Area Sales Manager – Merchants – SFR337

Our client is a leading designer and supplier of top quality door hardware, including door handles, knobs, locks, hinges and more.

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the External Sales Team, providing exceptional sales service across South East of England region.

Purpose of the role

To proactively manage and maximise sales opportunities for company products in an appointed region within the Merchant channel by delivering customer service excellence. This role will continuously develop sales by achieving agreed budgets while also growing our new and existing customer base. 

Key responsibilities

•             Establishing, developing and maintaining strong relationships with current and potential customers in the region and beyond.

•             Providing merchandising expertise to drive sales performance for our business and subsequently our customer businesses. 

•             Achieving sales budgets, margins, call rates and new-lead targets.

•             Contributing to a team-working environment, managing workloads to improve efficiencies together.

•             Working towards understanding customer needs and supporting the systematic gathering of customer feedback on service improvements.

•             Working with Supply Chain to provide sales information and where possible provide customer forecasts to enable us to meet known demand and project requirements.

•             Identifying competitor products in store and online, reporting on findings and offering alternatives where available.

•             Pro-actively using a CRM System to help the customer service team with customer enquiries such as price, availability etc.

•             Assisting Customer Service and Finance with root cause analysis on invoice queries to speed up resolution times.

•             Effectively taking ownership and managing back orders, call off orders and quotations to convert as many sales as possible.

•             Dealing with technical and specialist enquiries from customers where appropriate.

•             Carrying out initial site visits, working with the relevant technical expert to find solutions for customers and end users.

•             Using CRM to store customer information and utilise as part of pre-call preparation.

•             Managing your customer stakeholder mapping and detailed account management.

•             Delivering strategic outbound calling to both drive sales and maintain customer intimacy.

•             Generating and following up specification leads, coordinating with the specification team.

•             Using the latest technology to communicate with our customers to enable effective field calls and office/working from home as required.

•             Educating customers about products and services remotely using latest technology.

•             Assisting in the preparation of sales action plans to determine and deliver sales goals.

•             Representing the company at relevant business events, trade shows and exhibitions.

•             Building product knowledge and maintaining industry awareness.

•             Providing reports on regional sales performance, market trends and opportunities.

Skills, competencies and personal experience

•             Strongly self-motivated and able to manage time effectively to maximise productiveness in the working day.

•             Professionalism and due diligence.

•             Structured selling skills.

•             Strong negotiation skills.

•             Excellent written and verbal communication skills to work cross functionally with different departments in the organisation and senior customer contacts.

•             The ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

•             Commercial acumen.

•             Project management skills.

•             The ability to create and maintain strong business relationships.

•             Calm under pressure and professional at all-times.

•             A good understanding of Microsoft Office and competence with a variety of software packages such as CRM.

•             A tenacious approach to developing our business.

•             Energy and enthusiasm.

•             Can plan and execute a detailed, effective and logical journey planner which may include travel nationally where required. This will require flexibility from a successful candidate.

•             Ideally DipGAI qualified or relevant industry experience but is not essential.

•             A minimum of 2 years’ experience in a similar role, ideally in a B2B environment.

•             A proven track record of hitting targets and delivering projects.

If you are interested in this position, please contact SFR Recruitment Solutions.

Specification Sales Consultant – SFR327

Our client specialises in the manufacture and supply of architectural ironmongery, security and automation systems, they are looking to appoint a Specification Consultant who have excellent technical sales and specification skills.

The position:

• Develop and maintain relationships with Key Architects in your area
• Influence hardware specifications using the company product portfolio
• Follow up on all new Leads, Projects & Quotes received
• Track all projects and outstanding quotes from the design and specification stage through to negotiation and procurement
• Record all Sales activities on the company CRM system
• Keep all accounts on the CRM up to date (names, star rating, address and social media etc.)
• Complete the monthly Sales Dashboard within three working days of receiving it
• Ensure all project “Required by” and “Completion Dates” are kept up to date
• Complete Sales Top sheets to the highest quality ensuring all required information is completed
• Competently complete F80 forms for all new bespoke products
• Submit project case studies regularly
• Ensure all business-related expenses are submitted within five working days upon receipt of the expense statement
• Prepare annual sales budget forecasts
• Assist with marketing initiatives
• Present an allotted amount of Company CPD Presentations annually
• Keep up to date with technical knowledge and reviewing professional publications
• Proactively work alongside an allocated Internal Sales member to ensure your quotes within your quote bank, at whatever stage, are continually followed up, reporting current and next actions clearly

Key Competencies and Skills.

• Results Focus-Focused on delivering results and demonstrate accountability for actions with a high level of quality Attention to detail
• Initiative – the capacity to search and develop new solutions, solve problems and spontaneously suggest improvements Technically knowledgeable about products
• Adaptability & Resilience-Resiliently embraces change in structure, processes, requirements or cultures
• Customer Focus– Constant desire to satisfy one’s customers, whether outside or inside the organisation
• Teamwork– The capacity to work in interaction with others, in mutual support

• Ability to problem solve
• Communication skills both oral and written
• Negotiating and Persuading
• Strong but fair negotiator
• Planning and Organizing
• IT skills, proficient in the use of Excel, Word, PowerPoint, CRM data inputting and management

Why should you apply?

An opportunity to contribute towards the growth of a successful business who offer a full and comprehensive training package, along with a competitive salary and additional benefits.

Please get in touch with Matthew at SFR Recruitment Solutions if you wish to learn more or apply for this position.