How to manage a field sales team you cannot see

Start with routes, not targets

Targets tell reps what to achieve. Routes tell them where to spend the day. A planned route removes wasted travel and makes coverage measurable.

Make every visit verifiable

Check-ins with location and time make visits visible to managers without phone calls. They also protect honest reps from doubt.

For high-stakes audits, add photo evidence and check it for tampering.

Track a few numbers well

Visits per day, conversion from visit to order and follow-up completed on time tell you more than a long report. Review them weekly with each rep.

Shorten the feedback loop

Coach from yesterday's data, not last quarter's. A five-minute daily review changes behaviour faster than a monthly meeting.