Sales Account Manager

CONA Services•Pine Bluff, AR

About The Position

The Sales Account Manager (SAM) owns the selling relationship for an assigned portfolio of accounts and determines the sales approach for a segmented group of customers. The primary duty is selling or obtaining orders or contracts for company products. The SAM works primarily outside the company’s place of business at customer locations, using professional selling to analyze customer and category performance, identify needs, recommend solutions, negotiate terms, and obtain orders that grow volume, revenue, and the company’s share of space. Promotional work is incidental to and in conjunction with the SAM’s outside sales activities. The position spends typically 80% or more of working time making sales and obtaining orders or contracts at customer locations. Remaining time supports those sales through activities such as sales-related administration, route planning, sales reporting, and other assigned duties. The role is performed primarily in the field across an assigned territory, with administrative tasks completed using mobile technology in the field or remotely.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Knowledge acquired through 1 to 3 years of work experience.
Ability to build and deliver fact-based sales presentations and customer business reviews.
Ability to sell consultatively by uncovering customer needs, presenting fact-based solutions, handling objections, and asking for the order.
Strong negotiation and closing skills, including selling contracts and pricing agreements.
Ability to interpret sales, category, and space data to develop selling stories and customer business reviews.
Strong attention to detail, follow-up, and closing discipline.
Excellent planning and organization skills.
Proficiency in computer applications and ability to use and understand mobile applications.
Valid driver’s license with a satisfactory driving record.
Must maintain current vehicle liability insurance as specified by the company.
Must provide and maintain a personal vehicle for use during working hours.
Must be at least 18 years of age, or 21 where required by applicable law for operating a commercial motor vehicle.
Ability to work a variable schedule that may include early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays based on customer and business needs.
Ability to drive daily between customer locations, and to walk and stand in retail or commercial outlets for extended periods of 4–6 hours per day.
Ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, or pull products and point-of-sale materials weighing up to 50 pounds.
Ability to operate a motor vehicle, mobile device, laptop computer, and handheld scanning equipment.
Ability to communicate effectively with customers, coworkers, and management, including delivering in-person sales presentations and conducting business reviews.
Ability to analyze sales and category data, plan and prioritize a daily route, exercise independent judgment in account-specific selling strategies, and negotiate contracts and pricing agreements.
Ability to read sales reports, product labels, shelf tags, and mobile device screens, and assess shelf conditions, product placement, and point-of-sale execution.

Nice To Haves

At least 1 year of previous outside, consultative, or account-based selling experience.
Food and beverage industry experience.
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Communications, Marketing, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Sell and grow revenue in the assigned account base by presenting and closing the commercial plan with each customer.
Plan the selling approach for each call, inspect the outlet for sales opportunities, present solutions, and close sales.
Build and maintain profitable customer relationships and identify, develop, and close sales opportunities.
Execute the daily visit plan, including flex visits, and obtain an order or advance a specific sales opportunity during each call.
Obtain orders for incremental volume opportunities through myCoke, EDI, or Spring in partnership with customers and HUB Ambassadors.
Sell incremental packages, displays, equipment, new product launches, pricing letters, and thematic promotions.
Sell Club Coke contracts, pricing agreements, and equipment placements that grow Coca-Cola space in outlets.
Conduct monthly customer business reviews using sales, category, and space performance to identify and sell growth opportunities.
Sell each proposed element with profitability in mind.
Ensure pre-sold and mandatory elements supporting customer sales are executed and remain in the outlet for the program’s full duration.
Analyze and address shrink performance, including damages and out-of-dates, while managing inventory levels that could impair product availability and customer orders.
Use the territory business plan to prioritize customer sales opportunities and track sales performance against established goals.
Sell in and protect pricing, point-of-sale materials, and plan-o-gram integrity in all accounts.
Perform limited merchandising and product rotation during the sales visit to protect the Look of Success sold to the customer.
Partner with internal and field stakeholders, including the Center of Support, field sales, HUB Ambassadors, distribution, small store merchandising, and warehouse teams, to deliver and support customer sales.
Travel by personal vehicle between customer sites and complete related route planning, sales reporting, and order-entry tasks.