Development and implementation issues for managing sales performance

The research project concentrates on the issues which a host organisation faces, in developing and implementing an efficient and cost-effective conceptual framework for measuring and managing sales performance in the automotive retail sector. Sales performance is a critical and main issue for an organisation in order to achieve its strategic objectives, by translating the results into action and monitoring the process. Due to the global financial crisis, organisations experience an economic downturn. This makes the use of a standard framework which can support their derived action plans of vital importance. This framework would aim to offer a holistic view of the sales performance with accurate results. A review of the literature provided extensive information and analysis of the different models and frameworks that could be identified and used in performance measurement literature. In addition, it provided an evaluation of the existing documentary and practices of the host organisation regarding performance measurement. As, a result, the needs for the development of an improved framework were identified. The proposed methodology was based on the integration of three frameworks, namely the SWOT Analysis, Balanced Score Card and Internal procedures as part of a performance management system. The research indicated that it is essential to synthesise and extend the existing models and frameworks with the aim to produce the most suitable conceptual framework based on the size, kind, and available resources of the organisation. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis, this project provides evidence, which indicates the successful application of measuring and managing sales performance techniques through the use of reports, training communication capabilities and presentation skills. It creates a new political and organisational challenge for the staff of the organisation, which in its turn had to learn to interact fast and effectively in order to achieve their targets. It considers the external and internal influences impacting on a sales organisation and how the management team and staff can offer an actively sought process to monitor business performance on an on-going basis and to generate recommendations for changes. The research indicates that the proposed framework connects the measurement results with the derived action plans following a continuing improvement approach. The project has not only a theoretical approach but it also focuses on the implementation process. The proposed framework was developed in the host organisation with a step by step methodology establishing a reporting analysis tool. It concludes by the realisation that specific processes are required to implement the sales performance reporting analysis tool.