What is a van project? Van Selling from the inside. A day in the life of a mobile sales agent. The ability to create and place an order in a matter of seconds

Any entrepreneur strives to increase his profits. Increasing sales is one way to achieve this goal. To increase sales volumes, marketing research is undertaken, exhibitions are organized, and solid advertising budgets are formed. However, the efforts may be in vain if an effective sales method is not found.

The van-selling method - trading from wheels - was developed by Western companies and adapted to the Ukrainian market several years ago. Currently, this is one of the most successful ways to sell everyday goods in Ukraine. Van-selling is practically the main method of promoting Procter & Gamble (P&G) products. In addition, it was P&G and Coca Cola that were the first to introduce van-selling in the Ukrainian market.

When preparing the material, MIR Expo turned for information to P&G employee Sergei Suprun, who has been implementing the van-selling program in Ukraine for several years. (Sergey Suprun, Branch Manager of Procter & Gamble, Ukraine).

When choosing a method for promoting goods, it is necessary to take into full account the specific market conditions of the region in which the company operates. Van-selling, as a way to promote goods, has proven itself very well in all countries of Eastern Europe, Turkey, China, and North Africa. What is common here is, firstly, a large number of small retail outlets (unlike developed countries, where super- and hypermarkets are more popular) and, secondly, the low standard of living of the population (low purchasing power of the consumer: not all owners of retail outlets traders can pay suppliers for goods on time and in full). Thus, a manufacturer (or supplier) of consumer goods needs to establish work with as many customers as possible and at the same time reduce the risk of non-payment as much as possible. Since the Ukrainian market fully possesses the above-mentioned characteristics, van-selling has proven itself well in our country.

Van-selling can provide a very high level of sales, but the method demonstrates the highest effectiveness when the entire complex of advertising and product promotion functions efficiently: effective advertising, a unified pricing policy for products. In addition, the ENTIRE assortment of the company's products must CONSTANTLY be on display in as many retail outlets as possible. At the same time, the product must be presented to the buyer in the best possible way - the product must occupy the most advantageous positions on the shelves.

Also, to effectively implement a van-selling program, it is necessary to establish close contact with each client. It is necessary to make sure that every seller WANTS to work with you and understands that you are doing a common cause. The relationship between sales representatives and clients is an important factor that significantly influences the success of a company's business. In each specific case, the company's ultimate goal is long-term cooperation, and not a one-time deal. You need to see the client as a partner. In addition, it is necessary to make him perceive himself the same way. This approach should extend to the smallest retailers - private traders, kiosks. They are the ones who most honestly and willingly cooperate with the Vans. True, it is quite difficult to find the real owner of the goods at the bazaar. But if this problem has been solved, then the contact will most likely be fruitful.

It is somewhat more difficult to establish relationships with stores, because many of them are willing to take the goods for sale, but when the time comes to pay, the enthusiasm usually disappears. The main thing in such a situation is to show firmness and patience. Over time, the store management itself will begin to pay the bills: by remaining a defaulter, you can lose all suppliers.

Trade from wheels
This is roughly how the phrase van-selling could be translated from English. Or literally: "selling from a truck."

From the name of the method itself, it is clear that the key element is a “van” - a car that is a hybrid of a minibus and a small truck, equipped with an on-board computer, a cash register and other necessary commercial equipment. The scheme of this sales system is as follows. Early in the morning, the van is loaded with goods, sales representatives take their seats in the car, and then the car cruise begins around the city's retail outlets (shops, kiosks). Negotiations are carried out directly on the spot, and if the client expresses a desire, the necessary documents are immediately drawn up and the goods are shipped. At the end of the working day, the crew returns to the warehouse, where recounting and preparation for the next day are carried out.

The main advantage of van selling is very high efficiency. The product does not sit in warehouses - it almost immediately ends up in the retail trade, and precisely in those retail outlets where its sales are most effective. The benefits from van selling are especially noticeable for companies producing (or selling) small fast-moving consumer goods: food, detergents, inexpensive perfumes, etc. Such goods quickly sell out, and It is necessary to replenish its stocks in the retail network very quickly. At the same time, the range of products can be anything: both fabulously wide and relatively small.

Van selling in action
There are few companies in Ukraine that use the described sales method. First of all, these are such Western giants producing consumer products as Procter & Gamble (P&G) and Coca-Cola. Van-selling is organized closest to the ideal scheme by P&G, whose products are directly sold by distributors. P&G strictly suppresses rivalry between its distributors, assigning each a specific area of ​​activity. (However, not all manufacturing companies have such a policy towards their distributors.) Such a distributor usually “develops” a specific region, although, if desired, it can compete with other distributors of the same company. In this case, everything depends on the position of the manufacturer (importer) of the product itself.

The distribution company divides its territory into sections. Each of these sections is assigned a “van”, in which a driver and a sales representative work. At first, the van team acts “blindly,” but over time, permanent partners appear and optimal routes are developed.

The route should be neither too short nor too long. In the first case, the van sits idle, in the second, a lot of time is spent on the road. It has been experimentally established that the maximum distance to the place of work should not exceed 100-150 km. This is the maximum distance that maintains profitability at the required level.

It is also important to accurately determine the ratio of the vehicle’s capacity and the size of the product lot. At P&G, for example, the “van” takes with it products with a small supply: about 1.5 - 2 days of work.

The key point is to observe the frequency of visits to regular partners: by the next visit of the van, the distributor should not have either a surplus or a shortage of certain types of products. In addition, when cyclicality is low, sales representatives from competing companies may steal the client.

Variations on a given theme
In Ukraine, van selling has not yet become widespread. In addition to P&G and Coca-Cola, Unilever and Colgate-Palmolive have seriously considered this scheme.

In each specific case of sales organization, slight deviations from the described “ideal” method are possible. For example, a Coca-Cola sales representative does not travel with a van, but visits the sales location in advance. Having established contact and agreed on the purchase of a batch of goods, he contacts the car, which then delivers the ordered products to the client.

Ukrainian manufacturers do not yet systematically use van selling, although many of them could. This sales method is ideal for companies like Obolon or Slavutich. In the regions, some distribution companies are trying to operate according to this scheme, but not always successfully. This is due to the fact that van selling can only work effectively if certain conditions are met.

This sales system requires quite a substantial initial investment, since it is necessary to purchase vehicles and equipment, recruit and train a large staff. You can, of course, try to save money at first and purchase cars with a small carrying capacity, not install mini-computers on vans, limit the size of the team, etc. But in this case, the teams will not be able to develop their territory well enough, which may also affect the results of their work.

Product is different
Not every small consumer product is mass-produced enough to be distributed using the van-selling method. For example, although this sales method worked well at P&G, it did not work so well at Max Factor. According to Natalya Vayda (Max Factor and P&G Cosmetics and Fragrances Branch Manager), the company made attempts to sell its products through a van-selling scheme, but did not have much success. The experiments were carried out not with the Max Factor brand, but with another, less widespread one - Oil of OLAZ. The reason for the failure lies in the specifics of the product itself. Max Factor and Oil of OLAZ are trademarks under which various cosmetics are sold. These are high-quality, but not cheap cosmetics. Such a product does not belong to the “essential” group. And van selling works best when selling consumer goods.

Small retail is an ideal environment for van selling. In Western Europe, where large stores that are part of retail chains predominate, this system works much worse. It is more profitable for the management of such chains to purchase goods in large wholesale with huge discounts, and then distribute them to retail outlets.

In Asia and Eastern Europe, the eastern (“bazaar”) type of trade predominates, so there is a wide range of potential clients for van selling.

About the art of managing
But even if all the necessary prerequisites exist for the successful application of the described sales method, this is not a guarantee that van selling will work. According to Sergei Suprun, it is necessary to pay attention to some points. Firstly, this is management. When starting van selling, a very clear organization of the work of teams of sales representatives is required: dividing the territory into sections, organizing the search and screening of customers, working out vehicle routes, organizing accounting and control of goods and documentation, and much more, which requires highly qualified and active company management. Over time, the circle of clients grows and the need arises to increase the number of teams. And if the management of the entire system is not sufficiently clear and thoughtful, then the coherence of the teams will be disrupted, misunderstandings will arise with partners, and even within the team itself, conflicts will be avoided.

Another circumstance that must be remembered is the level of professional training of employees. It is necessary to conduct regular training for staff. Moreover, it is important not only that sales representatives clearly know what, at what prices and with what discounts they sell, but also know how to properly conduct a dialogue with the client, and can draw up all the necessary documentation on site. The crew’s responsibilities also include merchandising - comprehensive design of a retail outlet with the company’s advertising and information products, displaying products on shelves, presenting new products to customers, and much more. Also, during work, non-standard situations may arise in which both the van driver and the sales representative must navigate instantly. Practice shows that the decisive role here is played by the crew’s ability to negotiate and find a reasonable compromise with both the client and the government representative.

Another factor that has a decisive influence on the success of vans is the degree of computerization of the enterprise. After all, both the crew and the company as a whole have to deal with a huge amount of information (a “van” can serve up to 30 clients a day), given the large amount of goods passing through the company’s warehouse. And effective analysis of the activities of a large number of teams of sales representatives with poor computer equipment is simply impossible. Therefore, leading companies equip every car with mini-computers. This makes it possible to quickly use all the necessary information about customers and products. In addition, the machines are equipped with printers, which allows you to print all the necessary documents (waybills, invoices) on site. Such equipment is not cheap, but it allows you to save time on paperwork and correcting errors, which completely pays off.

Formal side of the matter
But now the marketing research has been carried out, the territory for development has been outlined, and the entrepreneur is ready to launch a van selling vehicle. It’s not so simple: the formal side of the matter still needs to be settled. First, you need to register your vehicle fleet with the traffic police and create a transport service. Then don’t forget to get a retail trade patent, which, by the way, can be purchased at the place of registration of the business entity (such a patent must be available for each van included in the retail chain).

Don’t forget about cash, which many small clients use to pay. In this regard, the question arises: is it necessary to install electronic cash registers on vans? Ukrainian legislation requires settlements with consumers in retail trade only through EKKA. It is necessary to install EKKA on vans as well.

Some unpleasant nuances of van selling are associated with the use of cash registers. The first concerns the small memory capacity of EKKA. If a company’s product range includes dozens, or even hundreds, of items, and, in addition, there is a wide system of discounts, then it is simply impossible to fit this information into the memory of a cash register (P&G had to face this problem).

The second problem is mathematical. Typically, discounts are provided to customers as a percentage. When calculating, the division operation gives a remainder, which EKKA, contrary to the rules of arithmetic, always rounds up. A few extra “virtual” pennies appear per day. It would seem that who cares, but some government agencies treat such things more than harshly.

Of course, before launching the entire system, it is necessary to conduct a thorough analysis and spend a lot of money on preparation. But P&G’s many years of experience indicate that, despite all the difficulties, van selling remains an extremely effective sales method in the Ukrainian market.

Trading from wheels in the business world is called a ringing word Van Selling (van selling, literally “selling from a truck”). Until recently, I knew about it only by hearsay and imagined a broken down bus delivering books, cologne, stockings, and jewelry to villages.

I got to know the work of a mobile sales agent (“vanseller”) closely in Kaliningrad, where I flew to learn mobile trading automation system, developed by the System Technologies company and awarded the Handy Mobile Awards 2002 (awards.handy.ru) in the “Solutions for automation of mobile workers” category.

The TU-134 of the Kaliningrad Avia airline turned out to be very similar to an intercity bus - used cups behind the window curtains, passengers wandering around the cabin, not paying attention to the illuminated "Fasten seat belts" sign, mobile phones are not turned off. The unreality of the flight was intensified by the clouds of cold air blowing from the tubes above the seats - the cooling system was working. But after an hour and a half it was all over - the plane landed safely. Long live Kaliningrad Avia. Hello, Baltics.

I was offered to travel along one of the routes of the Baltic Business Group, the largest distributor of Philip Morris cigarettes in the Kaliningrad region, where the wheel sales system has been operating for more than three years. Every weekday, Ford Transit minibuses loaded with cigarettes leave the company's warehouses. Each of the fifteen machines is assigned to about a hundred retail outlets, and each “vanseller” fulfills from 30 to 50 orders daily. Such high labor productivity became possible thanks to the ST-Mobile Trade software and hardware complex. Instead of stacks of invoices, sales receipts and price lists, the machines are equipped with PocketPC-based pocket computers, Star DP8340 portable printers and portable cash registers. Six months ago, the company underwent a “re-equipment” - they switched to HP Jornada 568, but previously used Compaq Aero 1520 and Casio Cassiopeia EM-500.

The vanseller's working day begins with the receipt of a pocket computer, into which orders for the day have already been entered. On this very hot day for a Baltic city, I arrived at the company at 9 o’clock in the morning. The loading of cigarettes had already begun, and 20 minutes later our Ford set off along the route. Van Selling was beginning. Sergei, that’s the name of my forwarder and driver combined, had to deliver cigarettes to 32 retail outlets. He usually spends 6-7 hours on the route, driving 50-60 kilometers a day. Kaliningrad is a small city, but densely built up with tobacco and newspaper kiosks, grocery stores and tents. Today they are “our clients”.

We drive along the ancient cobblestone street through the old town to our first point. Kaliningrad is the former capital of East Prussia, ancient Königsberg, founded by the Crusaders in 1255. Sergei points out the sights along the way. Here stood the Royal Castle (destroyed by British bombers in 1944 and finally razed to the ground by the Soviet authorities in 1969) - in its place stands a monstrous unfinished building of either the former House of Soviets or the regional party committee. Here is the surviving Cathedral (“Look, there is the grave of the philosopher Kant”), and here is our first tobacco kiosk.

Sergey opens the protective cover of the Jornada and looks at the order - several LM and Optima blocks. Presses the “Print” button on the screen and places the computer on the seat in front of the infrared port connected to the printer. After a couple of seconds, an invoice crawls out of the printer like a thin snake, and in two copies at once. The kiosker pays for the goods immediately, so Sergei punches the cash receipt and carries it along with the goods and invoices to the tent. If payment is delayed, he records the debt in Jornada. A couple of minutes later he returns, marking the order for the next day as he goes. Everything took 5 minutes, but the order here was small, usually it takes from 7 to 15 minutes to process. Although it happens even faster. For example, at the station Sergei turned around in a minute and just accepted the order - to collect orders, the program provides the “ST-Pre-Order” module.

And so all day long, from point to point, past blue lakes in the suburbs and slums in the city center, past surviving bastions and old German quarters covered with centuries-old trees. We toured 32 points, and in the evening I felt proud of Giornada. It was mercilessly exploited in the heat for seven and a half hours (though without backlighting). Its body is scratched on all sides, and the screen is worn in several places almost to the point of holes, but it still works! A real means of production, it’s not like reading books on the subway :) According to Sergei, he cannot imagine his work without a pocket computer. “Before, I would not have stopped by some places to sell them two cartons of cigarettes, I would have waited and collected a larger order. But with our order processing system, I spend so little time on this that I can serve small orders. This way money turns around much faster, both we and our clients understand this. It's beneficial for everyone."

We returned to the base half an hour before the heavy downpour, recorded the mileage traveled in Giornada, printed out the cash report, grabbed the proceeds and went to the office. They took our Jornada, synchronized it with 1C and put it on charge. By the way, charging the standard battery was enough for a working day. And if you add a reinforced battery or take with you a charging cable from the cigarette lighter, then you can trade from your wheels all day long :).

There were some oddities too. They forgot to order us a pass to the port. The stern duty officer at the checkpoint called the port store and made sure that we were going to our destination. But she still demanded an invoice. You should have seen her eyes and the bewilderment on her face when Sergei printed out the invoice in a minute, slapped the seal and handed her the finished document. The barrier rose incredulously.

And one more sketch. Three o'clock in the afternoon. The station square is flooded with sun. Temperature 35 Celsius. The asphalt is melting. We served two tents in ten minutes. And nearby there was a Toyota car, which brought chips and some other food. How the driver sweated, literally and figuratively, writing out invoices with a wet hand and recording the saleswomen’s wishes in a school notebook. Consulting the multi-page assortment. It was there when we arrived, and it was there after we left. Well, he didn’t have a pocket computer or a trade automation system :) And thirty kilometers from the city, the cool Baltic Sea rustled, and on the Svetlogorsk embankment they sold ice-cold beer and amber crafts. But the Toyota driver had no time for the sea.

In these notes I deliberately do not touch on the many possibilities mobile trading automation systems, including pre-order (preselling) and merchandising (and as soon as this word took root in the Russian language:). If you are engaged in van selling and no longer have time to serve your clients quickly and efficiently, take a closer look at the ST-Mobile trading solution from System Technologies.

P.S. Already in Moscow, I buy cigarettes at a kiosk near the metro and see a man leaning towards the window with a pickpocket in his hand - a Compaq Aero 1520, and on the screen there is a familiar interface, I was looking at it all day yesterday. We got to talking, and it turned out that he was a sales agent for the French tobacco company Seita, and the system was installed for them by specialists from Kaliningrad. Small world...

Van Selling sale from wheels) - organization of mobile trading from cars. Van Selling is widely used all over the world by wholesale companies involved in the delivery and sale of goods to retail outlets. Vanselling is especially effective in the trade of popular and perishable goods due to prompt order formation, fast delivery and shipment of the ordered goods from the vehicle and paperwork on the spot. Van Selling- component of the mobile trading system. Wed. urban distribution, wholesale trade, preselling (Pre Selling) The spelling appears in search engines van-selling, vanselling, van-selling, venseling, vanseling, Vanseling. This process can be automated, significantly reducing costs, through the use of pocket personal computers. They are equipped with special software designed to instantly exchange data with the office, warehouse, and other vehicles with products. One of such programs is ST-mobile trading, developed by the company System Technologies.

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

See what "Vanselling" is in other dictionaries:

- (From the English Van Selling literally “sale from wheels”). Small wholesale trade with delivery of goods and placing orders on the spot. Dictionary of business terms. Akademik.ru. 2001... Dictionary of business terms

Van Selling (English: Van Selling sales from wheels) organization of mobile trading from cars. Van Selling is widely used all over the world by wholesale companies involved in the delivery and sale of goods to retail outlets. Especially... ... Wikipedia

- (English: Pre Selling, Pre Selling) organization of preliminary collection of orders when selling goods to retail outlets. Pre Selling is widely used all over the world by wholesale companies involved in the delivery and sale of goods.... ... Wikipedia

Alexander Kivva

Training of sales representatives (using the example of the work of the general distributor of the company - one of the leaders in the chocolate bar market in Russia). Chapters from the textbook.

The purpose of this textbook is, if possible, to fully and clearly explain to beginners the essence and details of the work of a sales representative (van agent) of a company. It is necessary for quick and high-quality training of “trade recruits” who were previously far from van selling.

All the techniques from this textbook were “born in the fields.” This was during the period when the author mastered the new profession of a sales representative at that time and became the most highly profitable van agent of the company in 1999. They were tested “in the field” when the author, being already an internal training manager of a distribution company, prepared on them 30 sales representatives, many of whom became sales champions, masters of their craft, and the pride of the company. What is the secret of success?

The fact is that these techniques cultivate an aggressive sales style, taking into account the psychology of the sales staff. They are focused on capturing retail outlets from competitors and long-term mutually beneficial cooperation with customers while constantly expanding the assortment in retail outlets.

How is this possible, you ask? The answer is simple. The path of any sales representative to the title of sales champion lies through the sympathy and trust of the sales staff. The path to big sales in Russia lies through the souls of people, that is, through the souls of clients. But someone else's soul is darkness. Therefore, not everyone becomes a sales leader. Just like not everyone becomes a successful fisherman. After all, you need to know a lot of all sorts of secrets in order to catch fish always, everywhere and in large quantities. And this book is just full of all sorts of secrets and subtleties in the business of catching money through honest sales in the human ocean of vast Moscow.

Business in Russia is built, among other things, on emotions, likes and dislikes. Sometimes business decisions are made under the influence of emotions, although they are not financially beneficial. Foreign businessmen have difficulty understanding this. And they explain it with the mystery of our Russian soul.

Like Kung Fu, there are different styles in selling. The choice of style depends on the character of the sales representative. This tutorial describes the style of “snake”, or more precisely “boa constrictor”. It is characterized by soft, unobtrusive aggression, unnoticeable penetration and expansion of presence.

Advantages of the profession.

1) Personal freedom and freedom of expression.

Leaving the territory in the morning, you are left to your own devices until the evening. You yourself build and plan your working day and, thereby, your life. With whom to communicate and how, you decide according to the daily report (the route of the day). No one is above your soul. There is no need to ask for lunch to go about your business. The only thing that matters is the result - the sales plan and distribution of goods in your retail outlets. Whether you do it for the whole day or half a day - it's your choice. You can spend the time saved on finding new clients.

2) Your earnings depend only on you. No one limits your income except yourself.

3) Every day is an adventure. At the beginning of the working day, you cannot predict how it will end. Every day can bring the joy of victory, the heights of optimism or the depths of disappointment. Overcoming a professional challenge, convincing and closing a deal - isn’t this the greatest joy of victory and achievement!

4) You work as an independent businessman. You can make real money for yourself and be happy with that money.

5) Overcoming the unknown is part of your daily responsibilities. Only a strong person can withstand this. Every day tests your strength, strength and desire to win. To win constantly, you must constantly develop your competence, willpower and professionalism. In short, you have a chance to make yourself and become, as they say, a self-made man.

Disadvantages of the profession (van agent).

1) Every day you have to communicate with a lot of people, because your task is to sell and make money, and money is people. The more people you serve, the more money you make. And it's only a matter of time if you are a sales master. Here you remember the meaning of the phrase “time is money”. After all, you are a money-making machine. And your “coin productivity” ultimately depends on the amount of time you work.

If you don't like people, you won't last long. Negative emotions and irritation will crush you and you will break.

2) Unregulated working hours. Your time is not divided into work and personal. Your working time, like that of a real businessman, ends when all the tasks scheduled for the morning are completed.

3) You do not have a permanent workplace, only a car cabin. This is your office, and partly a dining room, and sometimes a place to relax. Your workplace is city streets and retail outlets. Often the problem is finding a toilet, especially in winter. Van agents have already developed tools to solve such problems.

4) Financial liability to the company for a car, goods, money.

5) The profession includes nine specialties:

Directly from the sales representative,

Driver,

Auto mechanics,

Accountant,

Cashier,

collector,

Forwarder,

Warehouse manager (on wheels),

Loader.

Therefore, she is very difficult physically.

What a sales representative should know and be able to do.

Its territory, namely:

Number of retail outlets;

Their name;

Types of products sold there;

Number of lines by product type in different sales seasons;

Their minimum permissible and maximum possible number for each point;

The names of the people who make decisions on purchasing and payment of money (at a minimum) and all sales personnel (as a maximum);

Ways of relationships with each important such person, his character and habits;

Features of documentation at each retail outlet;

The order of visits to each retail outlet;

Features of their lending, discounts, etc.;

Its own assortment (studied in detail at the company’s training, introductory course), the most popular positions in each product group, the strengths and weaknesses of the product, its composition, timing of implementation, methods of promoting each product on the market and its attractiveness for each type of retail outlet, etc. .d.;

Characteristics and benefits of your product compared to competitors;

All possible objections to your products and ways to overcome them;

Features of feeding animals with different types of feed;

How do impulse purchases happen?

The standard sequence of a business visit to a retail outlet (BIOPMU), this is studied in detail at the company’s training, introductory course;

Sequence of a business visit to a new retail outlet;

The procedure for “opening” a new outlet;

What documents are drawn up at the beginning of cooperation with a new outlet;

The procedure for the management of a retail outlet when obtaining a permit to trade in animal feed;

As much as possible about your competitors in the territory, their prices, methods of work, how and with what discounts you can “outbid” them;

Your own prices for show boxes, product packaging with and without discounts;

The procedure for providing discounts and credits to retail outlets, the features of these procedures, the degree of responsibility for the risk and the “draining” of goods;

Ways to take over a retail outlet from a competitor;

The procedure for transferring territory;

Signs of a going bankrupt (abandoned by supplier) retail outlet and how to trade with such a client;

Criteria for different types of displays;

Methods of document preparation (daily reports, certificates, veterinary certificates, etc.);

Places and methods of effectively placing goods in stores, on shelves, the basics of merchandising,

Direct delivery system, its characteristics and benefits;

The history of the creation and development of the company, its position among competitors, the history of the creation of various types of products;

That is the average number of refusals per day, which is the norm in this sales area.

You need to know this number so as not to lose self-confidence. For example, when installing freezers for ice cream, the ratio was 20:1. That is, in order to sign one contract, you had to go around 20 retail outlets a day and listen to everything about yourself and the company with a smile.

Sell ​​yourself as a sales representative, that is: before you sell a product, you need to sell yourself; in other words, if they don’t accept you at the point of sale, then they won’t accept your product either;

Bargain, that is: do not give away goods for next to nothing;

Win people over;

Convince people;

Strategically and tactically plan visits;

Analyze your previous visit and learn from your mistakes;

Sell ​​goods to regular customers at the highest possible prices;

Sell ​​goods to new retail outlets;

Promote new types of products to the market;

Successfully conduct trade negotiations with management of retail outlets at various levels;

Install various types of racks and correctly hang various displays;

Conduct store inspection and merchandising;

Fight against competitors and win;

Overcome objections and achieve your goals;

Use a presenter;

Overcome everyday, technical problems and inconveniences associated with the traveling work of a sales representative.

Psychological compatibility of a sales representative with the staff of retail outlets.

As a rule, when a territory is transferred to a new sales representative, 1 - 2 retail outlets are lost. It’s just that the new person doesn’t mesh in character with the sales staff or with some of its people. Then he finds other outlets to increase sales.

Another phenomenon is also observed. He begins to work with some stores especially successfully and profitably, although his predecessor sold there little and reluctantly, and received money there with a long delay. Conversely, relationships with particularly profitable retail outlets are not as easy for the new sales representative as for the predecessor. Cooperation is fading, volumes are falling. Thus, likes and dislikes play a big role in the sales system. This is natural for emotional Russian predominantly female sales teams.

Therefore, a new sales representative should pay special attention to emotions and sympathy during his first visits to retail outlets if he wants to quickly begin to bring large volumes and so that the territory does not “sag.”

Ways to save time when organizing visits:

Those who work in the Moscow region must have a radiotelephone while traveling;

Try to eliminate repeat visits to one location, replacing them with phone calls, pre-thought-out agreements, postponing matters until the next scheduled visit, etc.

Organize clear direct and reverse telephone communication with your clients;

Start the working day with the most important thing (visit);

Conduct visits thoughtfully and quickly; for this:

a) plan visits, namely:

Know exactly why you are going to a retail outlet on a given day (and hour);

Make sure that they are waiting for you (if necessary, call);

Have all the necessary documents and change (if you receive money) so as not to return to the car;

b) know exactly the operating hours of your retail outlets in order to avoid lunch breaks and the absence of key persons;

c) know the people making the decisions;

d) present yourself clearly and intelligibly;

e) know your assortment well in order to quickly remove the remaining goods in the store;

f) do not talk too much, in vain;

g) do not stay long over a cup of coffee with a client;

Know the location of each retail outlet and how best to approach it;

Know the internal passages and the necessary offices in all your retail outlets so as not to get lost;

Know your area, its streets, alleys, entrances, driveways, parking spots and acceptable food outlets;

Optimize visit routes for the day and plan them for the next day;

Optimize daily routes, i.e. visit nearby points in one day, so as not to drive around the area from end to end; to do this, move retail outlets to days convenient for you (if this suits them too);

Use a diary to plan visits and calls so as not to forget anything and not travel at the wrong time or repeatedly;

When leaving a retail outlet, always agree on the day (and time) of your next visit.

Direct preparation for a visit to a retail outlet.

Having approached her, the sales representative must do the following:

A) Recall the results of the last visit.

B) Clearly define your goals for this visit, i.e., what do you want from this outlet on this visit.

B) Take documents with you:

· presenter;

· order form (or blank invoices);

· daily report. As a rule, the order form and daily report are attached to a tablet or inserted into a presenter.

D) Remember the names of the director, merchandise manager and sellers of this shift (from the client card).

E) Specify in the customer card how many lines of each product group are usually present at this outlet, i.e. remember the limit of pressure beyond which it is impossible to put pressure on the merchandiser (in the sales representative’s sacred desire to expand his assortment).

E) Specify approximately how much the retail outlet can charge for the goods.

G) Take gifts with you (if they make sense) or new bars (if you need to introduce new products). As a rule, trade representatives have to distribute new types of chocolate at their own expense. “Mars” does not always give chocolate to promote a new brand. What should poor sales reps do? Who has it easy now? You need to trade.

I) Think about how best to present new products so that they buy them right now.

What you need to know when offering new products or expanding the range (psychological attitudes).

If the pavilion had a maximum of 9 lines of chocolate and 25 lines of food, then loading another 7 lines of chocolate and another 10-15 lines of food there is simply not realistic, and pressure in this matter can complicate relations with the outlet.

Therefore, you need to set yourself achievable goals. Let’s say: bring the assortment to the usual level if the product is sold out, and also offer 1-2 additional lines.

The assortment can and should be expanded!!! But this must be done gradually, proving to the sales staff that all of our products are selling well (and new types too).

It is necessary to offer a product based on the philosophical concept of an “incomplete glass.” Let's say there is a full range of chocolate - 16 lines. The store has 10 lines. They tell you “We have everything,” i.e. “The glass is half full.” And you say: “Wait a minute, you don’t have six more types of our products. You are losing profit, you do not have a full range. People don’t see the product, don’t want it, so they don’t buy it,” i.e. “The glass is half empty.”

If you want to become a sales champion, increase your salary, etc., you need to work according to the principle: a full range of chocolate and sugar-containing products, a full range of the Uncle Benz group at the outlet - this is the law. Everything should be on display everywhere. There should be maximum feed, but the approach here is individual. There should be at least 26 lines in a pavilion, about 30 lines in a minimarket (at a counter), and at least 50 lines in a supermarket (at two or three counters).

You must be psychologically determined that fewer lines are an emergency. This is a loss of profit for the store and yours too. Those. You cannot calmly agree that there are fewer lines at a retail outlet than indicated above. You need to harass these merchandisers, convince them to expand the range to the level you need. This maximum should become the norm for the outlet and you (the sales representative). If this norm does not exist, then how can you calmly agree that “we have everything.” On the contrary, not much!

Your job is to offer a product and convince them to buy it. So you propose to expand the range. Don't be shy. And do this on every visit. Hit the staff of your retail outlets gently and intelligently. How is it smart, you ask? Answer: this means professionally, that is, from the point of view of the interests of clients.

For example: if you offer a merchandiser a new type of product, the merchandiser will immediately think about his overstocked shelves, about the incessant theft of sellers, about an unpromoted product that they want to push to him with a sweet smile, about the store’s inventory planned for this weekend. And do you think he will be willing to take your new product?

And, if you offer him a way to increase his profit, then his thoughts will begin to move in a completely different direction. And his reaction will be more favorable. Who doesn't need extra money?

Each employee of a retail outlet has his own interests, sometimes opposing ones. This cannot be ignored. Therefore, you need to approach them with your proposals, using different arguments.

Some examples of motivating sales staff:

A. The owner is interested in profit.

B. Director, commercial director, manager - sales volume; assortment

B. Commodity manager - assortment (sales volume), so that buyers and sellers themselves steal less goods, especially small ones; shortage of goods, regularity of deliveries.

D. Sellers who receive salaries from sales volume are interested in a large assortment and better display; these are your allies, you speak the same language with them.

D. Salaried salespeople - not interested in assortment, sales volume, or displays. As long as they are not touched or stressed. Such salespeople, especially those who like to pose as a product expert or decision maker, are especially dangerous for sales representatives. They can cool the ardor of many smart sales specialists.

E. Warehouse managers, administrators, loaders, cleaners, and other salaried personnel try not to do unnecessary work. You have to motivate them, like salaried salespeople, with gifts, presentations, compliments, long conversations about their personal lives and problems, etc.

It happens that in some retail outlets certain types of goods are categorically not accepted, explaining that, they say, “Skittles is not doing well for us.” You shouldn't put too much pressure on Skittles in this situation. Let everyone be present except Skittles. But, as a rule, this is a subjective, stubborn opinion of a particular seller or merchandiser.

In this situation, you need to wait until this “person” goes on vacation, or gets sick, or is replaced, and calmly put the notorious Skittles on a new (not stubborn) person and check whether it really sells poorly, or if it’s a myth.

Then there will be two options: either they will continue to order it silently, or they will actually demonstrate to you that it “goes well” and then they will not take it. And you will calm down on this (or maybe not).

Merchandising (a set of measures to improve product display).

Having agreed on the order, specified the timing of its delivery and said goodbye to the merchandiser (or not yet), the sales representative must improve (correct) the display of his goods before leaving his point.

He may ask the seller to do this under his “sensitive guidance.” If there is a lot of work or the seller does not have time, then the sales representative may ask permission to go behind the counter in order to make a beautiful and correct display of the goods on the counter (shelf) or rack. And this also requires a friendly, trusting relationship with the seller. He will let his own person behind the counter with the goods, but never a stranger.

In self-service stores you don’t need to ask anywhere - you go to the counter and make a display.

The degree of visibility of the product depends on the correct location of the product (displays, racks), that is, how easily and clearly the buyer sees our product. The correct placement of goods is taught at company trainings for novice sales representatives. Let us recall the general principles of product placement:

Closer to the exit (entrance);

In a central (prominent) place;

At human eye level;

The most popular positions are in the most visible place (see presenter).

The main thing in this matter is to arrange the product so that the principle of impulse sales works: “saw - wanted - bought.” Now there are so many products that the eyes in stores run wild. Whatever the eye stops at is what you want, what you want will be bought. Hence, the main task of the sales representative is to highlight and stick out his product in front of customers, otherwise they will not see it and will not buy it.

It has already been proven by the sales representatives themselves that a beautiful, even, complete display of goods on a shelf quickly attracts the buyer’s eye and sales increase.

If necessary, the sales representative delivers and installs a chocolate or food stand, “MDU” shelves or a clamp.

Parting.

Farewell is no less important than introduction (although no one teaches this). During this period, you need to be especially attentive to the store staff, otherwise people may see your true face. After all, you have done your job (good) and, as if, you can relax: the goods have been shipped, the money has been received, everyone is free, and so on. Many new and mid-level sales representatives are too quick to shake off the stress of a business visit. At the same time, they wipe the smile off their face and try to quickly jump out of the store into the fresh air, rejoicing at a successful sale or, conversely, getting annoyed (upset) at an unsuccessful visit. The sad thing is that they leave, no longer noticing those people to whom they were showered with pleasantries 10-20 minutes ago and to whom they smiled sweetly, trying to get an order. Often they rush out of the store without saying goodbye. And people notice everything. They see the fake.

It's not professional to do that. Smart, forward-thinking sales reps don't do that. They play their role to the end, right up to the door of the retail outlet, and only at the threshold do they drop the “mask.” And whoever communicates sincerely, even after leaving the store or office, carries on his face the reflection of a kind smile, joy and warmth from communicating with people.

A) We need to say goodbye. This is a sign of politeness. Sometimes, even if you don’t have time, you need to take the time to come back and defiantly say goodbye to the main (and not so important) people at the outlet.

B) When saying goodbye, be sure to stretch a thread into the future and say when you will visit them next time or call them. For example: “See you next Thursday” or “I’ll come see you as usual on Friday” or separately highlight “I’ll call you on Thursday morning.” You cannot leave a client without discussing the time and method of next contact. This is the law.

C) It is necessary, if possible, to say goodbye to all those people with whom we spoke today. And you can’t be lazy here. After all, in a week you will arrive here. And what will be the opinion of you? But your big sales largely depend on the collective opinion about you. After all, every regular supplier is discussed from head to toe in every sales team. And this is quite natural.

D) When leaving through the trading floor, you need to say goodbye to all the familiar sellers, cleaners, loaders, security guards, not to mention management employees, who meet on your way.

D) You need to say goodbye quickly, without wasting your time, skillfully stopping the empty conversations of bored salespeople.

E) In this case, you need to speak politely, tactfully, sincerely looking into the eyes of your interlocutor, shaking hands firmly, if necessary. Sometimes it’s a whole performance. What should I do? We have to play.

Cases when a retail outlet can deliberately take financial losses for the sake of benefit and pleasure from working with a certain sales representative?

This is where the mysterious Russian soul manifests itself. Gentlemen, foreign businessmen - take a closer look!

a) When a favorite sales representative is either on vacation, or sick, or “disappeared,” the outlet sits with empty shelves, but waits for its supplier and does not take goods from others. There are many such cases. This is a kind of loyalty to the supplier.

b) When competitors offer a retail outlet low prices or better delivery conditions, and it continues to trade with you because it is familiar, convenient and likes you. At the same time, the money that the outlet loses on this is payment for the pleasure of working with you personally.

c) When a retail outlet, before the vacation of the “adored” sales representative, collects goods in large volumes, although it is not needed, but the sales representative really asked for it.

d) When the seller collects more goods from you than allowed by the merchandiser (owner) and does this repeatedly.

e) When saleswomen take goods from you for your beautiful eyes when the owner is absent, they take them without discounts at a high price, although the owner buys the same goods on the market at low prices. And this happens systematically.

f) When the money for the goods is given to you first, and other suppliers wait a few more days, a week or longer.

g) When they work with you after the fact, and with others - on credit.

How can a sales representative pay store staff for a kind attitude towards him and high profitability, sales volume:

Priority service to these clients;

Regularity of supplies in any emergency;

Special care about the supply of goods;

Snickers (gifts) at your own expense;

Responsive warm, attentive attitude towards people;

Compliments to individuals and groups of people;

Possible personal assistance and services (taking into account the fact that you are on wheels);

Bonuses;

Light flirting, courtship of individual women from among the store staff;

Silent compliments.

Silent compliments include gallant behavior, individual actions, gestures and looks that allow a woman to feel like a Woman, namely:

A long, attentive, contemplative look at the woman as a whole;

A long, sometimes languid look with admiration;

A slight undressing glance (but within the bounds of decency) with a hint of desire (permissible in communication with women from the sales staff if they openly strive to demonstrate parts of their body that are beautiful from their point of view, especially in the summer, and passionately want at least someone to then noticed them);

A close look into the eyes and soul of a woman, which says that they simply want her, but do not dare to say so right away.

Flirting in sales.

You won’t find the word “flirting” in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia. In the dictionary of the Russian language S.I. Ozhegov gives the following interpretation: “Flirting is a love game, coquetry.”

However, nowadays flirting can be considered not only as a way to “pick up a girl.” Flirting in the broadest sense of the word is the development of self-esteem in oneself and other people by establishing warm, trusting and sincere relationships. Flirting is various techniques and ways to make your interlocutor feel his importance, individuality and value. These are any forms of showing attention to people, because sincere attention to a specific person is already a compliment addressed to him. And compliments are important flirting tools.

Not every person is able to build such relationships with others. But, if he is capable of this, then such an attitude becomes a habit, a way of thinking and feeling.

Qualities a sales representative needs to flirt.

1. Love and respect people, show sincere interest in them. Each person can be your chance in life, a turning point in your destiny. All people are interesting in their own way.

2. Be honest, including boldly admitting your mistakes.

3. Be attractive, including in a good mood. Find your best features and admire them, appreciate yourself.

4. Be friendly, remembering that everyone has different communication styles and therefore we need to be tolerant of people.

5. Be confident in yourself so that people want to communicate with you. Not looking into the eyes of your interlocutor means showing self-doubt, lack of self-esteem, fear of seeing condemnation or disdain in the eyes of another. You need to cultivate and maintain self-confidence every day.

6. Radiate energy, warmth, sparkles in the eyes, elation, ardor.

7. Be able to look your interlocutor in the eyes with interest.

8. Be able to listen to others willingly, without being distracted or mentally arguing. This is a rare gift. People highly value those who know how to listen to others. Sometimes such people are simply in great demand. They queue up to make an “appointment” to pour out their souls.

9. Be able to ask open-ended questions that require detailed answers. By doing this, we show people that we care about them and that we respect them enough to listen to their opinions. Letting people express themselves is also a compliment.

10. Be able to empathize with your interlocutor, putting yourself in the place of another. By the way, this is an important factor in successful sales. After all, you can also win sympathy through sympathy. Because by understanding people's feelings, you can see what they need and what they fear. Moreover, sympathy, that is, the process of empathizing with the same emotions is often more important for a person in trouble than various advice on how to get out of a difficult situation.

11. Show a sense of humor. It helps create an atmosphere of ease, which is necessary for flirting. It is very important not only to joke yourself, but also to be able to perceive other people’s jokes. You must be able to find the funny in any situation.

12. Giving others the opportunity to help you (or someone) is also a compliment because it gives the person the opportunity to express himself in helping. People love to help others, especially when they know that their help will be appreciated.

13. Give compliments to men, women, groups of people; You need to take a compliment positively, with sincere gratitude; doubting a compliment offends people.

14. People have a passion for being inspired and stimulated.

15. Always give a positive response to people, even if you do not agree with their suggestions or plans. This helps maintain trust and ease in the relationship. Such a positive response, an emotional outburst, should become your reflex. You must learn to give it automatically, without thinking. But then, with clarifying questions, hint to your interlocutor that it would be a good idea to think through the details. Thus, he will pass judgment on himself, and, if anything happens, he will be offended by himself, and not by you.

16. Respect yourself. We always set an example for others how to treat ourselves. Self-respect must be nurtured and trained like a muscle. You need to get used to the ideal image you have created for you. Installation is a habitual train of thought.

I would like to sincerely thank my colleagues, as well as Anastasia Vorotnikova, commodity expert at STC-COMCentre LLC, for their invaluable assistance in preparing this textbook.

Based on materials from the site http://www.e-xecutive.r

System Description

The "Direct Sales" configuration is designed to automate the work of a forwarder in wholesale trade and a seller in retail trade. For work, such an employee is given a mobile device on which a small accounting system is implemented using the PalmOrder system. It keeps track of the remaining goods in the machine, writes out the necessary documents, and can print the necessary documents to a printer. At the end of the seller/forwarder’s work cycle, the data is transferred to the office accounting system, where the corresponding operations for shipping goods to customers, accepting payments, and others are formed.

Also, the seller/forwarder is given the opportunity to generate a document for loading the machine for work for the next work cycle. He can transmit this document, for example, via wireless communication long before returning to the office, which will significantly speed up the process of forming the load of his car and will allow him to better take into account the wishes of clients.

I would like to note that each document can have as many printed forms as you like, and they will have the appearance that you need. The PalmOrder system allows you to independently change the appearance and set of printed forms. Those. you can print, for example, a delivery note that meets your company's requirements.

Benefits of Automation

• The seller/forwarder has up-to-date information about the condition of the remaining goods in the vehicle.
• No operators are needed to enter invoices, cash orders, etc. to the computer. Accordingly, the level of errors when recording transactions is reduced.
• The employee has the opportunity to print the necessary documents directly from the client.
• The forwarder can generate and send to the office a request in advance to load a vehicle for the next work cycle.

As a result of the described advantages, the speed and quality of customer service increases, and the costs of servicing the process of direct shipments and sales are reduced.