Job Information
O-AT-KA Milk Products Cooperative, Inc. Sales Representative in Syracuse, New York
Description
As employees of a farmer-owned cooperative, we come to work every day trying to honor the tireless effort and care these farming families put in every day, all day, 365 days a year. Our farmer-owners tend to think in generations, with some of our farms being run by the same families for over a century. We carry this approach into our business, knowing that each and every one of us makes a difference in allowing these generational traditions to continue, taking pride in knowing that we nourish our friends, neighbors, nation, and even the world with healthy and delicious dairy products. Our products include milk, flavored milk, yogurt, dip, sour cream, cottage cheese, Italian cheese, and ice cream mix marketed under the Upstate Farms®, Bison®, Milk for Life®, and Intense Milk® brands.
Core Responsibility
Responsible for Key Account call assignments, growing and maintaining customer base in assigned territory and or accounts.
Establishing and reviewing specific accounts goals and objectives for assigned region and Customer list.
Identifying and establishing daily call goals and sales objectives by customer.
Identifying and reacting to account trends, events, pricing, and competitive pressure to maintain and grow existing business.
Addressing any Customer concerns or Complaints in a timely manner.
Maintaining regular call visit frequency to key account customers.
Maintain customer rapport, building friendships helping to retain the business when competitive proposals are presented Securing bunker, cooler, and end-cap displays at Key accounts with any of UN product lines.
Developing organic growth with in current customer base seeking to secure new placements with items customers do not carry.
Communications
Able to effectively communicate with Management, Customers and Support operations of Upstate Niagara.
Computer skills required (Microsoft computer applications/ UNC analytics).
Communicating as needed with Distribution department, insuring customer needs and requests are satisfied and addressed related to deliveries. Working regularly with Distribution Departments to maximize route efficiency and minimize Distribution expenses by adjusting customer delivery schedules.
Communicate with Customer Service staff special customer needs and requests.
Communicating Sales trends, any special sales activity that will impact sales volumes within the market place.
Communicating with marketing department to meet customer needs or to effectively implement marketing programs in the market.
Establishing new customers, Work and Communicate with Customer Service on individual account needs related to startup of the customer.
General Job Responsibilities
Review of monthly Sales trends, monitoring of gross profit trends of assigned individual accounts. Communicate with Management any concerns or issues.
Developing a strategy and sales call plan as needed to meet goals and directives provided by Management team. Direct and support new product introductions, assigning specific placement goals for each assigned customer.
Provide and review relevant Sales data to help drive additional sales with assigned customers.
Conduct scheduled business reviews with assigned Key Customers, providing customers with sales data, reviewing sales trends, and making suggestions regarding product mix and recommendations to impact future sales trends.
Develop reports from UNC analytics to guide Key account goals and objectives, to be also utilized to monitor sales trends and profit and apply corrective measures when necessary.
Address account payable issues by individual customer, working with AR department to resolve issues and problem accounts.
Reviewing customer promotions and evaluating performance of promotions.
Maintaining customer profiles and updating account information as needed.
Periodic review of guaranteed sales and correcting high returns through sales reports, adjusting orders if necessary. Providing detailed information regarding sales to return ratio trends and share with appropriate customer staff.
Periodic review of any standing customer orders. Creating customized build to worksheets for customers if necessary.
Work with Management team and conduct periodic price ID review and maintenance, adjusting prices to insure sufficient margins, adjusting prices as a result of market conditions or competitive pressure.
Periodically working with Distribution and learning of individual account status, delivery challenges, and needs. Address any unsafe delivery locations or circumstances with assigned customers.
Periodic review of Sales discounts and correcting as needed, adjusting sales discounts if necessary.
Seeking additional placement of Upstate Niagara produced products at individual business locations. Placing Refrigeration equipment to help promote and grow sales at high volume customer locations.
Responsible for managing refrigeration equipment utilized at individual customer locations. Ensure only Upstate Niagara products are displayed in coolers.
Provide weekly market feedback to Management regarding customer needs and competitive pressure.
Prospecting new customers and successfully signing on business, this includes setting up in data base, providing pricing, and securing credit information.
Manage Customer cooler shelf allocation through shelf to sales ratios reports.
Addressing customer billing errors and or incorrect pricing in a timely manner.
Merchandise and write orders if necessary.
Conduct price Survey as requested by Management.
Deliver emergency customer specials if necessary.
Cross merchandise our product lines with other store items when possible (Chips and Bison Dip).
Writing product promotions on a prescribed rotation. Promotions are focused on value added items (Dip, Intense Milks, Yogurt, and Cultured items).
Writing Fluid milk promotions reacting to retail price pressures caused by market competition. Writing promotions to support store driven events, examples include anniversary sales, Holiday sales, Consumer driven retail events
(three day meat sales and one day shopper events with the purpose of improving sales on specific shopping days).
Addressing individual Customer complaints related to product quality, delivery, accounts receivable, or billing.
Placing point of sale to help promote value added product sales, individual product promotions, new products, or company themed marketing materials.
Addressing retail customer requests, which may include supporting community events through donations or sampling product at such events.
Involvement in customer give-away events.
Supporting new store openings.
Entertaining customers such as golfing or taking to Sports functions.
Addressing and correcting rotation problems when they arise.
Addressing and correcting short coded product issues working with plant to provide accurate sales projections when necessary.
Providing customers with sales data to assist with product ordering.
Assist in cooler resets.
Working sampling events at Colleges or retail customers.
Work with Ice Cream mix customers, this includes startups, teaching new customers on machine startups and maintenance, helping develop cone serving costs, and placing point of sale beginning of season.
Work with area distributors to help secure new business, assisting in maintaining customer business in market area. This includes calling on Instantwhip, Cliff Stone, and C&R customers.
Maintaining contact with Schools as necessary.
Participating in Regional Consumer shows, Ice Cream shows, College Local Theme events, and NYSNA show.
Picking up any product complaints from Retail customer or end consumer.
Pay:
$58,500-$76,000 a year*
*The salary range indicated in this posting represents the minimum and maximum of the salary range for this position. Actual salary will vary depending on factors including, but not limited to, budget available, prior experience, knowledge, skill and education as they relate to the position’s qualifications, in addition to internal equity. The posted salary range reflects just one component of our total rewards package. Other components of the total rewards package may include participation in group health and/or dental insurance, retirement plan, wellness program, paid time away from work, and paid holidays.
Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc. is committed to equal employment opportunity for all, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)