Sales Force Training and Performance of Tissue Manufacturing Firms in South East Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between sales force training and performance of tissue manufacturing firms in South East Nigeria. The researcher adopted survey research design and questionnaire served as the instrument of data collection. The population comprises the entire sales staff in sales/marketing department of the tissue companies under study. Data collected were analyzed using simple percentages and mean statistics. Pearson product moment correlation coefficient, with the help of SPSS 23.0 and Microsoft Excel software, were used to test the hypotheses. The findings indicated that there is significant relationship between sales force orientation training and customer patronage, sales force orientation training significantly affects customer retention, there is significant relationship between seminar training and customer patronage and seminar training of sales force influences customer retention. The study recommends that there is need for orientation of sales staff to enhance their effectiveness in customer acquisition, patronage and retention. More so, there is need to always organize seminars for sales staff to improve their performance. The study concludes that the achievement of marketing performance in firms depends on the nature and effectiveness of sales force training through seminar, orientation among other factors.