National Book Network has realigned it sales force with the aim of moving resources from bricks-and-mortar stores to special markets and digital delivery, NBN president Rich Freese said. As a result, seven position were eliminated although one of those affected, Ed Lyons, will be asked to continue to call on mass merchandise accounts as an independent contractor. “We needed to realign to reflect the realities of the marketplace,” Freese said.
In addition, Gail Kump, head of new business development, is leaving the company. Freese will take over Kump’s responsibilities for new client acquisition, explaining that NBN plans to be selective in adding new clients in 2011. “We have a good, balanced bag,” Freese said.
Freese emphasized that the decision to let the sales reps go had nothing to do with their performance but rather was due to a reallocation of resources prompted in part by the installation of a new, more efficient computer system and a shrinking base of traditional sales outlets. “We needed to move aggressively to protect our profits as well as that of our publishers,” Freese noted. He said NBN finished 2010 10% ahead of budget.
