CHANGING ROLE FOR SALES PEOPLE
The growth of e-commerce is changing the role of the sales force. While
human salespeople provide an interactivity that can't be matched by a Web
site, they're also tremendously expensive compared to electronic
channels. According to one analyst, electronically conducted
sales of commodity products will "butcher the field sales force... Even with
expensive items, such as buying company cars, I'd rather go to a Web site
and compare lifetime running costs, look at financing options and then press
a button to order, rather than talking to all the dealers." But at the
other end of the spectrum, the human touch will remain essential: "Would you
buy knowledge-intensive services such as management consultancy without
sitting across the table and understanding who you are buying from? In
these sorts of areas, I can't see the sales force being replaced. But the
numbers will be tiny in comparison" Dell Computer, which has built its
business on telephone and Internet sales, is now setting up customized Web
sites for servicing corporate customers, adding a personal touch.
E-commerce will create a cost-effective channel for supporting existing
customers, allowing the expensive human sales force to concentrate on
developing strategic customer relationships. "The direct sales force will
create the new relationship, whereas the ongoing relationship will be more
operational, via net-based links."
(Nuala Moran, "Is This the Death of the Salesman?" Financial
Times 24 Mar 99) http://www.ft.com/
