Relationship between sales and other departments
Working together
The sales department in a business must work collaboratively with other departments to achieve success. They must build a relationship with marketing, finance, production and the supply chain to allow them to operate in an efficient and effective way.
Marketing
Marketing and sales work together very closely in a business. The role of marketing is to attract a customer to the business and develop an interest in their products. Marketing will also ensure the sales department are selling products and services that meet the wants and needs of customers.
Finance
The finance department provides a budget and an amount of money that will allow the sales department to function effectively, whilst also monitoring the sales made and the revenue achieved. Finance will also closely monitor any costs that the business has, and ensure the sales department are selling enough products for the business to achieve a profit.
Production
Production must communicate effectively with the sales department to inform them of how many products they are able to make within a certain time period. This will allow the sales department to inform customers of any delay and avoid disappointment.
Production will also have to ensure that their products are of a high quality and represent the brand effectively. This will avoid complaints and returns by customers, and make the role of the sales department much easier.
Supply chain
The supply chain must gain information from the sales team to allow them to supply the right goods and services to the correct customer. The supply chain will also want to ensure they have enough stock and that customers receive it within the time period promised by the sales team.
