Whirlpool Corporation Named One of Selling Power's 50 Best Companies to Sell For

Home appliance manufacturer's training program focuses on individual needs of today's salespeople

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Sep 04, 2015, 01:00 ET

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Sept. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Whirlpool Corporation, the number one major home appliance manufacturer in the world received recognition for its unique approach to sales training, named as one of the "50 Best Companies to Sell For" by Selling Power magazine. Selling Power is the leading periodical for sales managers and sales VPs since 1981. Companies included on the list are evaluated for customer growth and retention; hiring, compensation and sales training; and company recognition and reputation.

Whirlpool Corporation has developed a unique training environment focused on the individual needs of the sales person: including the company's Real Whirled sales immersion program. The experiential training program places eight early-career professionals in sales/marketing in a two-story, eight-bed, eight-bath, four-kitchen condominium near Whirlpool's headquarters in Benton Harbor, Michigan. The participants spend 10 weeks living together while they use and experience products from within the corporation's portfolio of brands, as well as competitors', to learn them inside and out. This serves as the foundation for their roles as sales development representatives (SDRs) for the company. Since 1999, Whirlpool Corporation has hosted 50 classes and trained more than 370 people from more than 125 universities.

"At Whirlpool Corporation we continuously look for the very best sales talent, who are also a good fit with our company values and culture," said Sam Abdelnour, Vice President of Sales. "Then we invest heavily in their development, professional growth and success. We are very proud of our sales people and consider them among the best in our industry."

In addition to the Real Whirled program, the company provides competency based learning and additional growth and development opportunities. The goal is to focus on continuous improvement of sales processes, tools and support needed to drive the success of salespeople.

About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is the number one major appliance manufacturer in the world, with approximately $20 billion in annual sales, 100,000 employees and 70 manufacturing and technology research centers throughout the world in 2014. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, Jenn-Air, Indesit and other major brand names in more than 170 countries. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com, or find us on Twitter at @WhirlpoolCorp.