The role of an area sales manager in a FMCG company

[Nipa Sarker]

A fast Moving Consumer Good or FMCG company is one which produces consumable goods having a limited shelf life. As these manufactured goods are purchased directly by the users, the number of products determines the revenue generated for the company. Currently, the FMCG sector is experiencing a boom and is growing steadily at a rate of 10 to 12 percent every year.An FMCG company has to deal with a number of sections starting with the R&D section, manufacturing and operations section, finance section, marketing section and lastly the sales section.


Responsibilities of an Area Sales Manager (ASM)
Now, coming to the sales section, the Area Sales Manager (ASM) is one of the most important positions in the sales hierarchy of an organization. The main job of an Area Sales Manager (ASM) is to plan, strategize and implement the sales programs in a particular region. He or She also organizes a team of highly competent individuals who does the field work. An organization has a number of them managing the sales in their respective regions and each report to the Executive Directors of Sales in the organization. So, any change in the sales numbers, either positive or negative, in a particular region, is the result of the strategies and planning made by the Area Sales Manager (ASM).

Now, coming back to the main responsibilities of the Area Sales Manager (ASM), developing a sales plan is the fundamental job of an ASM. It is ASM's job to set a target for the salespersons, organizing them, and implement the strategies devised to increase the revenues. ASMs need to constantly analyze the market, the consumption capacity of the consumers and project the expected return. Any immediate problem regarding sales needs to be addressed by the ASM. Surveying the market in order to understand a competitor's activity is also a duty of the ASM. ASM needs to collaborate with the marketing section of the organization in order to look for innovative means to influence consumers and improve sales. The distributors and consumers need to be made aware of any new product being brought to the market and the ASM plays a very important role in it. All the administrative decision regarding sales in a region needs to be taken by Area Sales Manager (ASM). The average salary for an Area Sales Manager (ASM) is RS 573,767 according to payscale.com. People with more than 20 years of experience in the field of sales marketing move on to other jobs that pay better.

So, in a nutshell, we can say that an Area Sales Manager (ASM) plays a pivotal role in an organization. He or she needs to be a good manager, organizer, and a leader. Good analytical skills and quick decision-making abilities are the most basic requirements for becoming a successful Area Sales Manager.

https://www.mintly.in/jobs/blog/2016/10/05/what-role-area-sales-manager-fmcg-company