Generates leads, qualifies potential customers and convinces clients to buy furniture and services from the dealership. This position is responsible for sales volume, margin percent and new business goals on a monthly, quarterly and yearly basis.
Duties and Responsibilities
Lead Generation
- Networks extensively for leads (business groups, real estate brokers, A&D community, local community organizations, industry organizations - IFMA, BOMA, etc.)
- Researches for leads through business journals, newspapers, industry periodicals and publications, internet, etc.
- Cold calls potential clients in person or by telephone, or combination
- Participates in dealership lead generation programs such as telemarketing, open houses, industry events, etc.; follows up diligently on leads provided by the dealership
Selling
- Qualifies leads into potential customers; does thorough needs analysis to understand client’s requirements for furniture products and services
- Makes persuasive presentations to customers on dealership’s products and services—in person, through written/graphic documentation and electronic means
- Develops detailed, accurate and professional looking quotes through own effort or in conjunction with dealership personnel (designers, customer service representatives, project managers, etc.) and presents these to the customer in a timely manner
- Works with service departments to develop service contracts to present to customer when complex services are sold (design, for instance) or for major projects (installation, design, project management)
- Provides accounting department with timely information for any necessary credit checks
Sale Implementation
- Is responsible for setting up the sale so that it can be efficiently managed and administered by the dealership, and the dealership operations and business personnel
- Accepts responsibility for the accuracy of specifications when entering orders themselves, and reviews specifications for obvious errors when done by others (design, for instance); provides complete, accurate and timely sales order (header data, pricing, contract numbers, etc.) and work order (site and project parameters, installation schedule, etc.) information required for proposal/sales order system
- Ensures a responsible close of sale by obtaining signed sales orders (and terms & conditions, if appropriate), client purchase orders and deposits as required
- Stays involved throughout sale implementation to ensure that any bottlenecks or changes in scope are identified and resolved, and that both customer and dealership are satisfied
Customer/Account Interfaces
- Is available, responsive and timely to customer inquiries, requests for information and/or quotations, problem resolution, etc.
- Provides frequent and regular follow-up contact with customer regarding after sale services and information, including customer satisfaction
- Conducts a professional, cooperative interface with the customer, the customer’s employees, and the customer’s third party consultants/subcontractors
- Ensures the customer gets frequent and regular reports on order status, project progress and overall customer activity status
- Assists accounting in resolving any late receivables or customer credit issues
Goals and Performance
- Meets monthly, quarterly and yearly sales, margin and new business goals as set by the dealership and sales manager
- Provides timely reports on sales forecasts and new leads as required
- Participates in special sales programs sponsored by the dealership or in conjunction with the dealership’s designated furniture manufacturers; attends training sessions as determined by the dealership
Contract Furniture Management
- Is knowledgeable of dealership’s product lines - product features, application, technical capabilities, specification, etc.
- Has good understanding of contract furniture management at dealer level - account servicing, project management, order preparation, order management, factory interface, delivery & installation - including sale's role in those processes and procedures
- Functions as customer advocate for internal order fulfillment performance and service products
- Has knowledge of office environment issues (ergonomics, technology integration and use, office productivity, etc.) and general business trends
- Prompt, reliable and regular attendance
Education And Experience
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- 3-5 years in sales within the architecture/interior design and furniture setting preferred
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, problem-solving, presentation, and organizational skills
- Proficiency with sales management software and CRM
- Personal integrity
- Ability to travel at least 25% of the time to customer events and host events in house
- Proficiency in MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Proven success rate at levels above quotas
- Ability to balance persuasion with professionalism
- Strong organizational skills
- Knowledge of furniture industry and manufacturers
Physical Requirements
- Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
Salary Range
- $85,000 to $120,000 per year plus commission
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.