| This study contributes to sales management research by reviewing the literature about sales training and coaching, and exploring the importance of doing needs assessments for training. In addition, the researcher draws conclusions and makes recommendations about training sales managers. The study's problem was to examine the importance of needs assessments for training sales managers at tire dealers. By using a test to address the problem the researcher assessed a group of sales managers at a tire dealer. The instrument used was able to quantitatively measure the respondents' knowledge about sales strategies, including Prospecting, First impression, Qualifying, Demonstration, Influence, Close, and General. Analyses for each strategy were used to identify the training needs of all the sales managers as well as the subgroups of retail and commercial sales managers. The data show that all three groups have significant weaknesses in Prospecting and First Impression, and slight or significant weaknesses in Demonstration and Close, Retail sales managers have a significantly weaker understanding of Prospecting than commercial sales managers do. Furthermore, although the difference is slight, commercial sales managers have a better understanding of the six steps in the personal selling process, compared with retail sales managers. Needs assessments can improve the quality of training by focusing efforts in the areas in which sales managers have the most significant weaknesses. This study shows that all sales managers at tire dealers would benefit from attending training programs about Prospecting and First impression, and to a lesser extent, Demonstration and Close. In implementing comprehensive training programs for sales managers, the researcher recommends using the following model: (a) Assessing, (b) Training, (c) Coaching, and (d) Applying (ATCA). The ATCA model can increase sales productivity by encouraging sales managers to apply their training in the field with their salespeople, using a coaching approach. The data indicate that needs assessments are highly valuable in developing sales training programs for sales managers. |
