RETRIBUTION IN DISTRIBUTION

RETRIBUTION IN DISTRIBUTION

Please understand one fundamental element which is the basis of this entire post and that is “People run companies & NOT brand names or labels”.  I state this being a hard core sales person that has the ability to successfully close over 86% of every sale that I focus on.

Also in order for any company or organization to make a buck its distribution or “sales” arm has to be constantly nurtured whilst appreciating the company’s value monetarily as well as curtailing is CoGS (Cost of Goods Sold). 

Your mind must be wandering off immediately to the retail industry and to some big name distribution setups but this is also relevant to the finance world (banking & insurance) Pharma industry, automotive you name it – if the industry has a product be it B2B or B2C then you know that the industry has a distribution network (Sales team).  It can be a one man show that is a CEO who rubs his elbows in the BOSS suit at the Sind or the Punjab Club or be it someone like Abu Dawood that carries the company P&G which was built by the hard work of IBL.

The statement above goes to show that Companies & Clients are NOT at all loyal like old school wives rather they behave like a whining mistress that will always hold the distribution company hostage with the threat of milking them for what they are worth and then desert the ship upon setting their sights on a newer bigger brand named target.  In other words no industry has any form of loyalty left in it that will give it the emotional security that they are somewhat safe.

Now this is not a bitching session about how bad distribution is rather this is a post telling you that if you rely on people to drive your sales for you then you need to take care of them.  Let’s face it if you are in the bank then your pawns or soldiers who are the RM’s from two different branches are always fighting against each other to get business from the same neighborhood rather than helping each other.  Those Salesmen that acquire a wealth of customers gladly job trade with a competitor bank and for 10,000 rupees more take the clients with them to another bank only to return after 12 – 18 months at a ridiculously high pay raise as long as they bring the “business” back with them.   Same goes for the insurance setup & retail distribution.

Because companies do not invest in re-training and appreciating the core value of their existing staff they wind up adding human resource to their HR departments to handle all the unnecessary paperwork that is caused by this huge horizontal career change because there is no vertical growth. 

Telco’s & Pharma companies need to constantly invest on re-investing into their human resource because along with the rest of the world Pakistan especially Karachi is not growing business wise.  I speak from a sales perspective that it takes a doctor to train a doctor so as a sales hound I must tell you that you need a salesman to teach your staff how to close 85% of the time and what not to say and how to read a customer when making a deal for you.

If your team is happy your numbers will go up and your BOD will be smiling otherwise it makes no difference how big the brand name is it is pointless having a sales team because the good will of your brand will sell its self. 

You need an educated smart working distribution network that will add value to your CoGS rather than be a burden to it.  Money in the bank is what matters not credit parchis from the entire market!  From a sales perspective do see my linked in profile so that I may help add value to you your sales team. http://pk.linkedin.com/in/amynaghulamali/

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If you need to then please e-mail me at amyn@ghulamalis.com