Org chart
The sales branch is shown in depth, from the sales head to an area sales manager and the salesmen and delivery staff. The godown, order processing, accounts and HR are drawn one level down. Salesmen work fixed daily beats the chart cannot show.
Levels and designations
| Level | Typical designations | Span of control |
|---|---|---|
| L1 Leadership | Managing Director, Proprietor | 4 to 6 reports |
| L2 Function heads | Sales Head, Warehouse Manager, Accounts Manager | 3 to 6 reports |
| L3 Field and godown | Area Sales Manager, Sales Officer, Godown Supervisor | 5 to 15 staff |
| L4 Ground staff | Salesman, Delivery Boy, Loader, Order Booker | no direct reports |
Approval chains
| Request | Approval chain |
|---|---|
| Leave | Salesman → Sales Officer → HR Executive |
| Attendance correction | Delivery Boy → Godown Supervisor → HR Executive |
| Overtime | Loader → Godown Supervisor → HR Executive |
| Reimbursement | Sales Officer → Area Sales Manager → Accounts Manager |
| Hiring | Area Sales Manager → Sales Head → HR Executive |
How the structure works
Everything serves the daily beat. A salesman is given a route of shops to visit, takes orders, and pushes the brand's schemes. A sales officer supervises a set of beats and salesmen, and an area sales manager owns the territory and the targets. The godown holds stock and issues it against orders under a supervisor and loaders. Order booking turns visit orders into invoices, delivery loads vehicles and drops goods to shops, and accounts collects cash or credit and tracks outstanding from retailers. A small HR and admin function handles salaries, statutory work and the office.
How it changes with size
A small stockist may be an owner with a couple of salesmen, one delivery boy and a godown helper, keeping accounts himself. A larger distributor covering more brands adds sales officers, an area sales manager and a proper godown and order desk. A super stockist or a distributor across several districts adds branch godowns, more area managers, a modern trade team for supermarkets, and a computerized ordering system. Through every stage the beat is the unit of work, and the sales structure is measured by coverage, the number of shops billed and range sold.
Common problems
The sales force works outside all day, so attendance cannot be a desk punch. Salesmen must actually visit their beats, not just mark present, which is why field attendance with location matters. Delivery timing and cash collection need accountability per person. Loaders are often casual and paid by the day. Targets and schemes make incentives a big part of pay. Salesman attrition is high. The steady fixes are mobile attendance with a check-in spot on the beat, one sales officer as reporting manager per salesman, and clear delivery and collection ownership.
- Field attendance with location so beats are actually visited
- Delivery timing and cash collection owned by a named person
- Casual loaders recorded for the day alongside permanent staff
- One sales officer as reporting manager per salesman
Set up this structure in ZeniaHR
- Create departments for Sales, Warehouse, Order Processing, Accounts and HR and Admin, and add a territory grouping so beats map to an area.
- Add designations such as Salesman, Delivery Boy, Order Booker, Sales Officer and Area Sales Manager, and use grades to hold pay bands.
- Give every salesman a reporting manager, the sales officer, and godown and delivery staff the godown supervisor, each with an HR partner.
- Set a General shift for godown and office, and use mobile app punches with a check-in spot for salesmen who work on the beat.
- Turn on attendance with location for the field team, and set grace and missed punch-out rules for godown and delivery staff.
- Keep leave, corrections and overtime on the reporting manager then HR route, and add the sales head and area sales manager as approvers for reimbursement and hiring.
See it on your own data
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Book a free demoSee pricingFrequently asked questions
What is the organizational structure of an FMCG distributor?
An FMCG distributor is led by an owner or managing director over sales, warehouse, order processing, accounts and HR. Sales runs through an area sales manager, sales officers and salesmen who visit shops on daily beats. The godown stores stock, delivery drops goods, and accounts collects payment. Larger distributors add branch godowns, more area managers and a modern trade team for supermarkets.
Who does a salesman report to in FMCG distribution?
A salesman reports to the sales officer who supervises the beats, who reports to the area sales manager. For leave and attendance corrections in ZeniaHR, the salesman's request goes to their reporting manager and then to HR. Because beats run every day, the sales officer arranges cover before approving leave so no route of shops is missed.
How is attendance managed for field sales staff?
Salesmen work outside all day, so they punch on the mobile app, which can carry GPS location and be limited to a check-in spot on the beat. This confirms the beat is actually visited, not just marked present. Godown and office staff punch on a General shift. The finalized attendance month feeds payable days, and travel and incentives are added as payroll inputs.