Job Description for a Route Salesman
Many companies use route salesmen, including bread, beverage, tobacco, book and snack food companies. Route salesmen typically drive trucks or vans and distribute products they sell to retail or wholesale establishments. Their job description entails selling as well as many ancillary responsibilities.
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Building Sales Of Existing Customers
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The route salesperson's key responsibility is to build sales within an assigned territory. This includes promoting multiple products to key decision makers and introducing new products. The route salesman should recognize when a retail or wholesale establishment is out of stock. They need to proactively suggest quantities that these places should order based on sales patterns. The route salesman also needs to suggest order levels for new products and gradually increase these orders as well.
Stocking & Merchandising
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The route salesman is responsible for loading trucks each morning. They need to clean and replace racks and stocking units. They will be responsible for neatly stocking items according to facing allocations and planograms. They will also need to put up current point-of-purchase promotional material and apprise decision makers about special offers.
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Building New Business
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The route salesman is responsible for building a certain percentage of new business within their assigned territory to offset lost accounts. This will entail cold calling on prospects and introducing current product offerings. At times, they will need to compete with other vendors and sell establishments on the key benefits of dealing with their organization.
Handling Complaints And Issues
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The route salesman will need to handle customer complaints and return damaged product to the warehouse. They need to promptly rectify improper orders or inaccurate order levels. They need to build a good rapport with retail and whole entities. At times, they may have to deal with union members. Salesmen may also need to save accounts from increased competition.
Report Orders And Complete Paperwork On Time
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The route salesman needs to report orders or turn in any paperwork at the end of each day. They need to accurately report all orders to ensure that each retail or wholesale entity receives the proper amount of products.
Truck Maintenance & Mileage
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The route salesman is responsible for reporting any problems with his truck. Independent representatives or contractors will need to keep track of their mileage for reimbursement and tax purposes.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Vendingmarketwatch.com; 2009.
