Normally, the sales process includes the below steps starting from pre-sales activities to post-sales activities. The sales process shown in the below diagram –
Pre-Sales Activities: –
The pre-sales activities include the pre-sales documents and pre-sales support. The goal of all pre-sales activities is to prepare the sales person with all the information that are required to negotiate and complete the possible sale.
Pre-Sales Documents: –
Pre-Sales documents help identify possible sales related activity and determine sales probability. Pre-sales documents are: Inquiries and Quotations.
Inquiries: –
An inquiry is a customer’s request to a company for information or quotation about their products or services without require purchasing. Some examples are –
- How much will it cost
- Material/Service availability
- May contain specific quantities and dates
The inquiry is maintained in the system.
The quotation is created to address the customer inquiry.
T-code for Inquiries are –
- VA11 – Create Inquiry
- VA12 – Change Inquiry
- VA13 – Display Inquiry
Quotations: –
The quotation is a legally binding offer to the customer. The quotation presents the customer to deliver or a selection of specific products in a specified timeframe at a pre-defined price.
T-code for Quotes are –
- VA21 – Create Quotation
- VA22 – Change Quotation
- VA23 – Display Quotation
Pre-Sales Support: –
Pre-Sales Support defines tracking of customer using sales visit contacts, phone calls, letters and direct mailings.
- Mailing Campaigns: Sales person or company arrange a mailing campaigns to reach customers.
- Customer telephone Queries: Sales support person answers Customer queries.
Sales: –
Sales process involves selling of the product to the customer at a pre-defined price.
Post-Sales Support: –
Post-Sales Support is the support that provided by the sales person or company after selling the product to customer. These activities include the product warranty, relationship management and other support activities to the customers.