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ABSTRACT
In this study, the primary objective was to investigate the factors that affect the performance ofsales personnel of insurance companies, with specific focus on factors such as motivation and resourcefulness of the sales person. Using descriptive survey methodology, data was collected from sales personnel of ten insurance companies in Ghana. Findings suggest that motivation is a key factor influencing the performance of insurance sales personnel.
Keywords: sales personnel, motivation, resourcefulness, performance.
1. Introduction
Organisations produce goods and services, and sales personnel sell them. In many situations, managers are faced with getting more service and sales effort from fewer people and fewer assets (Skinner, 2000). Many insurance companies in Ghana are increasingly relying on salespeople to generate revenue. The primary reason for this is the adoption of the push marketing strategy by these insurance companies in their dealing with consumers. The push marketing strategy involves convincing intermediary channel members to "push" the product through the channel to the ultimate consumer (Bearden et al., 2001). Personal selling is thus the primary tool in this method. Therefore, the sales person plays a very important role in the attainment of sales goals.
There are many factors that affect the performance of sales personnel. These factors includemotivation,resourcefulness, product knowledge, aptitude, job satisfaction, role perception, personal factors like age, sex, height etc,ego drive, and empathy towards the customers are inherent in the individual salesperson. Among these factors, individual sales person motivation and resourcefulness have been examined to contributing to excellent performance (Churchill et al. 1985).
Churchil et al. (1985) stated that certain human qualities and characteristics make some sales people highly successful. Attributes such as physical characteristics and other personal factors have been examined as contributing to excellent performance.Snyder et al. (1991:576) proposed that the "combined cognitive processes of resourcefulness in goal attainment and motivation" hold answers as to why some salespeople excel when others do not. The combined cognitive processes of resourcefulness in goal attainment and motivation, otherwise known as hope, are believed to hold answers as to why some salespeople excel when others do not. Snyder et al. (1991) proposed that the ability to accomplish goals hinges on the level of motivation as well as a person's ability and resourcefulness to overcome obstacles that may impede goal...