Selling Power researchers identified and ranked the best companies to sell for among the largest sales forces in the United States. Companies with 500 or more sales representatives were evaluated in three categories — compensation, training and career mobility.

Top sales executives, training managers and human resources managers were surveyed to determine rankings. Evaluation of compensation involved average starting salaries, incentive pay plans and other benefit packages.

Criteria for training included time invested in product knowledge, selling skills and follow-up instruction. Career mobility was judged upon number of performance reviews, turnover in the sales force and the number of people promoted each year from the sales ranks.

Companies were classified in two general industry groups — manufacturing and service. Overall scores were compiled and the top 25 of each group were named to the 50 best companies to sell for list. The complete article appears in the November/December issue of Selling Power.

ABF frequently is cited as a benchmark for safety, security and freight-handling standards. In 2004, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) awarded ABF the Excellence in Security Award. In 2003, for an unprecedented fifth time, the ATA awarded ABF the President’s Trophy for safety. In 2002, the ATA named ABF the best LTL motor carrier in claims/loss prevention. And in 2001, ABF earned distinction as the top LTL motor carrier in both security and claims/loss prevention, an unprecedented dual award.

ABF also is the acknowledged leader in bringing e-commerce solutions to the transportation industry. In both business-to-business and business-to-consumer environments, from dot-com startups to traditional brick-and-mortar companies, ABF's e-commerce solutions are considered the very best in the shipping industry.

For additional information, log on to the ABF and Selling Power magazine Web sites:

sellingpower.com

abf.com

Read more ABF news.