Sales territory management training experts have identified three trends that are changing the way territories are assigned and managed.
- Social. It is less about geography than about social connections. With the advent of social media, defining territories strictly by geographical divisions makes less sense. Territories that are defined by the quality of personal interactions reap more rewards. Trusting relationships are built across geographical boundaries and with like-minded individuals.
- Potential. Today’s business environment includes more matrixed organizations and more transparency in the workplace. As a result, it is increasingly important that territories have equivalent incentives and potential for success.
- Mobile. Just about everyone has a cell phone these days. Salespeople (and their performance data) are accessible now even when they are not in their office. So customers have higher expectations around service. As well, your sales team has higher expectations around the way the company and you, as manager, serve them. You need the tools to provide up-to-the-minute reports and tracking so they know where to focus their efforts in the field.
