Commercial agents, decreasing number and increasing age of Enasarco members (52 years on average): these are the national data which are perfectly reflected in the Cesena area where 250 professionals in the sector are registered in Fnaarc Confcommercio, which associates commercial agents predominantly men, with several young people interested in entering the profession.
“The prevailing trend data of the members, however – remarks the president of Fnaarc Cesena Augusto Patrignani – is that the number of registered agents is decreasing, while the age of agents and sales representatives registered with Enasarco (the category social security body) is rising and it is also a problem for the companies that make use of their work. The commission remuneration constantly motivates professionals, “pushing them to always exceed new sales objectives” and they “represent, in the era of online sales, an important presence in the market also as a precious barrier to competition from foreign companies”. However, in recent years the number of agents and sales representatives has decreased by 4,000 units per year: now there are 209,000 – and 18,000 are close to retirement – compared to 57,000 leading companies that make use of them.
“74% of the agents are multi-firm, 26% are single-firm, 15% are women” and “the generational change, if not helped by the companies, is complex: taxes are too onerous and do not encourage people to undertake the activity of agent, burdensome business management costs and contractual conditions that often do not comply with the collective economic agreements (Aec) stipulated to guarantee both parties”.
“However, agents are the driving force of SMEs and make the difference in the commercial networks of large companies – highlight the prescient Fnaarc national team Alberto Petranzan and the Cesena team Patrignani– intermediating 70% of our country’s GDP. Many small and medium-sized businesses, which represent the backbone of our economy, have developed and continue to sell their products and services thanks to the professional figure of the sales agent who, by mainly managing multiple mandates at the same time, is able to sustain the costs of its business, guaranteeing a commercial presence on the market even to those who could not afford it”
