Product details

In June 2005, Total Quality Logistics (TQL) management met to discuss the company''s sales management practices and organization. They expected to double the size of the sales force in the coming year and wanted to prepare for that growth. TQL provided freight brokerage. Its brokers identified truck shipments or ''loads'', matched them with carriers (trucks), and co-ordinated the process to assure pick up and delivery in good condition and on-time. TQL currently had 130 sales people (brokers), but effectively had only one sales manager! Yet, even with the fast growth, it had won several awards for their service levels and business practices. TQL managers were considering a spectrum of options. At one extreme they could add a whole new layer of nine sales managers, they could take a middle ground and add a smaller number of general sales managers or specialized function managers, or they could take a ''wait and see'' approach.