Sales & Merch Associate

Blue Ridge Farmers Cooperative•Charlottesville, VA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Provides friendly, efficient, and professional sales support to customers shopping at Blue Ridge Farmers Cooperative locations. Relies on product knowledge and training to assist customers with merchandise selection. Provides recommendations for additional products, services and/or equipment to meet overall project needs. Maintains effective merchandising of products and a safe and welcoming shopping environment.

Requirements

Education: Requires a High School Diploma or General Education Degree (GED).
Able to consistently demonstrate customer-focused interpersonal skills, communicate in a positive and professional manner and resolve customer concerns effectively
Effective knowledge of specialized area(s) including equine, livestock, pet, home, farm, and/or lawn & garden.
Able to learn and consistently demonstrate knowledge of facility guidelines and standard operating procedures
Able to learn and effectively apply knowledge of a wide variety of merchandise in order to correctly answer customer questions or varying complexity and make recommendations
Able to add, subtract, multiply, divide and calculate percentages using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals
Attention to detail
Able to speak, read, write the English language in a proficient manner
Able to work extended hours to meet business demands
Schedule requirements will vary based on location. Extended hours and/or alternate work schedules may be required. Ability to report to work on time and in adverse weather conditions is required.

Nice To Haves

Prefer additional college coursework or Associate’s Degree in agriculture, plant science, animal science, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Proactively greet customers in a welcoming and professional manner. Utilize customer-focused interpersonal skills including smiling, making eye contact, meeting them in aisle when possible, helping lift products as necessary, providing appropriate attention including when assisting more than one patron at time, acknowledging they will be assisted soon if waiting, and thanking each one for their business.
Discuss merchandise needs with customers. Assist customers with quickly locating items in the facility. Rely on expertise, experience and training to provide information on product features, help with selection and offer advice on product usage for maximum effectiveness.
Seek information to understand the full scope of customers’ projects. Assess whether companion products or additional equipment and services may be useful. Make genuinely helpful recommendations and identify opportunities to sell additional merchandise or services.
Maintain the merchandising and overall appearance of the facility. Replenish merchandise, face and organize products on shelving, update signage, pricing and shelf labeling to ensure a neat and professional presentation according to facility procedures.
Interpret diagrams and build merchandise displays, at times may including moving shelving and fixtures. Cross-stage merchandise with companion products.
Proactively identify opportunities to assist customers and facilitate efficient service. Assess the need for loading assistance, resolve customer pricing and merchandise inquiries, ensure merchandise is accessible to customers and offer assistance as needed. Handle general and many complex customer issues with skill and diplomacy. Escalate more complex issues to store leadership for assistance.
Provide specialized support and product expertise to customers via telephone. Answer incoming telephone calls from customers in a professional and courteous manner. Communicate information regarding order status, product availability, current sales, promotions and store events. Contact customers regarding their orders, and arrange for pick-up or delivery. Depending upon location, may deliver merchandise to customers.
Monitor entrances and exits in an effort to promote store security, safety, and to minimize merchandise loss. Request receipt or proof of payment in keeping with facility procedures. Escalate potential security concerns to store leadership.
Perform daily housekeeping duties according to facility procedures to ensure a neat, clean and welcoming shopping environment.
May provide assistance with a variety of other functions to support the team, including storefront and/or warehouse inventory, loading customer vehicles, facility housekeeping and maintenance, cashiering and customer support. Functions and frequency will vary by location.
Work safely as to not cause harm to yourself, customers, co-workers, equipment, or inventory. Utilize Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as required. Operate all equipment according to Blue Ridge policy and government regulations. Comply with OSHA regulations, Blue Ridge Farmers Cooperative Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) standards, work rules and policies.
Perform all other job functions as assigned.