A salaried position exists for a Business Representative at the Pinetown branch in KZN. Applications are invited from suitable persons with the required qualifications and experience.
PURPOSE OF THE JOB:
To establish new business channels, call on and maintain relationships with existing customers, as well as take ownership of the area of responsibility in the KZN region.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Educational Qualifications:
- Matric / Grade 12.
- 3 year degree/diploma in Management / Marketing.
Experience:
- 2-3 years’ experience in a service / relationship management role.
- Considerable Sales experience.
- Valid driver’s licence.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:
- Achievement of Sales Budget (Revenue, Margin, Units).
- Support the implementation of the Xpress Stores strategy.
- Canvassing and opening of new customer accounts based on their viability as future customers.
- Assist with the credit application process.
- Provide the customer with stands, P.O.S. material, claims and rotation procedure training.
- Assist with consignment stock process when required.
- Update customer database by providing new information regarding new customers and/or updating existing information.
- Monthly SBO meeting with Regional Manager to feedback status of new business.
- Monitor monthly sales per customer using the Sales Management process.
- Buying patterns and volumes (increasing/decreasing/stable number of units) and profitability of customers.
- The setting up model stocks per customer i.e. unit mix required and sold.
- Stock rotation in line with consignment stock/model stock levels.
- The need for scrap recovery.
- Customer satisfaction levels through joint visitations with Regional Manager.
- Appropriate support in master and dynamic route planning in collaboration with warehouse staff and Value logistics.
- Selling of concepts and ideas to customer such as the Xpress Strategy, routing schedule etc.
- Appropriate links between internal and external customers eg. Debtors, customer integration centre, warehousing and the customer).
- A set daily calling cycle.
- Introduce new marketing and promotion ideas and assisting the customer in aligning its strategy with that of the Company (marketing strategy).
- Provide input into the sales budgeting process on an annual basis.
- Daily extrapolation of sales information from the SAP system to assess actual units against target units and implement a plan of action if necessary.
- Manage and monitor gross profit on a daily basis and implement action plan if necessary.
- Provide regular presentations/training to customers on products and pricing to ensure that the customers are kept up to date with technical product changes.
- Build customer relations by planning, controlling and updating delivery schedules, pricing, customer model stocks.
- Ascertain whether correct pricing structures are in place at all times.
- Host regular trade evenings and suitable entertainment in order to promote the product and grow/develop customer relations.
- Initiate and monitor all promotional activity to develop and grow existing customer base and market share in consultation with the customer and Regional Manager.
- Respond timeously to all queries raised by customers.
- Follow up on all cases of dissatisfied customers and ensure that an action plan is implemented to resolve such cases to everyone’s satisfaction.
- Build and maintain satisfactory working relationships with customer liaison, debtors, warehouse staff and value logistics (customer information centre).
- Ensure daily and weekly discussions take place with customer liaison (customer interface centre – CIC) and other aforementioned stakeholders to ensure that all customer queries are followed up and satisfactorily resolved.
- Assist customer liaison department with maintaining customer base by updating customer information when necessary.
- Provide monthly feedback to the Regional Manager on all activities relating to the customer.
- Co- responsible with debtors for effective, timeous collection of outstanding debtor’s monies.
- In collaboration with debtors ensure that all outstanding debtors are less than 45 days at all times.
- Assist debtor’s staff in resolving customer queries.
- Pro-actively manage customers with potentially high risk for the Company and liaise with debtors in respect of any action planning that needs to be done.
- Responsible for ensuring that vehicles and other company equipment are maintained in accordance with company policy and procedure.
- Reduce operational costs by optimizing company resources (cell phone, car etc) and curbing unnecessary expenses.
- Monitor buying patterns of all customers to assist in the forecasting of stock requirements on a monthly basis.
- Ensure proper planning and monitoring of consignment stock in line with stock movement.
- Monitor stock rotations and replenish with new stock in need.
- Assist the customer in managing their own stock levels and mix.
- Liaise with warehouse on an ongoing basis to ensure optimal availability of stock in an effort to resolve any outstanding queries.
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE & REQUIRED SKILLS:
- Good organizational skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Portray professional image
- Computer literacy( MS Office Suite & SAP)
- Teamwork
- Self -confidence
- Customer focus
- Attention to detail
ATTRIBUTES:
- Ability to work independently.
- Attention to Detail.
- Communication Skills.
- High performance culture.
- High levels of excellence
Desired Skills:
- New Business Development
- Sales Development
- Relationship Management
Desired Work Experience:
- 2 to 5 years Business Development
Desired Qualification Level:
- Diploma