Guidelines for managers operating an appraisal system - Sales Management

The following summarizes the main guidelines the sales manager should follow when working within a formal appraisal framework.

• The appraiser should communicate clearly(in writing) to the salesperson at the beginning of each appraisal period specific objectives and performance standards for the appraisal period.
• Objective measurements should be provided on a regular basis to enable the appraiser and appraise constantly to review performance and to implement corrective action as appropriate.When an appraisal is due the appraiser should not review performance alone but in cooperation with another involved party(line superior), objectively appraising on measurable criteria, commenting on relevant subjective factors.
• Where objective and subjective factors are involved in an appraisal, a weighting should be applied giving predominance to objective factors.
• Theatrics should participate in his or her own appraisal, and contribute his or her own comments to achievement against standards and objectives, on strengths and weaknesses and training needs, and on external factors that have impacted on performance.

The most difficult part of an appraisal is not compiling the assessment but communicating the feedback to the appraise. The intention of counseling is to improve or modify performance, so it should:

• let the appraise see, understand and agree his or her actual performance in relation to agreed standards
• ensure that the appraise learns his or her manager’s views of his or her role and performance
• advise the appraise what prospects he or she might have, and how to realize those prospects through further development
• confirm and consolidate with theatrics the ongoing mini-appraisals communicated at counseling and training sessions
• increase the motivation of the appraise to improve his or her productivity and performance through agreed objective sand development programmers.

The appraise should be notified well in advance of the time, place and date, and Tecumseh should:

• be conducted in a reasonably relaxed and informal atmosphere, away from the normal work environment (and not in the salesperson’s car)
• be unbroken by interruptions and distractions
• have plenty of time specifically allocated to the appraisal so that the salesperson does not feel rushed
• be a two-way exchange of views.

When the appraisal is finished the appraiser should write up notes immediately, and have the appraise sign as acknowledgement of the appraisal after adding his or her own summary comments.