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Interaction with a Sales Manager

Interviewee – Shanij Mohan Gupta

Designation- Reginal Sales Manager, Ashok Leyland
Experience – 22years +
Education – MBA in Marketing, BE in Mechanical Engineering
LinkedIn Profile - [Link]

Introduction
Ashok Leyland, a flagship company of the Hinduja Group, is one of India’s most reputable
commercial vehicle manufacturers. With a legacy of innovation and reliability, it is the second-largest
CV producer in India and ranks among the top ten truck manufacturers globally. This report offers a
deep dive into the sales operations, strategies, and organizational design at Ashok Leyland, focusing
on how theory meets practice.
The foundation of this report is an in-depth interview with Mr. Shanij Mohan Gupta, Regional Sales
Manager at Ashok Leyland, who brings over two decades of experience managing channel sales,
network development, and government/institutional business. His experience spans leading
organizations like Tata Motors, Volvo Eicher, and Swaraj Mazda.
This report integrates insights from the interview with conceptual frameworks in sales and business
development, making it a complete learning resource.

Competitors and Insights

1. Tata Motors (Commercial Vehicle Division)
Market Position: No. 1 CV manufacturer in India
Strengths:
 Widest product range from mini trucks to heavy-duty trailers
 Extensive service and dealership network pan-India
 Strong play in government and defence contracts
 Early mover in electric buses and alternate fuel CVs.
2. Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M – Auto and Farm Equipment)
Market Position: Leader in small commercial vehicles (SCVs)
Strengths:
 Popular products like Bolero Pickup, Jeeto, Supro
 Strong presence in semi-urban and rural markets

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  Highly fuel-efficient and affordable vehicles
 Fast-growing presence in electric cargo vehicles
3. Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles (VECV)
Market Position: Strong mid-market & performance-oriented CV player
Strengths:
 Technological edge via Volvo partnership
 Reliable performance in the ICV and HCV segments
 Focus on connected vehicles and smart tech
 Competitive pricing and fuel efficiency
4. BharatBenz (Daimler India Commercial Vehicles)
Market Position: Premium CV manufacturer targeting metros and corridors
Strengths:
 German-engineered products with low total cost of ownership
 Focused on long-haul trucking and infrastructure segments
 Rapid expansion of dealerships and service support.

5. Force Motors & SML Isuzu

Market Position: Niche players in buses, staff transport, and utility vans
Strengths:
 Reliable, low-maintenance vehicles for school and staff transport
 Focused sales strategy in the tourist, rural, and institutional sectors
 High customization capabilities.

[Link] Organisation Structure and Its Design

Ashok Leyland follows a functional sales organization design, which is well-suited for its wide
portfolio and diverse clientele. The company’s sales hierarchy allows specialization and clear
reporting lines.
Sales Hierarchy:
1. Territory Sales Executive (TSE) – They handle frontline retail and fleet sales. They are also
responsible for bringing dealership in the organisation.
2. Area Sales Manager (ASM) – They manage clusters of TSEs of different and acts as a link to
dealers of the area. They have 4 -5 ASMs in Lucknow for Ashok Leyland.
3. Regional Sales Manager (RSM) – They supervises multiple districts, responsible for sales
strategy of their region. They are around 10-15 regional manager in Ashok Leyland.
4. Zonal Sales Manager (ZSM) – They controls several regions and reports to National Head.
And they 4 in Ashok Leyland for North, South, East and West.
5. National Sales Head (CV Business) – Responsible for country-wide commercial vehicles
sales in fleet size and dealership wise. They have to responsibility to develop and implement
national sales strategies. And set revenue targets.

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This structure is ideal for operational efficiency and market responsiveness.
Ashok Leyland employs Key Account Sales strategies for high-value clients like state transport
undertakings, logistics firms like Agarwal Logistics, and defence organizations. Dedicated managers
handle these accounts for consistent service, long-term retention, and recurring business.

[Link] Force Deployment: Planning and Methodology

Ashok Leyland adopts a combination of three methods to determine the optimal sales force size:
Workload Method – Analyses number of customers, call frequency, and average call time. For
example, a region with 600 clients, requiring two monthly visits each of 1 hour, would need:
Total Hours = 6000* 2* 1= 1200 hours/month
With a salesperson working 150 hours/month, 8 salespeople would be required which comes to 5-6
hours per day.
Affordability Method – Budgets determine how many new hires can be continued, especially during
off-peak seasons or when profit margins are under pressure.
Incremental Method – Used in project-driven expansions (e.g., electric vehicle rollouts for Switch),
where temporary hires can boost reach without long-term costs.
Mr. Gupta mentioned that 25–30 sales personnel typically operate under one region, with
responsibilities segmented by product line and client category (fleet, institutional, retail).

[Link] Territory Alignment

Territorial alignment is a cornerstone of Ashok Leyland’s success. It follows principles of efficiency,
equity, and manageability.
Territory Design Criteria
Geography: Some territories in Uttar Pradesh are Eastern UP, Western UP, Central UP, Faziabad Belt
and Bundelkand Zone . Lucknow comes under central UP zone having around 4 full service
dealership.
Each district has distinct transportation needs (agriculture, mining, FMCG logistics).Facilitates easier
mapping of primary and secondary service touchpoints.
In a large state like Uttar Pradesh, the company divides regions into Eastern, Central, and Western
clusters, each covering 7–10 districts managed by separate TSEs. This allows dedicated attention to
local clients, municipal tenders, and district-level logistics hubs.
Market Potential: Based on commercial vehicles penetration and Ashok Leyland market share in that
region .For example Ashok Leyland has around only 10% market share in UP but more than 90%
market share in Southern region of our country.

Dealer Proximity: Territories aligned to primary dealerships. Ashok Leyland operates a vast dealer
network with over 5,500+ touchpoints, including:

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  Full-service dealerships (sales, spares, service)
 Authorized service centres.
Territories are anchored around dealerships, so TSEs operate within a 1–2 hour radius of the assigned
dealer.
This allows:
 Quick vehicle delivery coordination
 Seamless after-sales service escalation
 Reduced lead times for breakdowns
For example, a TSE covering Gorakhpur district will have primary reporting at the Gorakhpur Ashok
Leyland dealer, attend daily stock checks, and take demo vehicles for fleet pitches.
Client Mix: Ensuring balance between dealership, institutional and retail prospects. Ashok Leyland
ensures each territory contains a healthy mix of customer segments, such as:
 Retail Customers: Owner-drivers, small transporters, traders
 Institutional Clients: Fleet operators, construction companies, cold chain logistics, school bus
operators
 Government/PSUs: Municipal corporations, Army, state transport undertakings (STUs)
Exposure to both types develops versatile skills—relationship building for retail and tender handling
for institutional.
Territories are periodically revised to reflect market evolution and sales force performance. Each TSE
is assigned a territory that allows frequent visits and deeper relationships—especially important in the
CV industry, where the sales cycle is long, and client trust is paramount.

[Link] Plan and Daily operations

A beat plan is a structured route plan that ensures optimal coverage of clients and prospects. In Ashok
Leyland it is not daily visiting clients. It is done on weekly basis, and schedule is made by TSM
themselves only. They must just report about their whereabouts in software.
Components of Beat Plan:
 Pre-approved route map:
Before each week or month begins, sales executives prepare a route map that outlines:
 Geographical areas to be covered daily : Max 1- 2 village areas a day.
 Specific clients to visit
 Time allocation per visit
The plan is approved by the ASM or RSM to ensure alignment with business priorities (e.g.,
urgent deliveries, tenders, service escalations).

 Targeted client visits (transporters, fleet operators, government officials)

Each beat includes a mix of retail, fleet, and institutional clients.

 High-value or high-potential clients

 Repeat customers due for replacement vehicles
 Government offices for follow-up on tender or bus procurement discussions

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 Visit frequency may vary as weekly for fleet clients and bi-weekly or monthly for low-
volume customers. The beat plan is logged and monitored through CRM systems. Sales
managers receive alerts for pending visits, overdue follow-ups, and new inquiries—improving
accountability and customer satisfaction.

[Link] Target and Quotas

Ashok Leyland typically employs a multi-quota system comprising Volume and Revenue quota
depending on the role and region of the salesperson.
 Volume Quota: Number of units (trucks, buses) sold
A volume quota is a target for the number of commercial vehicles (CVs) that must be sold in
a given time frame—monthly, quarterly, or yearly.

Application at Ashok Leyland:

Most relevant for Territory Sales Executives (TSEs) and Area Sales Managers (ASMs)

Assigned separately for product categories, such as:

 Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCVs) – haulage trucks, tippers

 Intermediate Commercial Vehicles (ICVs) – used in FMCG/logistics
 Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) – Dost, Partner, etc.
 Buses – school, staff, or government fleet

Example: A TSE in Varanasi may have a monthly volume quota of:

1. 10 LCVs (Dost series)

2. 5 ICVs
3. 2 Buses (school/institutional)

 Revenue Quota: Revenue quota refers to the total sales value (in ₹ lakhs or crores) that a
salesperson or team must generate over a period.

Application at Ashok Leyland:

Used primarily for fleet sales executives, government/institutional sales managers, and
regional officers. Ideal when vehicles vary in price, features, and configurations

Example: A Regional Sales Manager may have a quarterly revenue target of ₹5.5 crore,
comprising:

1. ₹3 crore from fleet sales

2. ₹1.5 crore from institutional clients
3. ₹1 crore from retail channel partners

Ashok Leyland believes in setting be challenging but achievable targets. Targets must be data-driven
and according to their market potential in the given area. Ashok Leyland sale target vary a lot in
southern and northern regions. In Mr. Gupta’s region, targets are revised quarterly, with monthly

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milestones. Adjustments are made for regional festivals, road infrastructure improvements, and fleet
renewal cycles.

Methods of Setting Quotas:

Ashok Leyland is aggressively trying to push LCVs due to market opportunity in Lucknow Region.
These targets are set after assessing the market potential.

Product Target (Volume) Value

LCV Dost 25 units 7.75 lakhs * 25= 193.75 lakh
LCV partner 10 units 21 lakh* 10= 210 lakhs

Total Volume Quota = 35 units

Total Revenue Quota = 403.75 lakhs
So, accordingly their minimum client visits per week would be 30 and around 40 logged entries in
CRM.

[Link] Norms and CRM Integration

Sales reporting at Ashok Leyland is digitized and analytics driven.
Reporting Tools:
Proprietary CRM Dashboard: This happens from Salesperson Actions as well as Manager Actions.
Salesperson should log in their time of visit, inquiry, demo and negotiation. Update their sales
pipeline stages (lead, prospect, quote, win/loss). Then they record the service and sales issue. Input
order bookings, delivery schedules and their payment status. Then managers view dashboard to keep
themselves updated about sales vs target, client visit frequency, funnel conversion rate.
Weekly team calls and monthly reviews: These reviews are conducted by ASM. They take summary
of weekly activities and tell about status open leads and upcoming closures.
Information Captured:
 Sales achieved vs. quota
 Competitor market share
 Dealer stock status
 Lead conversion ratio
This data-driven approach helps senior managers quickly identify high performers, underperforming
territories, and product-level gaps.

[Link] and Development

Ashok Leyland considers training a key pillar of sales excellence.

Training Methods:

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  Induction training for new hires (company values, product lines, CRM usage):
1. This training is done to introduce employees with company’s vision and mission and
product region.
2. They brief about companies values and culture, tell about their organizational
structure and sales hierarchy , dealer networks , their product lines (LCVs ,HCVs,
ICVs etc).
3. Training on how to use CRM.
4. Duration is 15 days in Ashok Leyland.
5. Done in training centres by corporate trainers or senior managers.

 On-the-job training by senior sales managers:

1. New employees are paired with mentors like ASM or TSM.
2. They visit with them to clients, dealers, for product demos and sales negotiations.
3. Duration 1-2 months

The company also runs certification programs in collaboration with its L&D department to track
learning progress. E-learning modules and regional sales summits further reinforce key skills, such as:
 Customer segmentation
 Tender management
 Institutional selling

[Link] Appraisal and Evaluation

Ashok Leyland follows a bi-annual formal appraisal system, backed by monthly informal reviews.
Performance Appraisal Criteria:
Target achieved by the salesperson in terms of actual units sold versus the assigned quota, revenue
growth the salesperson brought to the company whether the product was LCV or HCV. Appraisal is
also done on the basis of lead conversion in Ashok Leyland; how many qualified leads converted into
final sales.
Managers like Mr. Gupta track performance using dashboards. Underperformers are provided with
mentoring and additional training; top performers receive role expansion and financial incentives.

Appraisal Frequency:
1. Monthly: Informal coaching and reviews
2. Half-Yearly: Formal appraisal and increment cycle
3. Annual: Role evaluations and promotion decisions.

Sales force motivation

1. Annual Sales Awards Ceremony: These events are used as motivation to employees of Ashok
Leyland in which they win titles such as Best TSM, Best ASM, Outstanding contribution to
Fleet sales. These events are hosted in 5-star hotels attended by top management of Ashok
Leyland . Employees receive trophies certificates and incentives in the form of rewards.

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 2. Internal Recognition: These are done through real time tracking of dashboards. Through these
activities they post about the deal of the month and leadership board.

Interviewee: Deepshikha Chaurasia

Designation: Marketing manager in Speedworks
Experience: 2 years in FEVER FM as Account Manager
Education: MBA in Marketing, BBA
LinkedIn: [Link]

Introduction
The HT Media Ltd. subsidiary called Fever FM maintains one of the most influential radio stations in
India. The company maintains its dominance in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Lucknow through its
high-quality content and marketing power and sales implementation. The analysis investigates Fever
FM's sales system structures and operates using contemporary business development frameworks and
practices.

[Link] Organizational Structure

Sales in FM industry works on advertising potential and customer base with substantial variations
depending on regional markets and industrial sectors. The sales approach at Fever FM combines geo-
based organizational strengths with customer-scheduled sales teams for maximizing reach and
revenue while providing superior client services.
1. National Sales Head:
 The highest organizational position belongs to the National Sales Head whose focus
is on strategic decision-making along with policy development.
 The National Sales Head oversees campaigns spanning various cities that include
multinational brand efforts such as Coca-Cola, Flipkart, and Maruti Suzuki.
 NSH looks after 13 major cities operations and their clients and is responsible for
bring cross regional coordination.

2. Regional Sales Managers:

 Fever FM segments the country into four regional zones—North, South, East, and
West. The four zones are under leadership of a Regional Sales Manager (RSM).
 Companies should use local cultural context and business patterns to create their
market entry plans like those between Delhi wedding planners and Bengaluru tech
startup operations.
 They need to evaluate activity from competitors at Radio Mirchi and Red FM and
monitor regional trends including festivals next to cricket events and political
campaigns.

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  They integrate local content such as regional RJs and vernacular programming with
national marketing objectives while sustaining brand consistency for the company.

3. City Sales Managers:

 The operational cities appoint City Sales Managers who lead the sales teams directly
from the front line.
 Campaign delivery must be on time with high standards of quality along with post-
campaign reports.
 The sales team needs help to embed promotional content into different show and
competition formats.
 The monitoring includes calls and meetings and closures as well as revenue progress
assessment.

4. Account Managers:
 The quota system for managers at Red FM operates on monthly bases with values
ranging from 15 to 25 lakhs depending on their assigned city.
 They are responsible of developing unique campaign proposals which include radio
personalities as well as sponsorship deals and digital media elements and contests.
 The team develops advertising concepts suitable for seasonal occasions including
Diwali, Eid and Christmas besides launching strategies for brand initiation purposes
and regional events ranging from marathons to exhibitions.

[Link] Force Deployment

The station’s diverse advertising client base which encompasses local businesses up to national brands
requires exact sales personnel allocation to obtain appropriate coverage and productivity alongside
profitability.
Affordability Method (Cost-Based Approach)
The company assesses the sales staff affordability level through a revenue-based analysis method that
considers its income levels and desired sales expense limits.
Revenue-Based Analysis at Fever FM:
 Average Revenue per City: ₹5 crore/year (across 13 top-tier cities like Delhi, Mumbai,
Bengaluru, Kolkata, Lucknow, etc.)
 Ideal Sales Expense Cap: 10% of total city-wise revenue (media industry standard). Each city
receives a sales budget of ₹50 lakh based on the calculation of applying 10% expenditure to
₹5 crore revenue. The full cost for a salesperson at the company amounts to ₹10 lakh/year
with salary expenses alongside travel needs and incentives as well as infrastructure
requirements.
 Affordable Sales Force Per City: ₹50 lakh ÷ ₹10 lakh = 5 salespersons per city
The sales force distribution strategy at Fever FM supports its lean operation model by delivering
sufficient client outreach while minimizing personnel costs.
The approach delivers ideal results for municipalities which maintain stable customer networks
accompanied by steady advertising income like Delhi and Mumbai.
The management team achieves cost-efficiency through this system especially when ad spending
declines during Q1 and Q4 (slower periods).

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[Link] Territory
Geographical wise:
Territory was allocated in FEVER FM in which every time travelling physical was required. This was
one of the main reasons of leaving the organisation for Deepshikha Ma’am.
Key Area Segments – Fever FM Lucknow
 The business districts of Gomti Nagar and Vibhuti Khand attract both corporate entities and
hospitals as well as coaching institutions and shopping areas (including Fun Republic mall,
Lulu mall etc) and advertising organizations.
 Hazratganj & Lalbagh: Central hub with government offices, banks, heritage retail, and
heavy footfall—ideal for local campaigns.
 Alambagh together with Charbagh functions as a mixed-zone where high-density housing
exists alongside coaching facilities and neighborhood service companies.
The salespeople handle between 1 to 2 clusters defined by population density and customer
distribution to meet their daily program goals and weekly visit objectives.

Clients Potential Wise:

 Retail and Lifestyle sectors operate through Saree shops located in Aminabad along with
electronic stores throughout Alambagh and showrooms situated in Gomti Nagar.
 The educational sector has well-established coaching centers spread throughout Kapoorthala
and Aliganj as well as several colleges together with ed-tech platforms.
 Healthcare Providers: Hospitals, diagnostics labs, fertility clinics – especially in Vibhuti
Khand and Hazratganj.
 The automobile industry in Lucknow includes Maruti, Hyundai and Tata distributors who
operate their showrooms between Gomti Nagar and Ring Road.

[Link] Plan:
1. Daily Planning:
The account manager at Fever FM Lucknow establishes daily contact plans for both calls and
client visits through geographical area segmentation.
Example:
The sales representative who serves Indira Nagar & Faizabad Road should schedule visits
across a circular zone of tuition centers, bakeries and fitness studios in that area thus
achieving between 5 and 6 client meetings per day without venturing outside their designated
territory.
Every working day should consist of 6–8 meaningful client interactions which includes face-
to-face meetings together with follow-ups and cold visits.

Tools Used: Google Maps integration via Salesforce for route optimization.

2. Weekly Planning:

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 Weekly beat targets at Fever FM assist in the growth of sales activities and success metrics.
The targets follow monthly and quarterly revenue requirements, yet they transform according
to promotional cycles including seasons and educational admissions.

Weekly KPIs Include:

 25–30 Client Meetings (new + existing)
 10–12 Presentations/Proposals Shared
 3–5 Campaign Closures or Confirmations

The Lead Conversion Ratio enables tracking by Salesforce systems.

The established targets help salespeople sustain their client base while continuing to handle
existing opportunities and prioritize the attainment of high-value prospects.

3. CRM Tracking:
Salesforce CRM operates at Fever FM Lucknow to organize and automate complete beat plan
processes alongside tracking all progress points. Both transparency and data-based coaching
and forecasting become possible through this system.

Key Features in Use:

 The Salesforce dashboards allow employees to log and distribute incoming client
inquiries and cold leads.
 Every single communication with clients goes into real-time logs which include
meetings and calls and all types of marketing contacts through WhatsApp and email.
 Staff members may upload their sales proposals through the system to monitor
customer feedback while scheduling necessary follow-ups.
 The system in Salesforce displays conversion stages that every salesperson's manager
can monitor starting from prospect identification and finishing at the time of closure.
 Sales representatives can ensure legitimate field coverage by using geo-tagged check-
ins through the system.

[Link] Quota
At Fever FM, they follow Sales Volume Quota, every Account Manager is assigned a monthly
revenue target, typically based on the value of ad sales closed. These include:
 Radio Spot Buys
 RJ Mentions and Endorsements
 Event Collaborations
 Branded Content
 Integrated Campaigns (Radio + Digital)
This is the only quota system formally enforced and tracked via Salesforce CRM.
Typical Monthly Targets:
1. Metro Cities (e.g., Lucknow, Delhi, Mumbai): ₹15–20 lakhs per Account Manager
2. Tier-2 Cities (e.g., Indore, Kanpur, Jaipur): ₹8–12 lakhs per Account Manager

These quotas are reviewed quarterly and adjusted based on seasonal trends (e.g., festive season,
admission cycles). For example, during festive seasons like Diwali, targets may be temporarily
increased by 20–30% due to higher ad demand.

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According to ma’am targets set by the organisation were unrealistic and they difficult to achieve. The
incentives that were being offered were not satisfactory, And the job required a lot of travelling and it
was a high-pressure job. 100% target lead to incentive of only Rs.3000-2000.

[Link] Training and Development

On the job training:
Fever FM’s primary training model is On-the-Job Training (OJT), which starts from Day 2 of an
employee’s joining. New hires are immediately assigned to work under the guidance of a City Sales
Manager, who acts as both a coach and a performance monitor during the initial weeks.
 Duration: 1 Month (approx.)
 Each trainee is assigned a City Sales Manager or a Senior Account Manager as their direct
mentor with which they have to travel to meet clients, pitch and plan campaign
 Emphasis is on understanding radio media selling, media planning, proposal customization,
negotiation tactics, and closure strategies through real-world situations.
The program offers no extensive classroom introduction since new hires receive basic information
during a single one-day orientation. Field-based training constitutes almost the entirety of training
activities following the introductory session.

[Link] appraisal and evaluation

Fever FM gives the highest weight toward sales volume quota targets in its appraisal assessment
system. The average monthly sales target for metro-based Account Managers serves as the main
monetary goal at Fever FM.
 Fever FM measures performance through the average quarterly target reach achieved during
three successive months
 Consistency of performance (not just one peak month)
 Three types of campaigns appear in the assessment that includes spot sales and bundled offers
and digital marketing integrations.
 Ability to upsell during key seasons (e.g., Diwali, admissions, summer sales).
Example: An Account Manager who completes ₹60 lakhs in Q1 performance in Lucknow and hits
120% of their targets can earn between ₹2 lakhs additional to their payment.
Forms of Recognition:
The Star Performer of the Month award depends on successful sales combined with client feedback
and CRM adherence.
Sales Champion Awards: Given quarterly, across zones
At the Annual Townhall awards ceremony the organization distributes honors such as “Most Valuable
Salesperson” along with “Best Campaign Innovator” and other recognition titles.
The manager shares leaderboards through weekly emails that also use internal WhatsApp groups.

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