Models of competence of the sales manager. Manager competencies and their classification

The first condition for success is to conduct selection on a competitive basis. What does it mean: not to take acquaintances, to invite only "people from the street"? No, such a formal approach will not help, the HR should have worked out an effective methodology for selecting future employees based on the position profile. Then only those candidates who can work in this position in the best way will pass through the sieve.

How are sales managers selected in our company? It all starts with the fact that department heads fill out applications for the selection of a sales manager. It describes the knowledge, skills, abilities and personal qualities that a candidate must have successful work in this position. Based on this application, the recruiter draws up the text of the announcement, selects methods for attracting and directing the search for candidates, and also coordinates them with the internal customer.

We use different approaches: placing ads in the media and the Internet, recommendations from friends and employees, direct search. When reviewing a resume, a number of factors are taken into account. They can be divided into two blocks: 1) formal and 2) informal. Formal ones include gender, age, education, work experience (number of years) and business area (certain market or product). Each candidate's compliance with these requirements is always evaluated, but deviation from the "norm" cannot be the main reason for refusal. For example, if the applicant has two years of work experience, and the application indicates three (and according to other criteria the person meets the requirements of the position), then his candidacy should be discussed with the customer. We include informal factors such as career dynamics (for example, merchandiser - sales representative - supervisor), time worked in each company listed in the resume, and periods of unemployment. If the candidate did not stay in one place for more than six months, and the intervals between employment and “free bread” take three to four months, the recruiter should think about whether the company needs such an employee.

We do not evaluate the quality and completeness of the resume in any particular way. The exception is recruitment for positions requiring advanced skills. business letter(for example, for the personnel manager). Since the candidate may have compiled a resume with outside help, it is difficult to draw any conclusions from this document alone.

Based on the results of the selection of resumes, telephone interviews are conducted, the main task of which is to reduce the number of “random” candidates to a minimum. The first thing to check during the interview is whether the candidate is really interested in new job actively considering various proposals. Next, it is worth clarifying the scope of the person’s responsibilities at the last places of work (at the same time comparing the information received with the requirements of the application and assessing the likelihood that the person compiled his resume himself). If in oral communication the candidate shows himself to be quite competent, and his experience approximately corresponds to our expectations, we should talk about the motives that prompted the applicant to respond to the ad (why he left the previous job, what he expects from the new one). We consider it necessary in a telephone conversation to immediately give brief information about company, key tasks positions, as well as benefits and compensation. Thus, a person can already at this stage make an informed decision - to participate in the competition to fill a vacancy or refuse.

All middle and senior managers in our company undergo recruitment training, during which they learn:

  • formulate requirements for candidates based on the tasks of the position;
  • ask questions that reveal the level of competence of the candidate;
  • collect reliable information about the candidate and analyze it qualitatively.

Thus, HR managers and managers "speak the same language", which allows avoiding duplication of the same questions at different stages of the competition. HRs focus on personal and business qualities applicants, on the compliance of their motivator map with the requirements of the position and the corporate culture of the company, and line managers - on professional competencies. Usually, a recruiter or HR manager provides the manager, along with the candidate's resume, with his comments indicating the strengths and weaknesses of the person, prospects and possible difficulties in adapting him. Repeated interviews can be conducted both by the manager independently and together with an employee of the personnel department, but the results are discussed collectively.

The next step is an interview with the company. Each candidate goes through at least two stages of communication with our employees:

  1. The initial interview is conducted by a recruiter who assesses the applicant's compliance with the requirements of the open vacancy (presence of the necessary work experience, the level of development of key competencies, personal qualities, social intelligence, "compatibility" with the corporate culture of the company).
  2. A second interview is conducted by the head of the department - the customer of the vacancy. He acts as an expert: responsible for evaluating professional knowledge and skills of the applicant, draws conclusions about the level of his qualifications.

Before starting the interview, it is necessary to clearly define the requirements for key competencies of a candidate for an open vacancy. If we are talking about a completely new position, then corporate requirements for a sales specialist are taken as a basis and adjusted depending on the specifics of the work.

What qualities should a good sales manager have? "Sales" is the "face of the company" in the eyes of customers, it represents its products on the market, constantly works "at the forefront" of communications. Therefore, he must have good communication skills and negotiation skills. Customer focus, initiative, flexibility, emotional stability, self-confidence and a high level of self-control are the basic qualities in the salesperson profile. Equally important is the ability and desire to learn, focus on results.

We use competency-based interviews: during the interview, the recruiter asks the applicant in detail about his behavior in various situations related to professional activities. To do this, a list of questions is prepared in advance, the answers to which make it possible to identify the characteristics of the candidate's behavior in typical work situations. Examples of questions to clarify key competencies are presented in the table.

Key competencies of a sales manager

Characteristic

Detection methods

Candidate reaction

Sociability

 Ability to articulate ideas logically

 accurate choice of language means (vocabulary, intonation) taking into account the nature of the audience

 Ability to listen and receive feedback

You should pay attention to the manner of communication of the candidate

Evidence of the development of the required qualities are the following features behaviors:

 the style of speech and the form of presentation of information quickly "adjust" to the style of the interlocutor

 the ability to listen is developed (the person does not interrupt the interlocutor, joins the conversation at the right time)

Learnability

high speed assimilation of new information

 ability to abandon unproductive stereotypes

effective use, adequate transfer and combination of information from various fields of knowledge

Questions for the candidate:

 Have you had to master new knowledge without outside help? How did you do it?

 Describe a situation where you were able to figure out some fairly complex process in a very short time?

 Tell us how you got out of the situation when you had to master a new area of ​​work (product) in the absence of a person who previously performed this work. How did you do it?

Evidence of high learning ability is the mention of the candidate that he:

 ask questions to gain new knowledge

 learned something by watching others do it

 Strive to improve their skills in practice

Flexibility

 ability to quickly and adequately respond to changing situations

 maintaining the efficiency of activities regardless of external conditions

 changing approaches and methods of activity, taking into account the requirements of the situation

 acceptance of criticism and feedback

Questions for the candidate:

 Give an example of a time when you were constantly distracted while working with a client. What was the most difficult for you in this situation?

 Tell us about your last “difficult” client

 Were there times when normal customer service techniques didn't work?

 Have you ever worked with buyers who were married couples? Tell us about your most memorable sale

 Have you experienced incorrect behavior clients (rudeness, aggression, etc.)? How did you get out of the situation?

Evidence of flexibility are the following features of behavior:

 maintains a friendly attitude towards the interlocutor at any turn of the conversation topic

 quickly finds optimal solutions in difficult situations

Motivation to work

 interest in this type of activity

 Goal-oriented and high performance attitude

 Desire to develop professional skills

Questions for the candidate:

 How did you become a salesperson?

 Why do you keep doing this?

 What do you like/dislike about your job?

 How do you feel in situations that require constant communication?

Evidence of high motivation to work are the following features of behavior:

 Desire to be an "expert consultant"

 high empathy

 Well-developed presentation and self-presentation skills

Empathy (from the Greek empatheia - empathy) - the ability to emotionally respond to the experiences of other people, imagine yourself in the place of another person, understand his feelings, desires, ideas and actions.

A skilled sales manager is able to quickly build trusting relationships with a variety of people. The candidate must clearly demonstrate this professional quality at the interview.

You should pay attention to how he talks about himself and his achievements. When working with clients, the seller, first of all, must build confidence in himself, and only then - interest in the proposed product and the company he represents. It should only call positive emotions- and appearance, and speech, and behavior.

Analyzing the answers of the candidate, we evaluate how well he has developed the competencies required for this job. The behavioral examples from the past (PPP) given by the candidate allow the recruiter to draw a conclusion about the level of development of a particular competence. A complete, quality RFP has three main components:

situation >> action >> result

There are also incomplete (missing one or two components) and false PPP (general, theoretical reasoning). A sufficient / high level of development of the identified competence is evidenced by bringing at least three full PPP. Therefore, the task of the recruiter is to transfer the conversation from the sphere of general reasoning to the plane of discussion with the help of additional questions. real experience candidate. It is useful to ask specific "behavioral" questions, for example: "What did you do when ...?", "How did you manage to do ...?"; conditional: "How would you behave if ...?" or open-ended questions such as “How do you resolve conflict situations with clients?” tend to provoke mostly “socially desirable” responses that do not help clarify the true abilities of the candidate.

An example of a response containing the full RFP:

- Yesterday a client called me and said that the goods that he was delivered turned out to be defective. He expressed his dissatisfaction in a rather rude way. I listened carefully to his claims. To clarify the situation and understand why the client decided that the product was defective, I asked a series of questions. Convinced that it really was a factory defect, I suggested that the person come to the office and exchange his purchase for a quality product. The client responded positively, thanked me for understanding.

Situation: “a dissatisfied buyer called”, actions of the seller: “listened, clarified the situation, offered to replace the product”, result: “the client was satisfied”.

Example of a response containing a false RFP:

- Clients are different, but I always find an approach to people, I never go into conflict.

This statement is general, does not provide information about the specific actions of the candidate in a real situation.

I would like to dwell on such an important competence as motivation to work. It is important for us to identify what is the main driving force behind the candidate's professional development, why does he want to work in this area, what does he expect from working in a new place? It is better to start collecting information about the leading motives by asking about the work situation in which the candidate feels most or least comfortable. You can continue the conversation by asking him to describe what he did when he was most satisfied / dissatisfied with his activities. To complete the discussion of motivation should be the question: why (what) this or that situation was pleasant/unpleasant. The answer to this question will help clarify the specifics of the candidate's motivation. It is very important that a specialist wants to develop in his chosen field of activity, so that he likes his work and brings pleasure.

A successful "sales" knows the product perfectly, is well oriented in the market, constantly monitors the emergence of new products, and improves the methods of its work. He enjoys the process of communicating with customers, the opportunity to satisfy their needs and, of course, the result (whether it is expanding the client base and attracting new customers or increasing sales).

Result orientation is a very important quality for a salesperson. To assess the dominant orientation of the candidate - on the process or on the result, you can carefully listen to his speech. If a person uses perfective verbs more often - “what did you do?” (“concluded”, “expanded”, “renewed”), which means that he is more likely to be result-oriented. If he uses predominantly imperfective verbs - “what did you do?” (“negotiated”, “searched”, “tried”) - on the process.

It is recommended to carefully monitor how the applicant explains the reasons for his failures and difficulties: takes responsibility for himself or refers to external factors (product quality, luck, situation). As a rule, people with an internal reference are more effective in the position of a sales manager. When discussing compensation systems, good salespeople focus primarily on a percentage of sales rather than a flat rate. They realize that the better the result, the higher the level of payment, and they are ready to make personal efforts to achieve high results. Candidates who are wary of "living on interest" and who have a special interest in the size of a fixed rate are more likely to be less successful sellers.

Now in some trading companies, during interviews with candidates, they often conduct mini-tests like “sell me this pen”. We do not use such a method. The main idea of ​​this test is to test a person's knowledge of the stages of sales and the ability to work with a client at each of them. We think it's more logical to find out on concrete examples from practice, when there is a real product, a client with his desires and stereotypes - and the candidate's actions. “Sales” of our company do not sell an unknown product to an unknown customer completely unexpectedly for themselves (and this is exactly the situation that is modeled by the “sell me now” exercises). The interview itself puts a person in a stressful situation, and it seems superfluous to us to aggravate it.

When it is necessary to test the skills of candidates in a real situation, we use evaluation procedures. Participants are warned in advance that they will be required to demonstrate certain skills; before each such exercise, they have time to study the context and prepare. In our opinion, this is the most effective method for identifying the required competencies.

The main criterion by which we evaluate the "compatibility" of a candidate with the corporate culture of the company is a map of motivators, that is, a description of the most significant, important for a person in his professional activity. For example, if a company operates in a high-tech competitive market that requires constant individual training and teamwork from a sales manager, the desire to acquire new knowledge and skills should be among the applicant's priorities.

After conducting all the interviews with the candidate, the interviewer analyzes the collected information, assesses the level of development of the necessary competencies. The final decision on hiring is made by the customer (initiator of the application) based on the conclusion that the person meets the requirements. The application is considered closed after the selected candidate leaves for work (for probation).

Thus, you can find an effective sales manager based on the portrait of a successful sales person. This portrait, of course, common features: it is made up of intrinsic motivation, high learning ability, energy, result orientation and communication skills. At the same time, it also contains specific features related to the characteristics of the product / service, target customer groups and the corporate culture of a particular organization. That is, each company has its own portrait of a successful sales manager.

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCES

SALES MANAGER

Model of professional competencies of a sales manager developed by me in the process of organizing and conducting Assessment Center in Russian companies. Here are the skills of the seller:

§ Corporate loyalty, commitment

§ Customer Orientation Skill, Customer Orientation

§ Building contact with the client

§ Client interview. Presentation of the company's products and services

§ Dealing with customer objections

§ The skill of evaluating client signals

§ Deciding on a deal

§ Building a long-term satisfied customer

Competence:

CORPORATE LOYALTY, COMMITMENT

Points

Informed in matters of corporate benefits of the company at the intermediate, basic level .

Fluent in information on corporate advantages of the company, uses information in communication with the client.

Fluent in presentation of corporate advantages of the company, demonstrates presentation skills according to the needs of the client.

Fluent in information not only on the corporate advantages of his company, but also on the advantages and disadvantages of competing companies

Shows pride in the company and professional confidence, shares his experience in the company, talks about his career in the company.

Provides mentorship, shares experience with colleagues and new employees, shows high loyalty to the company.

Competence:


CUSTOMER ORIENTATION SKILL, CLIENT ORIENTATION

Points

Behavioral indicators (manifestations)

Neutral to the client while not understanding the needs of the customer.

Have a positive attitude towards the client shows respect for the client, but does not find out the needs of the client.

Fluent in the skill of interviewing a client in order to ascertain his needs, clarifies the client's situation. Offers the company's products and services in accordance with the existing needs of the client.

Actively forms the needs of the client on the technique of SPIN sales, offers the company's products and services in accordance with the identified needs of the client.

Builds active interaction with the client and finds the best solution in sales given the receipt of profit for the company and discounts to the client within the framework of the financial policy of the company.

Actively forms a satisfied and long-term customer: offers the company's products and services in accordance with its cash and clarified needs. Provides company services.

Competence:

BUILDING CONTACT WITH THE CLIENT

Points

Behavioral indicators (manifestations)

Doesn't care about the client. Doesn't greet the customer trading floor, goes about his business. He believes that the client should decide for himself what he needs. Shows passivity, answers the client's questions briefly, indifferently, without enthusiasm.

Greets the customer on the sales floor. However, it does not accompany the client, it expects activity from the client regarding what choice he will make.

Greets the client, introduces himself, stating his name and position. Actively enters into communication, asks questions on the needs of the client.

Greets the client, appears, evaluates the psychotype and job status of the client, builds communication in accordance with the psychotype and status of the client: asks questions to assess the needs of the client, offers appropriate conditions and products of the company.

Builds a deal with the client, shows activity, initiative and enthusiasm in accordance with the diagnosis of the official status and psychotype of the client. Asks questions, presents corporate advantages of the company, offers products, discusses the terms of the deal.

Competence:

CLIENT INTERVIEW. PRODUCT PRESENTATION

AND COMPANY SERVICES

Points

Behavioral indicators (manifestations)

Does not ask questions to the client, does not organize a dialogue with the client. Demonstrates a presentation on the company's products and services without clarifying the needs of the client.

Asks closed questions, listens not very attentively to the answers of the client. Can interrupt, correct the client. Presents the company's products and services without active dialogue with the client.

Formulates closed and open questions to the client, listens carefully, immediately proceeding to the presentation of the company's products and services. Does not ask additional questions for clarification and understanding when presenting the company's products and services. Does not leave time for the client to express his wish regarding the transaction.

Formulates closed, open questions, as well as questions for understanding, clarification, positive reformulation. Actively listens and supports the client. Presents the company's products and services using the presentation funnel technology: in accordance with the needs of the client. Listens carefully to the client, shows flexibility in the presentation of the company's products and services.

In addition to standard questions, he formulates SPIN questions to form the needs of the client. Strives to make a deal using cross-selling technology. Actively listens, offers products and services in accordance with the needs of the client, also offers additional products and services of the company.

Competence:

SKILL TO WORK WITH CLIENT OBJECTIONS

Points

Behavioral indicators (manifestations)

Demonstrates a barrier to objections and claims from customers. Shows uncertainty, worries, looks incompetent. May be irritated with the client.

Responds positively to customer objections. Goes "on the occasion of clients", seeks to solve the client's problem at the expense of the company (agrees to unfavorable discounts, concedes, falls into a led position).

Responds positively to customer objections, diagnoses objections (clarifies the causes and needs of customers). Asks clarifying questions, prepares information for professional responses to objections.

Demonstrates an active and independent position in dealing with customer objections. He knows how to show the client the corporate advantages of the company, finds a mutually beneficial solution: profit for the company and favorable conditions for the client.

Deals professionally with customer objections: applies the technology of working with objections, solves the problem of the client, achieves a mutually beneficial solution, creates conditions for the formation of a satisfied and long-term client.

Competence:


CUSTOMER SIGNAL EVALUATION SKILL

Points

Behavioral indicators (manifestations)

There is no skill in evaluating client signals. Does not notice client signals, can repeat the presentation of products and services at the moment when the client agrees to the deal.

Does not organize feedback in communication with the client. Does not seek to assess the non-verbal behavior of the client, his reaction to the presentation of the company's products and services.

Timely diagnoses the signals of a trade-oriented client. Correctly assesses the non-verbal behavior of the client, however, in a dialogue with the client, he takes an insufficiently active position.

Shows an active position in the dialogue with the client, takes into account the signals, directs communication, forms the terms of a deal that is beneficial for the company and the client.

Organizes an active sale, constantly evaluates the non-verbal behavior of the client, takes into account the client's signals, his attitude to the terms of the transaction, directs the transaction, forms the conditions for a satisfied and long-term client.

Competence:

MAKING A DECISION ON THE TRANSACTION

Points

Behavioral indicators (manifestations)

Shows passivity in negotiations. Executes the transaction in accordance with the choice of the client.

Negotiates with the client on the terms of the transaction. It mainly takes into account the conditions and requirements of the client, gives discounts that are not always beneficial for the company.

Strives to take an active position in the course of decision-making on the transaction, directs negotiations towards a mutually beneficial solution, seeks to get a profitable deal that gives a profit to the company.

Shows an active position in the course of making a decision on a transaction, offers conditions that are beneficial for the company and form a long-term, satisfied client.

Competence:

FORMING A LONG-TERM SATISFIED CUSTOMER

Points

Behavioral indicators (manifestations)

Completes a transaction with a client on a neutral note, without a pronounced positive end.

Completes the transaction on positive contact with the client, does not plan further interactions.

Closes the deal on a positive contact. Calls the client for information according to his assessment of the company's products and the terms of the transaction (delivery, installation, etc.)

Maintains a long-term relationship with the client(introduces the new products of the company, congratulates on holidays).

Maintains a long-term positive relationship with the client, including friendships, regularly calls (or writes) with a presentation of new products and services of the company, to maintain a dialogue, exchange information. Invites the client to corporate events company, has common meetings with the client (hobbies, hobbies).

The developed competencies of a sales manager help in the sale of goods and services. What skills and qualities to pay attention to when selecting a specialist and how to check professional compliance, read the article.

From the article you will learn:

What are the competencies of a sales manager?

Competences of a sales manager - the terms of reference regulated by law, charter or other regulations. Under them understand the experience, knowledge in a particular area. The ability to perform tasks directly depends on the personal and professional qualities of a specialist. official duties, efficiency.

When selecting personnel for a vacant position, draw up a position profile taking into account the field of activity. Rely on job description, choose what qualities and knowledge a specialist should have. Keep in mind that professional competencies sales managers are more developed among people with higher education and work experience. But you can opt for active young people who have just graduated from mid-career training programs.

Reference: if sales have fallen in an organization, do not rush to fire managers and hire new specialists. Send employees for training. experts said electronic journal « ».

Even more useful materials about competencies in the magazine

What competencies of a sales manager are important for work?

A person who has developed key competencies helps to promote the company's brand, creates a positive image. Professional actions, skillful communication with clients contribute to increasing the profitability of the business, reaching a new level. Therefore, take the selection of a specialist seriously, determine his competence.

Sales manager competencies: list

  • Energy employee leads to an increase in labor efficiency. Manager strives for something new and is active. He is not afraid of a large number of projects, problematic clients.
  • Ability to communicate- the skill necessary for successful negotiation. During a confidential conversation, the client becomes interested in the company's products and makes a deal. The better the manager is in contact with consumers, the longer the relationship develops.
  • Confidence in itself, the organization and the products being sold - the competence of the sales manager, which liberates. The employee actively promotes the brand, is not afraid to ask questions to customers, answer them, advertise.
  • Learnability- a quality without which it is difficult to match. The constant change in technologies, processes, the emergence of new products and services obliges self-improvement and professional growth. If a person does not strive to obtain new information, it is difficult for him to communicate with clients, answer their questions, and recommend. He is not able to attract consumers, to interest.
  • Customer orientation, analytical skills help to select the necessary products, to present them.
  • High stress resistance makes it possible to recover, not to pay attention to problem customers. The employee does not feel a breakdown, apathy, continues to work actively after suffering stress.

The functional competencies of a sales manager depend on the field of activity. For those who do active sales, it is important to be able to make cold calls to clients, recruit agents, contact customers on recommendations, and look for contacts. Employees of the client department should be distinguished by perseverance, diligence, and the ability to draw up documents.

After establishing contact, when the person feels comfortable, go directly to the competency interview for. Ask questions, ask to solve cases that will help to reveal certain qualities. Watch the applicant's reaction. Weed out aggressive, silent and passive. They are not able to interest the employer, so it will be completely difficult to sell goods or services.

Make up homework to define the competencies of a sales manager. , which do not require a lot of time, ask to complete during the conversation. Select tasks for which there are no answers in the public domain. Otherwise, you will not be able to evaluate the applicant.

Practical situation

Case "Virtual Department"

Company Y works with complex products, and in sales strategies and tactics there is both work according to the B-to-C (business-to-customer) scheme, i.e. work with the end user - organization, and B-to-B ( business-to-business), i.e. work with distributors and distribution networks. In addition, the company periodically participates in large tender projects, which is the most difficult type of sales, since it is necessary to clearly structure the process, be able to…

Use other cases to assess the propensity to learn, the style of communication with clients and colleagues, the ability to sell, to interest. If necessary, change the characters, situations, so as not to get a pre-learned answer. Keep in mind that applicants are preparing for interviews on competencies, looking at many sources of information.

More about conducting interviews on competencies told in "System Personnel". From the material you will learn how to communicate with the applicant for the position, what to ask. It deals with the "three pluses and three minuses" method, projective questions and much more. Based on a detailed algorithm of actions, you will successfully conduct an interview and select an effective salesperson.

The competencies of a sales manager may change over time, as it is possible professional burnout. Problems in personal life, fatigue, frequently changing market conditions and other factors have a negative impact on labor efficiency. Therefore, motivate employees so that they give high results. Create an environment in the organization that is comfortable for the majority of employees.

The seller in any business is the main link in the distribution chain. In complex b2b sales, the manager becomes the head of his transaction, acquires a higher status - along with this, the requirements for his competencies also increase. About what knowledge the best sales manager should have - in our article.

Best Sales Manager- this is the specialist that the leaders of each company dream of. But how to understand whether a sales manager has grown to a professional, and what competencies should the best sales manager have? Let's take a closer look.

Changing the marketing policy in the b2b sphere is a laborious but necessary process. In our company, the main emphasis was placed on improving the competencies of sales managers. As a result, the turnover increased four times, the equipment was modernized and the product line was expanded. So what competencies should a complex product sales manager have?

At this level, the concept of "selling" implies the presence of a whole range of necessary skills and knowledge. It is on the professionalism and competence of the sales manager that the amount of the transaction, the percentage of the discount, the conditions of financial settlements, the optimization of delivery and the solution of many others depend to a greater extent. important issues. Our company is manufacturing technical products, so the range of questions is greatly expanded. This means that the requirements for employees are also growing.

Best Article of the Month

If you do everything yourself, employees will not learn how to work. Subordinates will not immediately cope with the tasks that you delegate, but without delegation, you are doomed to time pressure.

We published in the article a delegation algorithm that will help you get rid of the routine and stop working around the clock. You will learn who can and cannot be entrusted with work, how to give the task correctly so that it is completed, and how to control staff.

Where to find the best sales manager

It is quite difficult to quickly find a sales manager who has all the necessary professional qualities. It is even more difficult, as practice shows, to retrain experienced salespeople. That is why we prefer to grow our specialists. The candidate we are looking for must have higher education, purposefulness and desire to work in our team. He is waiting for a trial period (up to three months) with a salary of 50-70% of the salary.

In the first one or two months, the trainee is assigned to a mentor - a more experienced specialist who introduces the candidate in detail to the specifics of sales. The training of a sales manager takes place in the process of real interaction between the mentor and the counterparty. After training, the trainee is given two or three enterprises for independent work. During this period, the candidate must demonstrate the qualities necessary for the implementation of our products, and only based on the results of this work, the issue of accepting him for vacant position. What are these qualities and why are they needed in complex b2b sales?

Quality 1. Technical competencies

Complex sales require special technical awareness. The manager must not only know the product and its scope, he must become a consultant to the client in order to understand how to meet his needs and be able to offer alternative options. Constant updating and confirmation of knowledge is indispensable here.

In our company, once a quarter, sales specialists undergo technical certification. For this, a certifying commission from technical specialists factory accredited laboratory. The technical "exam" includes three tasks. The first task is theoretical, on knowledge of the characteristics of a particular product. The second is practical; This is a technical task for the selection of material for certain operating conditions of the product.

For example, a specific brand of pump is given, and the specialist determines its specifications, pressure, working environment, selects the necessary stuffing box seal and gives advice. The third task - on the interchangeability of products - is also related to the practice of sales. For example, a manager must offer several interchangeable materials for the thermal insulation of a heating system. To do this, you need to study the operating conditions of the system and technical specifications. It is necessary not only to offer specific products (in this case, it is asbestos fabric and high-temperature ceramic fabric that replaces it), but also to justify the replacement of the material. The results of the attestation must confirm the qualifications of the manager, otherwise he goes to the re-examination. True, only once a specialist did not confirm his qualification after two retakes - we had to part with him.

Quality 2. Communicative competencies

The skill of negotiating with customers of different job levels is a mandatory requirement for managers of the b2b sector. Both the process of preparing meetings of managers and drawing up a negotiation plan that defines the stages, tasks and ultimate goals are important here. This kind of preparation requires the manager's awareness of the customer's company and its needs.

Especially for these purposes, sales managers keep an electronic diary that contains a number of necessary data about customers - the idea to keep it belongs to the managers themselves. Employees of the ACS department have developed a program that is interconnected with the client base and allows you to receive all the necessary information about the counterparty: general data, information about shipments, prices and terms of cooperation. The diary provided managers with quick access to the necessary information and data necessary for analysis for a specific period of cooperation (price changes, dominant assortment, shipments by branches, and so on). The interface of the diary is convenient, it takes a little time to fill in, since everything happens in the process of work.

In addition to information awareness, working with an electronic diary guarantees the operational interchangeability of managers. If an employee goes on sick leave or vacation, a colleague can replace him using necessary information. This is also convenient in case of dismissal of the manager: all information that is stored in electronic diary, once a week are copied to the general database of the company.

Quality 3. Office competencies

Modern transactions are increasingly beginning and ending with email, so compiling and sending commercial offers, work with debtors are also included in the list of mandatory competencies of a manager. These issues need to be given particular attention.

Proposals about cooperation. Our commercial service has developed five basic proposal templates. The first is an offer for client companies in the North-West (in this region of Russia, our company is the only manufacturer of such products). The second is for work in regions where there is competition with other manufacturers (there are only four such enterprises in Russia). The third template is designed for companies that order exclusive products (the most “rigid” offer on the terms of cooperation: 100% prepayment, delivery at the expense of the client and clear requirements for compliance with the pricing policy). The fourth is aimed at dealers and commercial representatives, it contains a description of the working conditions and mutual interests. And finally, the fifth template is aimed at military-industrial complex enterprises; it has its own characteristics, such as military acceptance, packaging and labeling requirements, and others.

Claim work. To work with debtors, we have developed an action algorithm consisting of four stages. The first stage is warning: letters are sent to the debtor enterprise with a reminder of the approaching payment deadline in the most correct form. The second stage is sending letters in three directions: to the supply department, to financial service and directly to CEO. If the debt is not extinguished, the third stage begins - pre-claim. Letters are no longer sent with a warning, but with demands, and negotiations are held at all levels. The fourth stage is the claim work, which is carried out by the company's lawyers. Managers' control over compliance with all stages ensures the registration of letters and their storage in the archived client base.

After the introduction of this procedure for working with receivables, the latter decreased by at least 25-30%. In fairness, it must be said that the client pays as his suppliers want - this is an unspoken rule of cooperation in our industry. We try not to work with inveterate debtors. Everything is determined by the situation, but both the buyer and the supplier must observe discipline.

Quality 4. Legal competencies

Work with contracts, coordination of all clauses of the contract is also the responsibility of sales staff. We usually use our own contract templates. However, if the counterparty insists on concluding his contract, the sales manager prepares a protocol of disagreements and submits it to his immediate supervisor for approval. commercial director. In any case, the specialist endorses the contract and thereby confirms his responsibility for the terms of cooperation described in the contract, and after signing by the commercial director, strictly monitors its implementation. This requires basic legal knowledge.

Training in the basics is carried out by specialists of the legal service, already concluded contracts and experience in working with diverse clients of the plant are used as material. Employees in practice analyze all the articles of contracts: the subject of the contract and the terms of delivery, penalties and force majeure. In addition, they learn how to write dispute protocols and the necessary technical specifications.

Quality 5. Customs competencies

Most of our products are shipped to Russia and countries Customs Union. We most often work with foreign partners on a prepaid basis or under a letter of credit, therefore, for the delivery of goods abroad, we have developed separate templates for international contracts. Several foreign trade specialists advise sales managers on customs issues. Directly shipping abroad, drawing up a declaration are engaged customs brokers who cooperate with the enterprise on the terms of outsourcing. However, even with such support, in the process of work, sales specialists undergo a practical training course, where they gain knowledge on the basics of customs law - in relation to the activities of our organization. Knowledge of Incoterms 1, terms and methods of delivery allows sellers to determine pricing policy and conditions of cooperation with the counterparty (formation of the selling price, development of a discount system, transfer of ownership, cargo insurance issues, documentation requirements, and much more). The amount of knowledge depends on the competencies and powers of managers.

Quality 6. Logistics competencies

The larger the territory, the more relevant the knowledge and understanding of the basics of logistics becomes. Taking into account the fact that the clients of our company are located throughout Russia, logistics plays an important role in the formation of the selling price of the goods. We have a fixed share of transportation costs: it should not exceed 5-10% of the order value. The sales manager independently determines the type of transport during shipment, guided by the delivery time and the wishes of the client. Work with transport companies (shipment of small lots - up to five tons of cargo) is handled directly by sellers.

In the case of delivery of larger batches - by road or rail container - the sales specialist contacts the transport and storage service through the logistics manager. Logistics managers control the quality of delivery, they also conduct practical courses for sellers. The course is based on an introduction to logistics system: rules for calculating delivery, determining the type of transport, the convenience and advantages of certain shipment schemes, pricing policy, and so on.

Quality 7. Accounting competencies

It is obvious that the best sales manager, like a "Sweden and a reaper", should also carry out all work with documentation - from invoicing to providing the client with shipping documents and drawing up reconciliation acts. If this process is not automated in the company, then primary accounting skills become another mandatory competence of a sales manager. Our IT department has developed a number of special programs that the sales and accounting departments have access to. They allow you to quickly obtain a reconciliation act for the required counterparty, which significantly speeds up the workflow process.

For example, if it is necessary to obtain an act of reconciliation of mutual settlements for the current date, a sales specialist enters the details of the company, the period of cooperation into a special program and receives the result. Unfortunately, today the reconciliation of settlements is a little late within a week, since the information is entered by the accounting department not so quickly, but such promptness already allows you to control receivables in a timely manner.

The mentoring system is a good alternative to expensive trainings and seminars. In addition to the fact that the company saves on the services of a third-party coach, employees acquire additional motivation: experienced mentors develop management skills, improve their status and feel that they are valued in the company, and newcomers receive timely qualified assistance.

1 Incoterms (from the English. International commerce terms - international terms of commerce) - a set of rules that determine the transfer of responsibility for the transportation and insurance of goods from the seller to the buyer. Adopted in 1936 by the International Chamber of Commerce, latest amendments entered into force in 2011.

Any management activity consists of a certain set of relatively permanent tasks. The scale of the challenges ahead modern society, sharply increases the urgency of the problem of managerial competence. Therefore, the number of competencies should correspond to the number of tasks included in the professional duties manager.

A successful leader must have high managerial competence, that is, he needs not only to know well professional area(production, technology, sales, etc.), but also possess knowledge and skills in the field of management (Fig. 1). Only then can he succeed.

Fig.1.

Competence is the possession of a range of issues in which a person has knowledge, experience, allowing to judge something, determining the possibilities, skills of a person in any field of activity. The concept of "competence" is used to assess the level of a person's qualifications in certain issues, problems, but not in professional activities in general.

A. Novikov puts the following meaning into the concepts of "professionalism" and "competence": accounting, constructing machines, growing crops or building work. Competence, in addition to technological training, implies a number of other components that are mainly non-professional or trans-professional in nature, but at the same time necessary to one degree or another for every specialist. First of all, these are such personality traits as independence, the ability to make responsible decisions, a creative approach to any business, the ability to bring it to the end, the ability to constantly learn. This is the flexibility of thinking, the presence of abstract, systemic and experimental thinking. This is the ability to conduct a dialogue and sociability, the ability to cooperate, etc. A huge non-professional superstructure of requirements for a specialist grows above the actual professional - technological - training.

Professional competencies can be divided into the following categories:

Competences related to work and intelligence level;

Competencies at the level of knowledge: what you need to learn and know;

Competencies at the skill level: what a person should be able to do;

Competencies at the level of behavior: attitudes, principles, norms and values, demeanor and other qualities necessary in order to occupy a certain position.

Expert analysis made it possible to determine the following characteristic features of professional competencies:

1. multifunctionality (mastering them allows you to solve various problems in everyday, professional or social life);

2. belonging to the meta-educational field (they are over-subject, interdisciplinary and applicable in a variety of situations);

3. intelligence (they require abstract thinking, self-reflection, self-identification, self-assessment, etc.);

4. multidimensionality (they include various mental processes: analytical, communicative, "know-how", common sense, etc.).

The term "competence" can also be defined as a set of knowledge (subject "what", procedural "how", value-semantic "why and why"), responsibility equal to authority, and personal characteristics of a person that ensure the effectiveness of his work activity.

Competences, in our opinion, are fundamentally different from the triad of "knowledge, skills, skills".

First, they define more large units analysis of professional activity (these are essential parts of a particular activity).

Secondly, they include professionally important qualities of a manager's personality.

The same knowledge can be included in different competencies, but at the same time they change significantly. Therefore, it can be said that competence, as it were, transforms the existing knowledge, adapting it to a specific subject and conditions, making it inextricably linked with professional actions. The core of competence is "skills". Their combination and interrelation forms the internal structure of competence.

M.A. Kholodnaya defines competence as a special type of organization of subject-specific knowledge, which allows making effective decisions in the relevant field of activity.

V.S. Gorchakova emphasizes that competence as a thorough knowledge (which, of course, is formed through intensive practice) of any subject activity consists of two equally important components: the best adaptation to the relevant activity and further qualitative transformation of this activity. At the same time, the author distinguishes:

1) basic reproductive competence based on recreated;

2) creative competence, which is based on personally transformed (incremented or added).

In practice, there are three different meanings concepts of "competence":

First, the unique characteristics of the organization, consisting of knowledge, technologies and processes that can be created and developed. These organizational-wide competencies are called core competencies. These competencies are closely related to organizational system balanced scorecards.

Secondly, the totality of knowledge, experience, skills, values, norms, behavior patterns of an individual employee, which serves as the basis for his personal success and position in society. This individual competence is closely related to the personal balanced scorecard.

Thirdly, the totality of knowledge, skills, values, norms, behaviors necessary to perform this work. This professional competence is associated with an individual work plan and is included in the competence profile.

Some management textbooks highlight socio-psychological competence, which means:

1) the ability to understand oneself (which involves awareness of one's own motives, opportunities in the field of communication, behavioral patterns);

2) the ability to understand other people (which involves understanding the needs, motives of other people, their behavioral patterns, used psychological defenses);

3) the ability to understand the relationship of people (which means the ability to adequately perceive the situation of communication, the relationships that develop in the process of communication, to be aware of one's own influence on the communication process, to understand the causes of difficulties that arise);

4) the ability to predict interpersonal situations (which is impossible without the development of all the above abilities, and also requires knowledge about the obstacles to mutual understanding and the use of constructive communication techniques).

L. Iacocca once wrote about the importance of socio-psychological, or communicative, competence of managers. The fact that students with brilliant abilities became very mediocre managers, he explained by the fact that they were not sociable.

More recently, the concept of social intelligence emerged as more necessary for managers than general intelligence measured in IQ. For managers to be highly effective, it is sufficient to have a general intelligence of an average level. The test developed by J. Gilford allows measuring social intelligence and can be used in the selection of managers, but not for their development.

Examples of professional competencies: delegation, coaching, management, independent work, customer orientation, collaboration, skills interpersonal communication, organization, process orientation, proactive activity, inspiration, determination, ability to persuade, etc.

As the capitalization of domestic enterprises develops and grows, it becomes more and more obvious that the main character in the organization is the manager. It is he who daily makes many decisions and is responsible for the quality work of structural units. The role of the head of a modern Russian organization cannot be overestimated. Sociologists note the internal heterogeneity and inconsistency of this social group, which includes both the leaders of the old formation and the new generation of managers who support market values ​​and are included in them as guidelines for the development of enterprises and the economy as a whole.

The changes that have taken place in our country place high demands on the competence of managers of a modern organization.

It is possible to imagine the competence of a manager as a combination of three spheres of his existence in the organization: his deeds (I can - is formed by professional training), his feelings (I want - is formed by education and organizational culture) and his thoughts (I know - is formed by education). By the degree of their severity and the dominance of one or the other, one can judge the level of manager's competence.

The head of the organization determines by 80% how the organization he leads will look like, what management technologies it will choose, what people will work in it and what behavioral norms will prevail. Time goes by, society changes. Today, the country feels the need to search for new management methods and professional leaders and managers. Russian companies need leaders who build their relationships with the organization and employees on the principles of professionalism, cooperation, mutual respect and interest, and a clear understanding of mutual obligations.

The modern Russian manager is in conditions of constant change and uncertainty. Some tasks in his activity lose their significance and disappear altogether, others somehow transform, change in some way. At the same time, new tasks appear that require even greater restructuring of professional activity. There is a need for new competencies. By conducting a specific analysis of the new tasks facing the manager, it is possible to model the competence that the manager lacks and offer a special training program.

At different stages of socio-economic development, competencies change. However, a modern Russian manager must manage tasks, resources, people, information, quality, projects and organizational changes. This is a universal competency model that can change depending on the needs of the organization (Table 1).

Table 1

Top manager competency model

Result orientation

Leadership level of development

Communicates high expectations to its employees. Helps employees to believe in success and make every effort to achieve their goals. Creates a system for assessing achievements. Supports employees during times of failure

Strong level of development

Sets goals at a level that is difficult but realistic. Identifies ways to evaluate your achievements. Able to be persistent, active and selective during a long period of failure

Basic level of development

Stubborn, striving for success. Does not give up when faced with temporary setbacks. Aimed at a specific result, not a process. Initiative

Wants to be successful. Does not always show sufficient perseverance. Faced with setbacks, they may lose faith in themselves. In some cases, takes the initiative

Competence not developed

Doesn't try to be successful. Satisfied with the results obtained

Conflict Management

Leadership level of development

Sets the norm of a constructive attitude towards disagreements in the team. Requires employees to negotiate among themselves, without bringing the situation to conflict. In the event of a conflict, he acts as a competent mediator, helping the parties to agree

Strong level of development

Able to identify the deep interests of his interlocutor. Moves away from the discussion of the declared positions, moving on to the discussion of deep interests. Resourceful in finding new solutions that suit both parties. Able to avoid conflict even when dealing with a non-constructively minded employee

Basic level of development

Faced with disagreements, seeks a compromise solution. Clarifies the position of the other. Shows understanding and respect for the position of the other, even when it contradicts his own. Able to change position, be flexible in finding compromises. With the mutual will of the parties does not bring disagreements to conflict

Competence underdeveloped

Faced with disagreements, tries to negotiate. At the same time, he holds on to his position. Not flexible. Refuses to understand the position of the interlocutor

Competence not developed

Provokes colleagues to conflict. In case of disagreement, takes a non-constructive position

The most important thing for a top manager is the ability to be a leader. In addition, the manager must be a strategist, assess the potential of people, manage organizational knowledge.

Thus, the development of professional competence and competence of a modern Russian manager involves the development and implementation of a set of modern professional knowledge and practical skills, their application, mastery of effective skills. social management and human technology

Competences are fundamentally different from the triad of "knowledge, skills, abilities". First, they define larger units of analysis of professional activity (these are essential parts of a particular activity). Secondly, they include professionally important qualities of a manager's personality. The core of competence is "skills". Their combination and interrelation forms the internal structure of competence.

One can think of a manager's competence as a combination of three areas of his existence in the organization: his deeds, his feelings and his thoughts. By the degree of their severity and the dominance of one or the other, one can judge the level of manager's competence.

Modern researchers of the competency-based approach (A.K. Markova, L.A. Stepnova, E.V. Zemtsova, A.I. Subetto) distinguish the following main competencies of managers 11 Lukashenko M. A. Professional competencies of a manager www.bglitvak.ru:

· Focused on results and achievements. The ability to be responsible for the implementation of decisions, the ability to set new ambitious goals after achieving the previous ones. Task and relationship oriented behavior.

· Flexibility. The ability to quickly and adequately respond to emergency situations, to see and identify the problem, to find ways to solve it, to assemble a team for implementation, to evaluate the results.

· Ability to learn, self-learning. Learning, receptivity to new methods and technologies, the ability to apply new things in practice. The ability to introspection. Willingness to analyze one's achievements and shortcomings, look at familiar things with different eyes, wisely use someone else's experience.

· Influence, ability to convince. The ability to defend one's own opinion. Logic in conducting constructive conversations. Knowledge of influence techniques. The ability to identify and use the motives of people. The ability to ask the right questions and determine the degree of awareness and emotional state of the partner.

· Ability to listen to others and accept feedback. The ability to create channels of two-way communication - to abstract from one's opinions and thoughts, to concentrate on the words of the interlocutor. Good auditory and visual memory. Ownership different ways feedback. Ability to effectively encourage and criticize others.

· Presentation and negotiation skills. Ability to determine the goals and objectives of the presentation, the interests of the audience. Building a spectacular introduction, connecting phrases, main body and end of the presentation. Possession of persuasion strategies and public speaking skills. Knowledge of stages efficient process negotiations. The ability to determine the interests of the participants, to choose the best alternative. Ability to discuss, offer, conduct positional bargaining. Mastery of manipulation techniques and the ability to resist them.

· Customer focus. Knowledge of customer service policies and standards. Orientation to the current and future needs of customers. Ability to behave correctly with different types of "difficult" clients. Ability to build partnerships with clients, the ability to recognize additional opportunities and risks in relation to clients.

The competencies of a manager can also include: analytical skills, creativity, organizational skills, ability to work in a team, etc.

Thus, for each type management activities have their own special competencies. The difference in the competencies of employees is due to the difference in their functional duties, as well as the demand for their skills, knowledge and personal qualities necessary to perform these duties.

Considering professional competencies, most researchers single out: simple (basic) competencies and key competencies.