Job Description

Department: Sales

Title: Sales Person (Estimator)

Reports to: Sales Manager

Supports: Administration, Production, Prospects, & Other Sales Personnel

Job Summary

The Estimator is responsible to learn and apply the CCN Selling Systems. The Estimator's primary mission is to demonstrate to the prospective client, using the CCN Process, that the services offered by Fick Bros are a better value than those offered by our competition.
Respect and carry out any and all rules, regulations, or policies, which may be established from time to time by the Company.

The Company's Role and Responsibilities

The Company is committed to give you every opportunity to realize your full potential. Your growth, development, and satisfaction are of paramount importance to us. We are dedicated to your personal development through ongoing sales, personal development and product training.
We are an organization always looking for a better way to satisfy our customers and employees. If you have a suggestion, let us know. You will be acknowledged and recognized.
We will provide you with the necessary tools. These include the latest samples, brochures, literature, business cards, contracts; computer generated proposals, price books, educational tapes, training and personal development seminars, etc. In short, everything you need to ensure success.
We will supply you with leads on an ongoing basis. These leads are obtained through referrals, job sign advertising, display advertising in various publications, direct mail, telemarketing, etc.
Regular one–on–one meetings are held to review the past week's sales activities and to help you strategies and prioritize the following week's activities.
We will receive and dispatch to you on a timely basis all of your messages and phone calls.
Our management, installation crews, and office support staff are committed to provide you, your prospects and customers with excellent service satisfaction. We expect you will do the same.
We will provide you with a detailed breakdown of your commissions earned on a weekly basis. In addition, you will receive a regular monthly report on all relevant sales and lead related statistical information.
Commission will be paid weekly. The Commission Statement indicates activity for the previous week. Sales Commission are paid in advance, but not earned, until the project is completed and paid. Commission will not be paid on contracts rejected by the company as not meeting company standards. On some occasions, "questionable contracts" may be performed with the commission held pending the outcome of the project. Questionable contracts are contracts that a) do not meet company standards, b) contracts including work to which a company standard has not been established, c) short sold or short measured contracts. Tax Deductions will be made on all checks.

Sales Person's Responsibilities include

Goals – Setting and obtaining goals for personal and professional growth and success.
Time Management – Maintain and carry Time management Planner at all times. Establish priorities daily.
Training – Attend Company and CCN meetings & training as directed. Have a personal Continuing Education program, such as, audio training tapes, sales training literature, etc
Knowledge – Continuously learn and apply new technical information, product knowledge and Sales Techniques as changes occur so you are better able to serve our customers (to be the best option for our customers). Learn better methods of goal setting, time management, and personal management. Learn the Fick Bros estimating & sales system.
Practice – Participate in role playing of sales calls, product presentations, and closing with other sales personnel to improve each other's skills.
Attitude – Develop and maintain a positive attitude, recognizing that a poor attitude or call reluctance will result in poor sales performance.
Leads – Handle Company supplied leads (future customers) professionally. Return all calls within 12 hours or sooner, set measure call appointment with both buying parties, ask questions on lead sheet and about the project scope. Show excitement, and do not over qualify. Remember we are here to professionally fulfill their needs, and show this from the start.
Self-developed leads – When necessary make sure you are successful by implementing self-developed lead methods to assure an adequate number of Sales Appointments.
Measure Call – Professionally handle Measure calls. Establish trust and confidence with the client. Set a Sales Call appointment when the complete buying party will be present.
Proposal Preparation – The sales person is responsible for creating a professional proposal that is clear, concise, and better than the competition. It must address the clients' needs and desires.
Sales Preparation – The sales person shall pre–plan his/her "sales strategy" for upcoming sales calls. The review will include an analysis of the prospect's "need", "sense of urgency" and the "closing strategy.
Sales Presentations – The sales person is responsible for conducting a professional sales presentation to the complete buying party using Fick Bros Procedures and the CCN Sales Process.
Close – Close sales calls. Be familiar with appropriate tools for each, i.e., SCSP, Black Hole, Magic Wand, Apples to Apples Comparison and Word Pictures.
Samples – Maintaining assigned samples and sales tools in a professional condition
Vehicle – The Company will provide you with vehicle, to carry samples and attend sales calls. You are responsible for keeping it neat and clean.
Production Communications – Per the Company Measuring Procedures and Sales to Production Procedures, prepare a project folder, which is necessary to facilitate a sold project from the Sales Department, to the Production Department, to ultimate Customer Satisfaction.
Debriefing – Attending and participate in Debriefing of sales calls.
Total Quality Management Meeting – Attend Total Quality Management Meetings
Availability – Be available to make sales calls at times required which includes early mornings, evenings and Saturdays.
Reports – Provide the required reports by management.
Sales Benchmarks – Attain minimum sales benchmarks (company and industry standards), which include: Sales volume; quantity of measure calls, proposals and sales; Lead to Proposal %, Lead to Sales %, and Proposal to Sales %.
Sales Integrity and Trustworthiness – Salespeople must act in a professional manner at all times. Integrity is of utmost importance. Salespeople are ambassadors for the company 24 hours a day 7 days a week. it is expected that from time to time they will bring the company work from their family and friends. Salespeople may NOT for any reason whatsoever sell any contracting services "on the side". To do so is grounds for termination.

Work Performed

Develop Goals and Plans – Fick Bros Sales Persons (Estimators) are expected to set and achieve personal and professional goals. Selling can be a challenging profession due to the amount of hours and the amount of customer rejection it takes to become successful. Solid goals and plans give the professional sales person the staying power to maintain the course when the road appears tough. The Sales Person will establish a method to track achievement of plan and implement their plan. Every effort will be made to meet or exceed agreed upon monthly sales targets. Produce and submit activity reports as required by management.
Training – The Sales Person is expected to read, understand and implement components found in books, tapes & seminars on a) Sales Techniques, b) Personal Development, c) Technical Product Knowledge as instructed by the Sales Manager.
Dress Code – A professional image should be maintained at all times. This includes grooming and dress. Dress appropriate for the work being performed. Khaki slacks and ironed shirt with a collar is acceptable. Rubber soled shoes are acceptable as footwear; sneakers, boat shoes, and work boots are not. Jeans can only be worn during potentially dirty Measure Calls, not on Sales Calls. Smoking is not permitted at the company offices, in company vehicles or on the customer's property.
Working Hours – The Sales Person will attend training and meetings at the prescribed time. Lateness or missing meetings without an approved excuse will be cause for dismissal. The Sales person should be available to attend and conduct sales calls with the buying party, which may occur during the day, early mornings or evenings, and Saturdays.
Lead Development – the Company supplies most of the leads. The sales person should perform missionary lead development activities on a consistent basis even when there is an adequate lead flow to keep busy. When Company generated leads are not adequate for a sufficient number of Sales Presentations, then the sales person becomes responsible for self–developed lead generation and that becomes the high priority. Adequate leads and subsequent sales presentations is a critical success factor for Sales Designer. The sales person must have the ability to assure he/she always has appointments. The sales person will be instructed how to and will implement selling of both in–bound leads (the prospect calls us) and out–bound leads (we contact potential prospects). The sales person will be instructed how to and will implement telemarketing, self–develop leads, and Needs Form procedures when necessary to assure an adequate number of Sales Presentations. The sales person will be instructed how to and implement lead development around prospects, working jobs, sold jobs, and previous projects (canvass, circulars).
Measure Call – The sales person will be instructed how to and will implement Measure Calls. Training to be conducted by both a) Classroom training (Sales Manager) and b) Field training (Sales Mentor) when available. Sales Manager may fill–in field training assignment when necessary. The purpose of the Measure Call is to a) Measure the prospect, b) Measure the project and c) set a qualified appointment.
1. "Measuring The Prospect" includes a) defining the prospect's perceived need, b) discovering additional needs or opportunities for the prospect, c) establishing a sense of urgency, d) determining the competition (competitive recommendations, products, companies) so a strategy for "differentiation" may be developed, e) determining the buying party and decision makers so the sale can be closed, f) determining the prospects "buying criteria, habits, patterns", g) determining ability to pay (visual observations, and questions to determine financial capability).
2. "Measure the Project" includes a) preparing a scaled drawing of the existing project area, b) measuring, taking–off and calculating areas involved, as well as, potential areas, c) taking pictures of critical points of interest (for Sales Call and Production Department use, d) when necessary (if selling roofing) determine the leak source with a "Controlled Water Test" and/or "Isolation Test" for a fee.
3. "Setting Qualified Appointment" is the setting of an appointment at a schedule time with the entire buying party present. The purpose of the appointment is to present the solution (sales presentation) and to come to a conclusion, which can be either yes or no. An appointment without the complete buying party, or an appointment where a yes or no decision cannot be reached is not a "qualified appointment".
4. "Resetting Appointment" occasionally a "Qualified Appointment" turns into a "Second Measure Call" because the complete buying party is not present, possibly there is not a great enough sense of urgency, or another key element is not in place. If that happens, the Estimator is responsible for setting a new "Sales Call" appointment.
Computer Estimate/Proposal Program – The estimator is responsible for completely learning and understanding the Computer Estimate/Proposal Program. The Computer Estimate Program is being upgraded and enhanced on a regular basis. The changes are primarily influenced by feedback from our Quality Meetings.
Proposal Preparation – A key element in the Sales Process is the development of and presentation of a Professional Proposal. The sales person is responsible for creating a proposal that is clear, concise, and better than the competition. The sales person will typically use the Computer Estimate Program Proposal and Specifications or use a pre–printed company prepared proposal form.
Sales Preparation – The Estimator will review with Sales Manager or Sales Mentor his "sales strategy" for upcoming sales calls. The review will include an analysis of the prospect's "need", "sense of urgency" and if the "closing strategy" is appropriate. There should be a discussion concerning predictable sales objections and the response to it should be part of the base strategy. The objections should be role played prior to the sales presentation to assure they are mastered.
Sales Presentations – The sales person is responsible for conducting a professional sales presentation to the complete buying party which includes a) warm–up (bonding) making friends with the consumer so they have trust and confidence in you, b) review the consumer's problems and develop a sense of urgency to act now, c) present the CCN Consumer Education Presentation to the consumer with supporting documentation (customer reference list, insurance, completed projects, reference letters, pictures, etc.), d) demonstrate a professional Product Presentation to the consumer explain why our product/proposal meets their needs and if necessary what it is significantly better than the competition, e) be prepared for and capable of handling Objections, Stalls or Procrastination which can block the sale from closing, f) be prepared for and implement a closing plan such as the CCN Sales Cost Savings Plan g) be educated in and prepare to help the consumer with Financing (making it easy to buy), h) after closing wrap–up (bonding), i) ask for and obtain referrals.
Sales Equipment & Materials – The sales person will be responsible for maintaining a professional appearance for all sales paraphernalia assigned to him. He/She will know the purpose and use of all materials. He/She will role–play with both his/her Sales Manager and Sales Mentor the use of the tools.
Debriefing – On a weekly basis, the sales person will discuss each new Measure Call and Sales Call with his Sales Manager or Sales Mentor. The debriefing will focus on adequacy of the "need", "sense of urgency" and "closing strategy" adequate? If the sale was not closed, non–sales will be reviewed to determine what was learned, what can be done next time to avoid losing sales in similar situations, determine follow–up strategy to get the sale and/or determine if "Turn–Over" is necessary.
Change Orders – A change Order is written agreement between the customer and the company to modify the original contract. Because the Sales Person generated the contract, the Sales Person is ultimately responsible for handling of Change Orders although others often handle most Change Orders during the normal course of performing the project. In most cases, the project Foreman will handle the Change Order but on occasion due to the relationship between the sales person and the customer, the sales person must get involved. When appropriate the Sales Person should forewarn the consumer about potential Change Orders during the sale to help minimize surprises for the consumer.
Field Relations – It is the responsibility of all Sales Personnel responsibility to inspect working projects to determine if the customer is getting what they bought during the sales call. Questions concerning the work are to be directed to the Sales Manager, not the men in the field. If a significant disaster is eminent (working on the wrong area of the house) then the Sales Person should discuss the situation with the Project Foreman.
Reporting – It is the responsibility of Sales Personnel to report all canceled leads to Head Office. Return all estimates into head office the following day with a current report designed and the lead sheet. Reporting on a weekly basis all sales activity reports issued by management.
Commissions & Bonuses – Sales Commissions will be paid weekly. Commissions will be calculated based on the selling price less financing charges.
1. Commissions are advanced (each week) and bonuses (each month) based on the premise that the job is good and will in fact be installed. However, commissions and bonuses are not actually "earned" until the job is installed, paid for and closed out.
2. A 7% sales commission will be paid upon receipt of deposit and approval of the contract by the Sales Department Administrator.
3. A 2% bonus will be paid after the completed job is reviewed and all job performance criteria are met.
4. If a job cancels, any commissions or bonuses advanced will be taken back. If that cancellation drops the sales rep into a lower bonus level or out of a bonus all together, we take back the amount involved.
5. All contracts must be submitted to Office for approval before work is started and commissions are paid.
6. You must be employed to receive any bonuses. Should you terminate employment with the company for any reason what so ever all bonuses are forfeited.

Relationship to Other Jobs

Sales personnel report to the Sales Manager. The Sales person will be working with Administration and Production as part of the "Team Selling" program.
The Sales Person shall be in constant contact with the Office, picking up messages and leads on a timely basis.

Education Knowledge and Skills

The Sales Person should be in good health with a positive mental attitude. In addition to sales skills, the Sales Person is expected to develop a comprehensive knowledge about the products being sold. Self–motivation and a burning desire to be successful (long hours and hard work) and the ability to not take rejection personally are essential for success. The Sales Person should have a Continuing Education plan which includes attending sales training meetings, read sales books, study sales and products training videos, audio tapes and trade journals.

Termination

The Sales Person, while employed by the Company, and following termination of employment, shall not divulge to any firm, person, or corporation any information pertaining to the affairs of the Company. Which includes but is not limited to, proprietary technical material, techniques, programs, services, marketing strategies, list of customers, prospects or vendors, etc. The Sales Person shall, upon termination of his/her employment, return to the Company all manuals, sales materials and samples provided by the Company in reasonably good condition and he/she is liable for the cost thereof if not so returned.