Abstract:
A major CPG manufacturer struggled with its
sales support organization and the interface with the field sales force. Issues
included lack of role clarity, high personnel turnover, systems deficiencies
and field dissatisfaction. Cannondale Associates was asked to identify the
specific customer marketing organization roles, responsibility, structure and
headcount changes to improve the effectiveness of the entire selling
organization.
Recommendation:
Cannondale Associates conducted a wide
range of internal interviews across field sales, senior management, category
management business support, and customer marketing personnel to better
understand the areas of job redundancy, capabilities gaps and systems issues.
Further, Cannondale Associates assessed the organizational structure and roles
and responsibilities of a range of best-in-class peer companies to compare and
contrast the client structure, capabilities and accountability versus those
peer companies, developing a scorecard to clearly point out the improvement
areas.
Through a series of work sessions with senior sales management, Cannondale developed specific recommendations for structure, headcount, personnel profiles, systems capabilities and roles and responsibilities for the entire headquarters and field sales support structure.
The recommendations eliminated a number of redundant functional silos and improved personal accountability and role clarity throughout the organization. Additionally, Cannondale identified significant routinization opportunities to improve the effectiveness of the headcount in the organization.
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