Scribd
Upload
38 views

Routing and Scheduling Sales Personnel

Uploaded by

iamaniketmaur.pc
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
38 views

Routing and Scheduling Sales Personnel

Uploaded by

iamaniketmaur.pc
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Routing and Scheduling Sales Personnel

vskills.in/certification/tutorial/routing-and-scheduling-sales-personnel

Routing and scheduling plans aim to maintain the lines of communication, to optimize
sales coverage and minimize wasted time. When management is in- formed at all times of
salespersons’ whereabouts in the field-or at least knows where they should be-it is easy to
contact them to provide needed information or last-minute instructions. Chances are
good that sales personnel will be where they are supposed to be.

Routing and scheduling plans improve sales coverage. The mechanics of setting up a
routing plan are simple, but in working out the plan, detailed information is required on
the numbers and locations of customers, the means and methods of transportation
connecting customer concentrations, and desired call frequency rates. Detailed maps are
needed showing not only towns and cities and transportation routes but trading-area
boundaries, mountain ranges, lakes, bridges, and ferry lines. If sales personnel are to
travel by air, airport locations need spotting. The route, or routes, finally laid out should
permit the salesperson to return home at least on weekends.

If the route planner considers the desired call frequency rate for each customer on the
route, the call schedule is a by-product of setting up the route. In most cases, however,
making up the call schedule is more than planning the route. Customers and prospects are
segregated according to the desired call frequency” rate using detailed maps, the planner
identifies the locations of members of each customer and prospect group and reconciles
the route with these locations. Hence, often the salesperson has a different route each
time he or she travels the territory, to achieve the desired call frequencies and to
incorporate new customers and prospects into the itinerary. Furthermore, because
changes occur in account classifications, prospects, competitive activity, as well as in road
conditions, it is impractical to set up fixed route and call schedules good for long periods.

Routing and scheduling plans reduce wasted time by sales personnel. Much backtracking,
travel time and other “no selling” time is eliminated, and scheduled call frequency is to fit
customers’ needs. Effective routing and scheduling automatically builds up the size of the
average order.

In scheduling sales personnel, some firms not only designate the customers to call upon
each day but prescribe the time of day to make each call. Detailed scheduling is coupled
with a system for making advance appointments. Companies not using scheduling plans
usually suggest advance appointments, but often salespeople ignore this suggestion. For
effective detailed scheduling the scheduler needs current information on time required for
each call, probable waiting time at each stop, travel time between calls, and the probable
time with each customer. This information is difficult to collect and update. Detailed
scheduling is most feasible when customers give their full cooperation. Most firms allow
their sales personnel “time cushions” to allow for the many variations met on each selling
trip.

1/3
Companies, almost without exception, benefit from systematic routing and scheduling,
but not all find detailed scheduling feasible. The petroleum marketing companies, and
other firms with combination driver-salespersons, use detailed routing and scheduling
plans successfully, as do several large pharmaceutical manufacturers. Less detailed
routing and scheduling plans are used by wholesalers of groceries, drugs, and hardware.
Detailed scheduling plans are appropriate in trades typified by frequent calls, great
homogeneity among customers, short travel time between calls, and highly standardized
products not requiring large amounts of creative selling time-that is, in situations where
trade selling predominates.

The size of the territory and geographic layout determine the type of the route. Sales
personnel should lay out a travel route so that they can start from their home in the
morning and return in the evening. Remember critical factor is time and not miles. In
some cases using major nonstop highways may increase miles but total travel time may
decrease. The actual route the salespeople follow each day within each section can help
maximize their use of daily prime selling hours. They should make long drives usually in
the morning and in late afternoon, if possible. For example if most of their accounts are
strung out more or less in a straight line from their home base they should get up early
and drive to the far end of the territory before making the first call. They would then work
their way back, so they end up near home at the end of the day.

Straight-Line Pattern

Cloverleaf Pattern

Major City Pattern

2/3
The routing patterns shown above
helps sales personnel economies
time. In clover leaf pattern the sale
personnel is placed in the middle
and start in the morning and tries to
cover maximum number of accounts
in a day in the fashion shown in the
figure. In major city patter also the
sales personnel should cover one
area at a time since it represents the
different industrial areas.

Routing, scheduling, and


control: The routing plan, the scheduling plan, or both assist sales management in
obtaining closer control over sales personnel’s movements and time expenditures. The
routing and scheduling plans are integral parts of the overall process of establishing sales
territories and assigning sales personnel. Any routing or scheduling plan should have
frequent checkups to detect needed adjustments. Call reports are compared with route
and call schedules to determine whether plans are followed. Variations or discrepancies
are noted and sales personnel asked for explanations. Adherence to the plans is also
enforced through frequent and unannounced visits to the field by supervisors or branch
sales managers.

3/3

You might also like