Consulting

STEPHEN M. ROSS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Fall 2006

M310: Management of Sales Operations

Follett Carter

E-mail: follett@umich.edu

Phone: (415)336-8622 M

(734)222-0089 H

Class hours: Wednesdays, 7:00-10:00pm, Ann Arbor Room E1530

Office Hours: before and/or after class by appointment

Conference calls also possible

Course Materials: Text, readings and case packet

Text:

Management of a Sales Force 11th Edition

Spiro, Stanton, Rich

McGraw Hill Irwin

ISBN: 0-07-239887-6

Course Description

M310 focuses on the selling organization. In a competitive world, having a good sales team is crucial - there's no point in having a great product if you cannot sell it! The sales force generates the revenue that enables the operation of a company. The course begins with the discussion of the selling process and the characteristics of successful sales representatives. It then addresses the key elements to consider in building a sales management structure and the operations of the structures elements. Specific topics include: recruiting strategies, sales training requirements, sales organization and management structures, sales territory creation, compensation plans, motivation elements, quota, sales forecasting, sales process, sales force automation and leadership skills. During the fifteen week course outside speakers are used to bring a current business perspective to class discussions. Case studies and problem exercises will also be used extensively to expand discussions. In addition in order to provide a broad view of many different sales operations problems, the class will be divided into sales management teams with each team assigned to an existing company VP of Sales. These teams will work with that executive via telephone to understand the company’s business model, their financial performance, their competition, their sales organization and specific sales components such as territories, sales process...