Summary

The Lubricant Sales Representative will be responsible to maintain and ensure consistent delivery of the Company’s customer commitment across a geographical area, achieve maximum sales profitability, growth and account penetration within the Lubricant Market by effectively selling the company’s products, value-added services and providing technical support to customers.

Responsibilities

Principle Activities:

• Developing customer pipeline and determine their potential by using business directories, internet and local media, follow leads from existing clients, participate in organizations and clubs, attending trade shows and conferences and consult local media for open tenders. Use existing customer fuel data base to establish leads and expand product mix at customers
• Research and assess customer requirements
• Make telephone calls and visit in-person and do presentations to prospective customers. Develops clear and effective written proposals
• Promote the Company’s Brand at all times
• Present the Customer Value Proposition to prospective Customers, which should include but not be limited to
  • price quotes
  • credit and contract terms
  • warranties
  • service arrangements
  • equipment installation options
  • identify advantages and opportunities
• Assist lubricants training and preparing estimates bids that meet specific customer needs
• Ensure customer contracts are in place and maintained. Monitor company and customer performance in terms of contractual obligations

Customer Account Management

• Track account status daily and follow up on overdue accounts
• Reconciliation of customer accounts as required
• Collection of payments and allocation
• Request account adjustments when required
• Invoice customers for equipment rentals where applicable
• Motivate Lubricant Distributors and ensure their compliance with contractual obligations
• Lubricant Sales Representatives are responsible for the sale of lubricants to all market sectors.
• They support existing customer accounts and canvas for prospective new customers to ensure growth and sustainable business in the Consumer Sector
• Liaise closely with the Lubricant Technical Services and Training Manager on production schedules and stock required to meet customer demand.
• Liaise with Laboratory and Tribologist on sample analysis and problem solving. Involve Tribologist in customer needs analysis when required.
• Provide exemplary customer service while ensuring the customers meet their contractual obligations

Support Existing Business Activities

• Provide basic technical training on products to distributors, retailers, and end users.
• Deliver product mix sales as per set target objectives.
• Monitor competition activities in the market and provide feedback to the Sales Manager to facilitate informed appropriate action and decision.
• Understand business activities, customer needs and provide advice on products and services.
• Supervise distributors and company owned shops to ensure compliance with contractual obligations.
• Ensuring growth and structured distribution network for lubricant business in the territory
• Conduct regular customer visits and offer training to dealers, resellers and end customers on safe products handling and usage.
• Ensure that the credit facilities granted to customers are managed according to the Company’s Credit Policy.
• Monitor and enforce compliance with company standards and brand image.
• Ensure proper customer service and immediately respond to customer complaints and comments.
• Follow up on customer orders and ensure timely delivery of the products.
• Ensure stock availability at country depots, distributors, resellers and retail outlets.
• Ensure that the credit facilities granted to their customers are managed according to the Company’s Credit Policy.
• Generate report for ongoing business issues and trends to management for resolution

General Administration

• Using the Lubricants Sales Strategy draft and implement a personal sales strategy. This should include an action plan to ensure you adhere to the Consumer customer service value proposition for Customer Service to consumer customers
• Track and report competitor activities and monitor market conditions on a frequent and adhoc basis including but not limited to benchmarking of prices with competition and developing customer profiles and determining price elasticity
• Obtain credit information about existing and prospective customers
• Analyse and report on customer account status and actions taken on a weekly basis and maintain accepted level of receivables and ensure all customer accounts operate within approved credit terms and per customer contracts.
• Plan and implement customer visit schedules and prepare sales reports for management on a weekly basis.
• Coordinate sales effort with management, ie accounting, logistics, credit and technical services to ensure customer requirements are met
• Keep up to date on
• local market and statutory and regulatory requirements and developments
• product specification and applications
• technical services
• market conditions
• competitive activities
• promotional opportunities eg trade shows and conventions
• Monitor and enforce compliance with company standards and brand image always ensuring product quality and elimination of counterfeit products
• Prepare sales figures monthly and prepare three month’s sales forecasts for effective decision-making to be submitted to the Lubricants Sales Manager
• Prepare 3 month forecast of customer requirements for submission to Lubricant Sales Manager

Education and Qualifications

• Degree in BBA, B.Com. Marketing or Integrated Engineering and Business Degree such as Industrial Engineering and Management.
• Minimum 3 years’ Experience
• Experience in the Oil and Gas Industry is an added advantage.

Requirements

Type of Experience

• Distribution Network Management
• Brand/Product Management
• Marketing and Sales
• Stakeholder Management
• Manage Business Performance
• Negotiation skills
• Analytical skills: an organised and methodical thinker. Able to assimilate data and present it in a comprehensive way to different audiences
• A good influencer with strong communication skills and the ability to deliver a clear message
• Able to analyse and understand market places to gain thorough understanding of customer needs and company strengths
• Confident to make decisions where required
• Methodical in approach to problems and to have good attention to detail, ability to identify problems with immediate resolutions whilst under pressure
• Fluent presenter, happy to introduce new ideas and lead discussions

Reporting To

Lubricant Sales Manager