Sales Account Manager

CONA Services•Johnson City, TN

15d•$52,000 - $71,000

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 to make sales and obtain orders or contracts for Company products. The SAM works primarily at customer locations outside the Company’s place of business, 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. The role spends typically 80% or more of working time making sales and obtaining orders or contracts at customer locations. Remaining time is devoted to duties incidental to the SAM’s own outside sales, including sales-related administrative work, route planning, sales reporting, and other assigned duties. Work is primarily in the field at customer locations within an assigned territory, with administrative tasks completed using mobile technology in the field or remotely. The SAM travels daily by personal vehicle and encounters varying weather and retail or commercial conditions. A fixed office workspace is not provided.

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 build a selling story and customer business review.
Strong attention to detail, follow-up, and closing discipline.
Excellent planning and organization skills.
Proficient in computer applications and able to use and understand mobile applications.
Valid driver’s license with a satisfactory driving record; must maintain a valid license and current vehicle liability insurance as specified by the Company.
Must provide and maintain a reliable personal vehicle for use during working hours.
Must be at least 18 years of age, or 21 where required by applicable law for operation of 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 walk and stand in retail or commercial outlets for extended periods (4–6 hours per day).
Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull products and point-of-sale materials weighing up to 50 pounds occasionally (less than one-third of the workday).
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, category, and space data; plan and prioritize a daily sales 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

1+ years 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 every customer in the portfolio.
Plan the selling approach for each call, inspect the outlet for sales opportunities, present solutions, and close sales.
Build and maintain profitable customer relationships to identify, develop, and close sales opportunities.
Execute the assigned daily visit plan, including flex visits, and obtain an order or advance a specific sales opportunity during each sales call.
Obtain orders for incremental volume opportunities through myCoke, EDI, or Spring, in partnership with the customer and HUB Ambassador.
Sell incremental packages, displays, equipment, new product launches, pricing letters, and thematic promotions.
Sell Club Coke contracts and pricing agreements, and sell equipment placements that increase Coca-Cola space in the outlet.
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 full program duration.
Analyze and address shrink performance, including damages and out-of-dates, and manage inventory levels that could affect product availability and customer orders.
Use the assigned territory business plan to prioritize customer sales opportunities and support sales; track performance against established goals.
Sell in and protect pricing, point-of-sale materials, and plan-o-gram integrity in accounts to support sales made during customer visits.
Perform limited merchandising and product rotation during sales visits to protect the Look of Success sold to customers.
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 locations throughout the assigned territory.
Complete sales-related administrative tasks, route planning, sales reporting, and order entry.