Abstract
Today’s organisation competes in a fast-moving global marketplace. With
technological developments, global communications and demanding customers
driving increased competition in most sectors, organisations cannot afford to
stand still for long (Holbeche, 2004:32). They exist only when their products and
services are sold, and salespeople are usually one of the most important
elements of making this happen. Organisations’ fiscal health depends on their
ability to drive revenue, but without mastering sales management, revenue can
quickly decline. Salespeople need to concentrate on sales, not on
responsibilities that pull them in different directions (Bailor, 2004:53). According
to Clarke (1998:29), for any company to succeed, the various departments must
co-ordinate their efforts and work together. The sales team relies on other
departments for support; without sales every other department is worthless.
The method of selling has also changed and the days of salespeople carrying
briefcases overstuffed with brochures and knocking on every door they can find
to drum up interest in their organisations’ products are waning. Today’s
professional salespeople co-ordinate the resources of their companies to help
solve customers’ problems (Weitz et al, 2004:5).
For organisations to succeed in this new environment the right organisational
climate is vital to create high performance. This is about making the most of
employee talents and accountabilities, and managing performance in ways which
unleash, rather than constrain, employee potential (Holbeche, 2004:32).
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The Long Term Insurance Industry in South Africa had to deal with the changing
environment and the introduction of the Financial Advisor Intermediary Service
Act of 2002 (FAIS).
The traditional principles of successful sales are being challenged in a changing
South African insurance industry. Sales managers must rethink their
philosophies as the Financial Advisory Intermediary Act (37/2002) regulates the
rendering of certain financial advisory and intermediary services to clients and
provides for matters incidental thereto. Sales managers can no longer simply
motivate financial advisors to achieve targets but should also ensure that all new
business is compliant and falls within the new legislation.
According to Natenberg (2004:1), sales managers must have a purpose to cope
with the added challenges and demands because success comes from purpose.
Until a sales manager or financial advisor recognises what needs to be
accomplished, there will be a lack of motivation necessary to accomplish
anything. Financial advisors burn out easily because they cannot visualise the
pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Everyone wants a driven, highperformance
sales team. However, not all sales leaders know how to achieve
that. The problem could be motivation.
Many sales managers see money as the answer to their motivational problem but
money is not everything. For all their commitment to keep salespeople inspired,
sales managers would do well to stop and consider the simple things their
financial advisors desire. Only then might sales managers be able to craft
programmes or work situations in which sales people can thrive (Gilbert,
2003:30).
“Too often people let life pass them by. They try hard to achieve something, but
when they do, they ask, “Is this all there is to it?” That is because they never
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take a moment to enjoy how monumental their achievements are. When you
accomplish what you set out to do, be proud” (Natenberg, 2004:1).
Prof. Chris Jooste