The Management of Salesforces: The Case of Life Insurance Available to Purchase

Reporting on ongoing research within a major life insurance company, the difficulties in managing a salesforce are examined. Contradictions and strains created by the mode of management,particularly affecting the salesforce and customers,are explored. It is argued that a “professionalisation of selling”, brought about by a combination of strategic human resource management and government legislation (in the form of the Financial Services Act) will considerably improve the conduct and quality of selling in the future.