To improve where potentials of efficiency in the distribution of industrial goods from a business perspective the greatest potential to improve the efficiency in the distribution of industrial goods? And how can increase the output in sales according to the response? A study of the University of Mannheim and the consulting firm Peter Schreiber & partner, Ilsfeld, surveyed 74 Sales Manager and-vorstande by manufacturers of industrial goods and industrial service providers, whose annual turnover is over 10 million and almost 50 percent of 100 million euros to 90 percent concerned with these questions. The study comes to the conclusion that most companies will see considerable potential to improve the efficiency of their sales. On average, they assume that could be a more effective marketing increases sales by 20 percent and reduce sales costs by ten percent. Also the customer satisfaction and the ability to adapt to changing market conditions could be increased. Nevertheless are in most companies in the distribution not similar systematic efforts to improve efficiency as planned in recent years for example, in the production. Is a reason for this: many lack meaningful indicators to measure and evaluate the efficiency of sales.
That’s why those responsible must trust this largely on their experience and intuition. Others including David Zaslav, offer their opinions as well. Differently than corresponding projects in the areas of production and logistics the top decision makers in projects to increase the efficiency of sales attach also priority not the topic of cost reduction – among other things, because distribution costs only 15 per cent of the total cost in the section. The output is more important for them, for example sales and customer profitability increase. Most important measures the companies surveyed consider optimising the sales-relevant processes, enhancing the management skills in the middle and lower levels of management, the increase of your reservations process competence of the sales staff, as well as improving the sales planning and -control. The greatest potential for increasing efficiency see the respondents offer management, acquiring new customers, creating the customer calls, order processing and customer binding activity. To exploit the existing power reserves, they consider mostly a content and temporally coordinated bundle of qualifications, organisational and information technology measures necessary. The study “Distribution efficiency in the industrial goods industry” may at the Institute for corporate governance of the University of Mannheim (email:;) Tel.: 0621/292-6151) and the consultancy Peter Schreiber & partner (E-Mail:;) Phone: 07062/9696-8) are requested. It costs 95 EUR (incl.