Chemical sales technician
Other denominations
Technical salesperson; Sales representative.
Description
The commercial chemical technician forms part of the sales team or department of a chemical company. S/he has a strategic role, given that s/he represents the company before its customers, within their own market. His/her activities entail a constant collaboration with various departments, including technical, production, finance, legal and logistics. Reporting to the sales manager, this professional is in charge of the business management of the company product range and its customer portfolio, providing technical and commercial solutions suited to the needs of the market. Duties include visiting customers to establish their needs, drawing up sales offers, providing technical advice regarding products, promotions and negotiations, and managing orders and post-sales technical support together with product specialists. These professionals are usually assigned to a specific area and travel to companies, research centres or universities to deliver catalogues. They also arrange appointments by telephone and typically liaise with sales managers and scientific staff. Career progress leads to positions such as sales coordinator, sales manager or key accounts manager, depending on the company and experience acquired.
Tasks
- Become familiar with company products and keep this knowledge up to date in order to be competitive with regard to sales.
Obtain and draw up detailed technical documentation regarding the products being marketed.
Be aware of competitor products and their characteristics.
Always keep knowledge up-to-date by reading specialised magazines, catalogues and references. - Define the sales activity framework according to the business plan of the company in order to achieve set sales targets.
Identify and assimilate the different sales parameters of the company: image, sales volume, size, market position, competition, objectives.
Collect and study the characteristics of potential and existing customer porfolios and adjust the business plan accordingly.
Create and plan a technical sales argument to help sell the product.
Organise an operational sales plan: plan visits, itineraries, sales objectives and conditions to be offered. - Sell, provide guidance and give advice to customers, assessing their needs and applying appropriate sales techniques in the pre-established strategic framework.
Be polite and well presented when calling on customers in order to help build a good business relationship.
Plan visits and group them, usually according to geographic proximity.
Identify and analyse customer needs and characteristics in detail, as well as their budgetary margins, by asking appropriate questions.
Provide clear information, guidance and advice to customers regarding products which may satisfy their needs, highlighting the competitive advantage of the company product range.
Draw up corporate offers in partnership with the different departments of the company. - Close the sale within the negotiation margins established by the company.
Establish the different conditions of sale: price, payment terms, delivery or implementation dates, potential discounts, delivery conditions.
Draw up the relevant documents in accordance with current regulations and the criteria stipulated by the company.
Manage the delivery of the product and/or its replacement.
Proceed to the completion, stamping and delivery of product guarantee documents.
Handle and follow up payments.
Record customer names, addresses and other details of interest linked to sales carried out in the customer database. - Handle post-sale services, providing the appropriate follow-up and incident resolution to guarantee consumer satisfaction as per the standards specified by the company.
- Actively participate in improving the positioning of the company by observing the market.
Report to the management regarding the sales growth achieved, providing reports on customers calls made and results obtained.
Use customer contacts and visits to identify potential causes for shifts in sales, unsuitable products and quality related issues, sharing these with the management.
Share the following information with the marketing department: the customer base, the competition, prices, new products, changes in the latter, promotional and advertising activities of the competition.
Attend specialised trade fairs and and exhibitions to find out about any novelties and trends in the sector.
Share suggestions and proposals regarding operations and potential improvements to be made to products with the technical service. - Actively participate in advertising campaigns to help improve company sales.
Share own opinions and experience to help define and design catalogues, displays and other sales aids.
Carry out information or demonstration sessions for groups of existing and potential customers.
Send letters, documents or other direct advertising materials and promotional information to customers.
