A sales representative's day is finite. Every hour spent driving, checking shelves or filling gaps is an hour not spent in front of a decision-maker. We asked reps across three European markets how their time actually breaks down.
How we collected the data: we surveyed 126 sales representatives in the Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom between 30 August and 6 October 2023, on their daily tasks and how their work is organised.
Reps Spend 3.4 Hours a Day on the Road
On average, a sales representative spends 3.4 hours per day travelling. Across an eight-hour day, that is 42.5% of working time — before a single conversation has taken place.
| Market | Hours per day |
|---|---|
| Netherlands | 3.7 |
| United Kingdom | 3.4 |
| France | 3.1 |
Average daily time on the road. Base: 126 sales representatives, 2023.
Asked what would improve their retail execution performance, reps pointed at exactly this: a smaller territory, fewer stores, less distance between them.
Six Visits in Ten Reach a Sales Contact
The average contact rate across visits is 62%. In other words, roughly four visits in ten end without the rep speaking to the person who makes decisions in that store.
| Market | Contact rate |
|---|---|
| France | 67% |
| Netherlands | 60% |
| United Kingdom | 59% |
Share of visits reaching a sales contact. Base: 126 sales representatives, 2023.
On this question reps asked for a named store contact, better relationships with those contacts, and more time with decision-makers — three versions of the same request.
Less Driving, Better Visits
Put the two tables side by side and something useful emerges. The three markets rank in almost exactly opposite order:
- France — least time on the road (3.1h), highest contact rate (67%)
- Netherlands — most time on the road (3.7h), 60% contact rate
- United Kingdom — 3.4h on the road, lowest contact rate (59%)
This is a modest sample and the causes are not established — territory density, retail structure and appointment culture all differ between these markets. But the pattern is worth taking seriously, because it runs against how field teams are usually optimised. The instinct is to fit more visits into the day. What these figures suggest is that time recovered from travel converts into visits that actually reach someone.
What Eats the Rest of the Day
Among reps covering fewer than 120 stores, the single most time-consuming daily task is merchandising work and filling out-of-stocks — ahead of presenting and negotiating with key contacts, and ahead of store checks.
That ordering is the crux of the whole survey. The task consuming the most time is the one requiring the least commercial skill, while the task that generates revenue sits below it.
Asked what would help, reps wanted better planning tools and a CRM, more information about a store before arriving, and data telling them which category to act on. All three describe the same gap: they are walking in without knowing what needs doing.
The Full Infographic
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