Manager | Client Engagement

Job Description:

The Manager |Client Engagement will generate leads, qualify potential customers and convince clients to buy furniture and services. Responsible for sales volume, margin percent and new business goals on a monthly, quarterly and yearly basis.  

The Manager |Client Engagement will focus on these key areas on a day-to-day basis:

Lead Generation

•    Network extensively for leads (business groups, real estate brokers, A&D community, local community organizations, industry organizations—IFMA, BOMA)

•    Research for leads through business journals, newspapers, industry periodicals and publications, internet, etc.

•    Cold call potential clients in person or by telephone, or combination

•    Participate in dealership lead generation programs such as telemarketing, open houses, industry events, etc.; follows up diligently on leads provided by the dealership

Selling

•    Qualify leads into potential customers; thorough needs analysis to understand client’s requirements for furniture products and services

•    Make persuasive presentations to customers on dealership’s products and services—in person, through written/graphic documentation and electronic means

•    Develop detailed, accurate and professional looking quotes through own effort or in conjunction with dealership personnel (designers, customer service representatives, project managers, etc.) and present these to the customer 

•    Work 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)

•    Provide accounting department with timely information for necessary credit checks 

Sale Implementation  

•    Responsible for setting up the sale to be efficiently managed and administered by the dealership, dealership operations and business personnel

•    Accept responsibility for the accuracy of specifications when entering orders, and review specifications for errors when done by others (design, for instance); provide 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

•    Ensure a responsible close of sale by obtaining signed sales orders (and terms & conditions, if appropriate), client purchase orders and deposits as required

•    Stay involved throughout sale implementation to ensure that any bottlenecks or changes in scope are identified and resolved, and that both customer and dealership are satisfy

Customer/Account Interfaces

•    Responsive and timely to customer inquiries, requests for information and/or quotations, problem resolution, etc.

•    Provide frequent and regular follow-up contact with customer regarding after sale services and information, including customer satisfaction

•    Conduct a professional, cooperative interface with the customer, the customer’s employees, and the customer’s third-party consultants/subcontractors

•    Ensure the customer gets frequent and regular reports on order status, project progress and overall customer activity status

•    Assist accounting in resolving any late receivables or customer credit issues

Goals and Performance 

•    Meet monthly, quarterly and yearly sales, margin and new business goals as set by the dealership and sales manager

•    Provide timely reports on sales forecasts and new leads as required

•    Participate in special sales programs sponsored by the dealership or in conjunction with the dealership’s designated furniture manufacturers; attend training 

Contract Furniture Management 

•    Knowledgeable of dealership’s product lines—product features, application, technical capabilities, specification, etc.

•    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

•    Function as customer advocate for internal order fulfillment performance and service products

•    Knowledge of office environment issues (ergonomics, technology integration and use, office productivity, etc.) and general business trends

Other Qualifications:

•    Excellent verbal, written, listening and presentation skills

•    Strong negotiation skills to close business and manage relationships

•    Strategic and analytical thinker capable of driving sales results and market share improvement in a value based selling environment 

•    Quickly learn and embrace Company Values and demonstrate through daily behaviors/actions

Preferred Qualifications: 

•    Sales experience working for a contract office furniture dealer or manufacturer