The sale of finished products (food and consumer goods) is the most important task of any enterprise in a market economy. For this, powerful structures are being created, in which dozens and even hundreds of specialists are involved. Supervisors and merchandisers are building blocks of these structures.
Just two decades ago, there were no supervisors or merchandisers in the entire post-Soviet space. The reason for this is an undeveloped retail network and a banal shortage of goods in stores. In this situation, the role of intermediary between manufacturers or suppliers and trade was successfully performed by sales representatives. They walked around retail outlets every day, studied the availability of the assortment of products of their enterprises, monitored the display of goods and performed other routine work.
Why supervisors were needed
However, with the growth of retail chains and a significant increase in the range of goods on store shelves, sales representatives simply physically ceased to cope with the volume of tasks assigned to them. Moreover, the qualitative approaches to this work have also changed.
It was here that merchandisers and supervisors borrowed from the developed West appeared.
Since it took not just a display, but a competent display of goods, this function was entrusted to the merchandisers. Now specially trained young people began to systematically bypass the points assigned to them and lay out the goods of their enterprise on showcases strictly in accordance with the rules of display.
Sales representatives were engaged in purely paper work - collecting applications for deliveries, concluding contracts, control of payments.
And, as a result, both of them have new managers - supervisors.
Supervisor functions
The work of the supervisor is mainly organizational and analytical. First of all, their task is to collect information from their subordinates and systematize it. Drawing up relevant reports. And, of course, control.
The supervisor devotes at least one day a week to visiting outlets. There, he monitors the correctness of the product layout and clarifies pressing issues with sales leaders at different levels.
Of course, the supervisor is the immediate supervisor of the merchandisers. But at the same time, being a lower-level leader, he has no right not to fire, but even to punish his negligent subordinate. He can only report his findings to a superior leader.
Supervisor work is also very promising in terms of career. Mostly young educated people are hired for this position. They have a good opportunity to gain practical experience very quickly, so that after only a year or two they can go for a promotion. Well, in this case, his place is taken by one of the most successful merchandisers.
