We can see that distributors often work on the front lines all year round, somewhat like "warrior" leaders of mountain bandits. Many small and medium distributors are versatile: delivery, payment collection, negotiation, shipping, unloading... they can do everything, one person can do the work of N, and they are "models" who fear neither hardship nor fatigue. Even if a factory sends a truck with more than ten tons of goods, the husband and wife can unload it all in one go and then go deliver. Moreover, too many distributors seem stuck in a "money trap." When the business is small, they can't afford to hire people, so they do it themselves. When the business grows, they are reluctant to hire, and even if they do, they only like "machine-like" salespeople who work without eating. The result is that they hire but can't retain. How small and medium distributors improve their operational level depends not only on their opportunities and environment but also on their "wisdom" in managing their sales team. First Look: Vehicle Sales Visits The basic combat unit of distributors is mostly a 1+2 model, that is, one vehicle and two people, one driver and one salesperson. This is the standard vehicle sales model. So what is the visit model? It is the 1+1 model, where the salesperson rides a bicycle to visit terminal outlets individually to take orders, and the driver delivers goods by truck according to the orders. The advantage of the vehicle sales model is simple management and immediate transactions; the disadvantage is that salespeople visit large stores (those with good turnover) but not small stores (those with poor turnover), often missing stores or skipping them, casting a wide net with poor results, low efficiency, and high costs. The advantage of the visit model is that it develops by area, with meticulous operations and pervasive visits, and precise delivery with low costs. The disadvantage is that managing the sales team is difficult, and the game of cat and mouse is played daily. Once the sales team slackens, order output is low, and management problems arise. Second Look: Business Processes The so-called business process refers to the internal management process of the distributor, from warehousing and shipping, to delivery and payment collection, to financial management. Many small and medium distributors operate on a boss + boss's wife model, or boss + boss's wife + boss's wife's mother (mother-in-law or relative). Some bosses are "Monkey King" types, capable of anything, handling warehouse management, finance, delivery, negotiation, and even loading and unloading themselves. Such distributors are mostly in the early stages of entrepreneurship, and the result is often exhaustion, even if they earn a hard-earned profit, it's like "meat rotting in the pot," knowing only that they make or lose money, but not where the profit or loss comes from. Third Look: Salary Structure Most distributors pay salespeople on a base salary + commission model. As long as attendance is sufficient, the base salary is guaranteed. The key lies in the commission part. Many distributors calculate commission based on turnover: turnover × commission coefficient = salary. In the early stages of this model, if the coefficient is set appropriately and salespeople can see and actually receive the commission, it is beneficial for sales promotion. But over time, distributors will find that salespeople only sell old bestsellers and ignore new or non-bestselling products. Even worse, to achieve turnover targets, salespeople may manipulate prices, promotions, or even payment collection. For distributors, it is essential to elevate the assessment model to a management level. Assessment is the "command flag" in the distributor's hands, and where the flag points is the direction for salespeople to attack. Regarding assessment indicators, it is normal for salespeople to have a "countermeasure for every policy" mentality, but distributors must be "the higher the magic, the higher the Tao." For example, after discovering that the base salary + commission model is ineffective, distributors can introduce a category-based assessment method, or combine it with new products, adopt "special project" commissions, set a commission coefficient for each box of new products sold, and change monthly commissions to same-day settlement. Continuously fine-tune assessment indicators so that while salespeople focus on commission wages, the distributor's operational focus is elevated with the changes in indicators. Fourth Look: Territory Division In the early stages, distributor management is mostly "bandit-style." On the mountain, the distributor waves his hand: Brothers, outside the mountain are fine wine and treasure, go! So a group of salespeople scatter, fighting and eating meat and drinking soup! East and west of the city are not distinguished, and after completing distribution, they fight among themselves: you took my job, I fought for your territory. Several vehicles fly around, and the money earned isn't enough for gas. After adopting territory division management, not only are these troubles solved, but the key is that distributors can let their subordinates show their talents, discover and remedy problems in local markets in time, and master resource allocation within the sales team. Fifth Look: Assessment Results At the end of the month, the distributor pays wages and asks: Zhang San, how much did you get? Zhang San: 1860 yuan. Ask: Do you know how this wage came about? Zhang San: I don't know! This is the problem of chaotic financial systems. If the distributor company can also establish a transparent financial system and process, this problem can be solved, allowing employees to be clear and stable, and to focus wholeheartedly on their work. For example, Zhang San answers: This month, my base salary is 900 yuan, plus sales commission of 360 yuan, selling 2000 boxes of new product X beer, commission 700 yuan, and a deduction of 100 yuan for exceeding the gas quota. This is the ideal state. Sixth Look: Commission Orientation When the sales team is immature, commission-based management is a common tool. Once distributor management matures, most adopt a "contract system," that is, contracting the vehicle and market to subordinates, with the distributor only holding the warehouse and responsible for contacting the manufacturer. Under the commission model, small and medium distributors have overly simple management systems; having a simple ledger is already good, and data aggregation and information transmission are difficult, with commission coefficients mostly set by experience. Assessment models often remain unchanged for years, resulting in a situation where salespeople do more or less the same. In the warehouse, salespeople seem diligent and dedicated, but once out, they play hide-and-seek, even using the vehicle for personal errands, sneaking to internet cafes, or gathering for mahjong. The distributor is kept in the dark, sitting at home listening to salespeople complain: The market is hard, harder than climbing to the sky! The main reason for this phenomenon is the distributor's "big pot" assessment mechanism. The base salary accounts for more than half of the salesperson's income, and commissions on bestsellers account for the other half. Everyone is harmonious, and wages are similar. With the guarantee of old bestsellers, everyone can earn similar wages with eyes closed, without much worry or effort! The distributor's initial commission model: base salary + turnover commission; Intermediate commission model: base salary + category commission + new product special project; Advanced commission model: turnover commission + category commission + performance improvement commission. For example, distributors can set annual performance growth commissions for salespeople, adding a 1000 yuan bonus to reward the top few with the fastest annual performance improvement, or reward the top few with the fastest monthly improvement over the previous month. As long as methods are diverse, rewards are in place, salespeople's enthusiasm is mobilized, reward standards are clear, and assessments are conducted daily, everyone will have the desire to strive for progress, and this team will be a "howling" sales team. Seventh Look: Bottle Return Commission Beer distributors know well the characteristics of beer in logistics: bulky and low value. The key is that beer bottle recycling occupies an important position in the business process. If distributors do not work on the bottle return link, there will be a "one-shot deal": the terminal accepts the goods, but the bottles are either unwanted or sold as glass waste for a few cents per bottle. If distributors set the bottle return commission for salespeople improperly, there will also be the problem of salespeople only delivering goods without returning bottles. Terminal customer complaints increase, outlets are lost one by one, and sales will inevitably have problems. Eighth Look: Driver and Salesperson Salary Composition In the distributor's 1+2 business model, the driver and salesperson are a combat unit, more like two grasshoppers tied to the same rope. Without unified coordination, efficiency is low and internal friction increases. When setting assessment indicators, distributors should consider the integrity of this combat unit, clarify the superior-subordinate relationship between the two, and link the driver's salary to the salesperson's salary, meaning the driver's wage level depends on the salesperson's wage amount. For distributor salespeople, even if the boss grabs their ears every morning and shouts "sell goods well," they will treat it as a passing breeze once out the door. Because no distributor salesperson is willing to do what is "hoped for"; they only do what is assessed. Because only assessment determines their income. Therefore, distributors must work on and improve their internal assessment system, striving to enhance internal management to achieve improved market competitiveness. -END-