their internal processes around targeting customers who are engaged in the purchase funnel of purchasing small products and how Company A could change the way the company equips their trusted dealer channel to combat competition in this segment. This study will examine new strategies that may be executed through the Company A dealer network and their subsequent retail showrooms to increase sales by focusing on key product differentiating characteristics, unique technical selling points, dealer facility positioning in high potential Metropolitan Statistical Areas, and new retail digital marketing technologies that should be leveraged throughout the sales process to improve market share. Company B is considered to be the primary rival competitor in this small product market, as this firm is one of the fiercest competitors to Company A’s quest for total product sales superiority. This study conducted a mixed method survey to ascertain what areas of marketing and promotional assistance should be prioritized by Company A, to outfit the company’s existing dealer channel with the right tools to combat Company B and other competitors in the U.S. small product market. Additionally new retail showroom technologies and strategies were based upon existing market research studies, focused on which customer’s and product characteristics were the most impactful for positively impacting small product sales in the United States.

The success of any retail institution depends upon many factors including personal selling effectiveness. Traditional sales training has focused primarily on the selling process with emphasis on how to close a sale. The idea of using behavioral style awareness training with salespeople has emerged only recently when behavioral training began to be recognized in the literature as a tool for sales training as well as for management training. The Social Style of Behavior concept developed by Dr. David Merrill was selected for use in this research study. Utilizing this concept, a behavioral style awareness training program was developed involving twenty hours of classroom training. Training methods used were lecture, role play, and videotaped materials with emphasis on behavioral identification and using versatility with applications to personal selling in a retail situation.

Este estudo abordou os esforços dos fabricantes para influenciar o comportamento dos vendedores do canal de distribuição e revelou uma ferramenta de influência motivadora: a identificação. A partir de uma survey com 147 vendedores, este estudo explora o alinhamento dos sistemas de controle de vendas do canal de distribuição com o fabricante e a identificação, e os seus impactos na performance de vendas do fabricante. Este estudo também analisa os comportamentos positivos como consequência da identificação. A partir de análise de equações estruturais, os resultados demonstram que tanto a adesão do canal a sistemas de controle do fabricante e a identificação influenciam positivamente os resultados de vendas do fabricante, como também demonstram que a identificação gera comportamentos positivos do canal de distribuição, a favor da marca do fabricante, e com isso uma maior promoção da mesma. No entanto, os resultados não foram conclusivos em relação ao impacto destes comportamentos positivos nos resultados de vendas do fabricante. Adicionalmente, a identificação gera maior performance de vendas para o fabricante quando há um maior alinhamento dos sistemas de controle de vendas. Estes resultados sugerem que os fornecedores podem exercer influência sobre a força de vendas de canal de distribuição através do reforço da ligação psicológica entre as suas marcas e os vendedores do canal de distribuição. / This study addressed the efforts of manufacturers to influence the behavior of the sales makers of the distribution channel and revealed a motivating influence: identification. From a survey with 147 distribution channel sales makers, this study analyses the impact of manufacturer-channel member control systems alignment and identification, on manufacturer’s performance. This study also examines the positive behaviors as a consequence of identification. From analysis of structural equations, the results demonstrate that both the adherence to manufacturer control systems and identification positively influence the manufacturer sales performance, and also demonstrate that identification generates positive behaviors of the distribution channel in support of the manufacturer's brand. However, the results were inconclusive regarding the impact of these positive behaviors on manufacturer’s sales performance. In addition, identification generates greater sales performance for the manufacturer when there is a greater alignment of manufacturer-channel sales control systems. This results suggests that suppliers can exercise influence over the channel sales force by strengthening the psychological connection between its brands and channel sales personnel.

In general, scholars and practitioners agree that sales coaching enhances sales performance. Sales firms continue to invest billions of dollars towards coaching endeavors. However, despite the positive benefits of sales coaching, the fact is that most sales coaches are ineffective. In three essays, this dissertation aims to offer insight that will help companies and coaching programs improve the effectiveness of their sales coaches. The first essay explores the sales coaching process and how it is affected by factors related to the sales manager (coach) and the salesperson (coachee). Using in-depth interviews, we identified various skills, behaviors, and abilities that reflect the overall effectiveness of the sales manager as a coach, as well as gained a better understanding of how effective sales coach indirectly affects a salesperson’s performance. We also identified different behaviors, preferences, and characteristics related to the salesperson that affect the sales coaching process. The second essay is focused on the development and validation of a sales coaching effectiveness scale (SCES). We identified, measured and validated a three-factor, 16-item scale that reflect dimensions of effective sales coaches: involvement, rapport, and adaptability. The SCES scale is distinguished from previous coaching scales that were designed and validated in non-coaching contexts. The SCES scale offers benefits to practitioners and academics. The third essay is focused on measuring how effective sales coaches affect sales performance. Drawing on self-determination theory, we proposed a dual-process model in which effective sales coaches influence performance through motivation and through sales development. One, the results suggested that effective sales coaches intrinsically (versus extrinsically) motivate salespeople to exert extra effort towards selling, which increases their overall sales performance. Two, the results suggested that effective sales coaches enhance the selling confidence among salespeople, which allows them to adapt their selling behaviors to various selling situations and buyers, thus increasing their overall sales performance.

The subject of this thesis is the electronic registration of sales and its efects on reducing the grey economy in the Czech republic. The electronic registration of sales is a system designed to ensure that entrepreneurs selling goods or services in return for cash report every instance of such transaction directly to the tax authority so opportunities for tax evasion are significantly reduced. FIK, a code unique to every transaction that serves as a proof that the report has been done is subsequently sent back and receipt for transaction with FIK included is issued to the customer who can check, using special internet aplication, whether transaction has been in deed reported. The work is divided into five chapters. The first one describes accounting and similar systems that record information needed to administration of taxes. The next chapter describes occasions when issuing invoices not related to electronic evidence of sales is required. The third chapter analyses the Registration of Sales Act which introduces the electronic evidence of sales into Czech law. This chapter is further divided into seventeen subchapters focused on the most important provisions of the act, for example those setting out exactly what transactions are required to be reported, what are the details of the receipt and the rules of...

Understanding how technology usage influences performance in the inside sales industry has become an important issue for practitioners. Yet, there is a dearth of literature in this area. Inside sales are sales that are performed remotely using the phone or Internet technologies. Leads (i.e., potential customers) are the life-blood of any inside sales setting, and their effective management is crucial for business success. Lead management systems are information technology (IT) tools designed to automate and support effective lead management. This study developed a conceptual model based on the Technology-Task-Fit (TTF) theory, capturing the impact of lead management systems on inside sales performance through the following mediating mechanisms: task characteristics (call productivity and effort on lead follow-up), selling behaviour (adaptive selling) and salesperson characteristics (salesperson’s competency). To validate this model, we conducted an empirical study with 108 responses collected from sales managers and decision makers. Using PLS-SEM for the analysis, our findings show that the use of lead management systems affects inside sales performance via improving salespeople’s adaptive selling, effort on lead follow-up and competency. The findings of this study contributes to the inside sales literature, and also educate practitioners of the key enablers of inside sales performance and technology usage approaches to the inside sales process.

This work is related to design of eWay-CRM pre-sales methodology. It is based on world and domestic available approaches and existing models in eWay System, s.r.o.

Historically, in sale of goods transactions, the law has implied terms in the contract. These terms have varied in their content and application and have been subject to change. The implied terms concerning the quality of goods sold and their fitness for particular uses are considered in this thesis. The provisions of the common law in Scotland and England are examined historically, developmentally and comparatively, and the application of the English approach in Canada is noted. The effect on the common law of statutory provisions is then considered: first in Britain, and then in the adoption of the statutes in Canada. The content of the statutory provisions, their interpretation and amendment, and the criticisms of their operation, are reviewed. It becomes apparent that, in both Britain and Canada, these provisions have been the subject of criticism from various quarters. The precise meaning of the terms, their application in consumer and non-consumer contracts, their suitability to the variety of types of goods sold and the remedies available in cases of dispute, have all been questioned. The effect of this, in leading to calls for reform in Britain and Canada, is then examined. The work of the various law reform bodies and their proposals are considered from both the historical perspective and comparatively. It is concluded that, if the proposals for reform are fully implemented, they will provide a workable framework for modern conditions. Nonetheless, it is submitted that such a position could have been reached by the development of Scots common law. / Law, Peter A. Allard School of / Graduate

Business-to-business (B2B) organizations are facing challenges related to complex sales cycles and increasing competition, resulting in more value-driven sales processes and a holistic ecosystem for the B2B marketplace. Recent studies have acknowledged the lack of research on inside sales and sales development in B2B organizations. Scholars point at the increasing importance of inside sales due to changes in the environment and increasing customer demands, which has resulted in the development of digital sales processes within companies. In this study, we have examined the early phase of the sales process referred to as customer acquisition, which is an important part for companies to do business and be profitable over time. In customer acquisition, lead generation and lead management are two central phenomena including generating potential customers and managing them in an adequate way. In this study, where we are writing on commission for Tele2 IoT, our aim was to develop recommendations for how they can improve their conversion rate and sales performance by asking; “How can B2B companies work with sales development processes and lead generation to improve their sales performance?” Based on a literature review of previous studies on sales processes, Internet of Things, and content marketing, we developed an exploratory and qualitative research design, where data was collected through twelve semi-structured interviews with respondents from the case company. Our empirical findings present how the development of a separate unit for Sales Development in Tele2 IoT can be a solution for handling the current challenges for lead generation and lead management. A dedicated Sales Development Representative (SDR) can be responsible for the early phase of the sales process before a Sales Manager takes over. This would include responsibility for lead generation, qualification, and follow-up to ensure that the qualified leads are timely managed. We demonstrate a model that conceptualizes how companies in a highly competitive business environment can initiate a dedicated function working with customer acquisition practices, which we refer to as Sales Development. In our model, we emphasize how three different channels for attracting and managing leads must be considered: 1) outbound lead generation, 2) inbound lead generation and 3) marketing automated lead generation, to improve sales performance. Based on these findings, we propose iterative customer acquisition processes where communication, documentation and cooperation are at its core. Finally, we propose a framework with reflective questions for managers and organizations to take into consideration when implementing Sales Development into their business. The study primarily contributes to the scarce research field of inside sales, where we encourage practitioners and academia to apply our model and utilize quantitative data measures to understand how a Sales Development configuration can improve lead generation within different industries.