Territory Manager

Vestis Uniforms and Workplace Supplies | Canadian Linen & Uniform Service | Québec Linge Service D’Uniformes • Bowling Green, KY

7d

About The Position

The Territory Manager oversees an assigned service territory and directly supervises Route Sales Representatives (RSRs). The role is accountable for territory safety and results, including customer retention and satisfaction, business growth, loss and ruin, piece budget, employee retention, accounts receivable collection, customer renewals, direct sales, route sales, and credits.

The manager promotes a safety culture, coaches and develops RSRs, builds a team-selling culture, and manages day-to-day customer service programs. The position includes frequent customer visits, renewal negotiations, employee recruitment and training, service issue resolution, collections coordination, merchandise control, and accident reporting. Approximately 60% of the time is spent traveling with service professionals, observing routes, and visiting customer locations. The role reports to a Service Manager, Senior Territory Manager, or General Manager depending on the organization’s staffing.

Work is primarily in the service territory, driving a personal vehicle or company step-van and visiting customer locations, with additional time in a company office and exposure to loading docks, production and warehouse areas, vehicles, and vehicle maintenance. The position requires working outdoors in varying weather, walking, climbing stairs, pushing or pulling carts, and handling products. Vestis is an equal-opportunity and affirmative-action employer.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Two years of service and route-based industry experience, with a proven record of growing customer accounts.
• Significant customer-interface and service experience.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across a variety of organizational functions.
• Strong interpersonal, analytical, communication, and customer-service skills.
• Considerable negotiation skills.
• Computer proficiency, including working knowledge of Microsoft Office software.
• Considerable management, human-relations, and communication skills.
• DOT certification.
• Driver’s license.
• Automobile insurance on a personal vehicle.
• Successful completion of criminal-background, motor-vehicle-record, and drug-screen checks.
• Ability to frequently lift and maneuver up to 50 pounds and occasionally up to 100 pounds, and to load and unload product from a truck without assistance.
• Ability to drive and visit customers, walk, climb stairs, and push or pull carts.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Exposure to sales.
• Previous profit-and-loss accountability and/or contract-managed service experience.
• Production planning, maintenance, or warehouse operations experience.
• Open to relocation for advancement opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Promote and sustain a safety culture.
• Evaluate, coach, and develop Route Sales Representatives in the territory.
• Create a sales culture that fosters team selling through Together-In-Growth (TIG) and Shared Lead programs.
• Assist with new account installations as directed by the Service Manager and/or General Manager.
• Manage day-to-day customer service programs for the territory.
• Visit required customers each quarter to review growth and service opportunities.
• Ensure RSRs respond to and resolve service requests promptly.
• Set clear customer-service expectations and lead by example.
• Spend approximately 60% of working time traveling with service professionals, conducting route observations, and visiting customer locations.
• Follow up proactively on at-risk accounts and resolve service concerns promptly.
• Negotiate and secure renewal agreements with existing customers that protect pricing and profitability.
• Recruit, select, and hire Route Sales employees.
• Meet in person with each RSR weekly to review trends and performance, coach, and identify improvement opportunities.
• Deliver and participate in training to support customer-retention and service goals.
• Contact RSRs daily by remote means to address pending items and ensure timely resolution.
• Attend meetings and complete administrative work to improve customer satisfaction.
• Coordinate accounts receivable collections.
• Protect and manage merchandise-control processes.
• Investigate and report accidents or incidents within 24 hours of notification.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: High school or GED