Account Executive at Workforce Group - Kano

Workforce Group Limited is a Management Consulting and Outsourcing Professional Services Firm. Following its inception in July 2004, Workforce Management Centre Limited (Workforce) has built an enviable reputation as the leading indigenous management and professional services consulting firm in Nigeria.

We are currently recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Account Executive

Location: Kano

Job Summary

• The Account Executive is responsible for achieving their assigned sales plan by generating profitable revenue growth through the development of new business and the retention of existing business within their assigned accounts.
• He/She analyses customers’ current supply chain needs to create appropriate solutions and promptly respond to customers’ requests.

Job Description
Conducts Sales Calls:

• Travels to customer sites for face-to-face meetings to gather information about their businesses and identify opportunities for solutions.
• Analyses customers’ billing technology to understand their needs and recommend the clients’ products and services.
• Builds successful partnerships with key stakeholders at all levels of customers’ organizations to cultivate relationships and generate revenue opportunities across all product and service lines.
• Sells technology solutions to customers to secure their business and provide added value to proposals and satisfy business needs.
• Presents solutions to customers to gain approval of proposals and move forward with the sales process.
• Visits customers to confirm their satisfaction with the client’s products and services and to identify issues that need to be addressed.

Responds to Internal and External Customer Concerns:

• Meets with customers to discuss complaints and obtain supporting documentation (e.g., invoices, etc.).
• Facilitates research of customer complaints (e.g., late deliveries, damages, billing questions, etc.) to determine appropriate resolution personnel.
• Discusses complaints with the client’s personnel (e.g., business centre managers, operations, billing, drivers, etc.) to determine corrective actions and resolutions.
• Suggests technology solutions or operations modifications to customers (e.g., later pick up times, etc.) to satisfy customer complaints.
• Follows-up with customers to ensure successful problem resolution.
• Shares customer problems with managers and operations teams to provide awareness on recurring customer issues.

Implements Customer Accounts:

• Trains customers on technology solutions (e.g., Campus Ship, World Ship, the client’s websites, billing analyses etc.) to ensure tools are used properly and to minimize errors.
• Trains customers on billing analysis tools and electronic billing files to facilitate report generation.
• Trains customers on proper packaging techniques to avoid damages.
• Collaborates with operations to implement accounts with special needs (e.g., unique delivery schedules, extra conveyors, additional drivers, etc.) to adequately handle customers’ shipping needs.
• Completes account setup documentation using prescribed methodology (e.g., shipper numbers, attachments, authorizations, contact information, etc.) to set up accounts.

Maintains and Grows Business:

• Maintains book of business (e.g., ground, air, international, freight, etc.) to grow and execute against the business plan.
• Executes on previously signed contracts (e.g., Freight) to introduce new products and services to customers and expand business within customer accounts.
• Maintains and monitors records of customer information and account performance to track sales performance to objectives.
• Reviews various Business Information and Analysis reporting tools to assess account performance and generate reports for management.

Prepares for Sales Calls:

• Customizes standardized presentation templates with customers’ information to illustrate benefits of solutions to customers.
• Assesses previous sales calls to determine action plans for subsequent visits.
• Performs pre-call analysis (e.g., researches account history, shipping details, complaints, etc.) to prepare for sales calls.
• Researches industry specific data (e.g., industry publications, the client’s products and services, etc.) to effectively recommend and position solutions.
• Participates in online training classes to prepare for products and services assessments and quizzes and to stay current on industry knowledge.

Identifies Sales Opportunities and Qualifies Leads:

• Monitors existing accounts’ statistics to uncover additional sales opportunities (e.g., increase in volume, increase in frequency, new lanes, etc.).
• Researches existing account history to obtain background information (e.g., pay history, shipping routes, etc.) and identify and prioritize large sales opportunities.
• Researches resources (e.g., current customers, periodicals, competitors, etc.) to identify sales opportunities and obtain contact information.
• Responds to internal sales leads from various sources (e.g., Sales Lead Incentive Management system, operations, Package Operations staff, etc.) to identify sales opportunities and create a sales strategy.
• Networks with industry colleagues to uncover sales opportunities.

Prepares Documentation for Account Setup:

• Submits customer pricing requests to Pricing Analysts to generate new or revised price quotes.
• Analyses price quotes to verify accuracy and determine how to propose the solution to the customer.
• Develops Standard Operating Procedures to ensure accounts are implemented on time and inform the client’s personnel of account logistics.
• Negotiates with internal groups (e.g., Pricing, Revenue Management, etc.) to create proposals and move forward with the sales process.
• Generates customer-facing reports to outline shipping history, billing history, and accounts’ incentives (i.e., contracted discounts) and renegotiate contracts.

Job Specific Competencies
Applies Service, Product, and Customer Technology Knowledge:

• Demonstrates familiarity with the core service offerings across business units and deep familiarity with product, service, and customer facing technology offerings of at least one business unit; demonstrates knowledge of competitors' offerings and the features of their products, services, and customer facing technology solutions; describes types of customers that would benefit from selected offerings; compares and contrasts the client's and competitor's products, services, and customer facing technology solutions; able to compare and contrast the customer's experience of engaging with the client and primary competitors across all touch-points; summarizes positive and negative gaps; develops plans to leverage advantages and correct disadvantages.

Assesses Business Needs:

• Identifies current and future needs of the customer or business; understands how business needs dictate the project’s requirements, project direction, business objectives, and resource allocation; makes recommendations on the solutions-design phase of the project.

Business, Financial, and Industry Knowledge:

• Considers industry and financial trends when making account decisions; understands critical aspects of business models and operating structures to provide input into decisions.

Conducts Competitive Analysis:

• Demonstrates a detailed understanding of competitor’s strategies and offerings; collects, analyzes, and interprets competitive information; identifies areas where the client is at a competitive disadvantage and suggests ideas for improving its competitive position.

Conducts Customer Analysis:

• Demonstrates some advanced knowledge of how to conduct customer analysis using common sources of information to identify customer facts and trends; collects standard research data about current and prospective customers with some guidance; identifies and develops lists of prospective customers; assists with identifying instances where customer needs or expectations are not being met; drafts promotions of products, services, and features based upon research with oversight from others.

Creates Account Strategies:

• Helps define and create specific documented account strategies; evaluates key financial indicators to establish account strategies; leverages sales and service resources to meet basic customer needs; recognizes overlap between customer needs and external industry trends.

Finance Knowledge:

• Accurately reads and interprets financial reports and statements; demonstrates an understanding of relevant financial measures, revenue and cost drivers; applies financial analysis to recommend solutions that support business objectives.

Freight Forwarding Operations Knowledge:

• Demonstrates a detailed understanding of processes, procedures, and technology for intermodal transportation; identifies root causes of recurring issues within freight forwarding operations; describes the general structure of freight forwarding operations.

Negotiation:

• Demonstrates the ability to use negotiation techniques in less complex situations; recognizes the potential impact of negotiation proceedings on the business; gains consensus from involved parties.

Report Generation:

• Generates reports in appropriate format using basic software; reviews reports to ensure accuracy and completeness; identifies issues with report generation (e.g., missing variables, incorrect data, etc.)

Small Package Operations Knowledge:

• Demonstrates a detailed understanding of processes, procedures, and methods within small package operations; demonstrates a broad knowledge of tools, equipment, and technology used in small package operations; identifies root causes of recurring issues; describes the general structure of small package operations.

Solicits and Gathers Information:

• Demonstrates a working knowledge of techniques for soliciting and gathering information; identifies appropriate sources of information.

Solves Customer Problems:

• Identifies business areas and stakeholders impacted by customer issues; engages appropriate resources to resolve customer issues; identifies root causes to ensure problems do not recur; stays motivated despite difficult circumstances or setbacks.

Strategic Customer Partnerships:

• Builds and maintains relationships throughout a customer organization; makes recommendations regarding account decisions or strategies.

Supply Chain Management:

• Demonstrates a detailed understanding of supply chain concepts; makes recommendations for changes to solve supply chain problems.

Minimum Requirements

• Educational Qualification: B.Sc./HND
• Experience: 3 - 5 years selling experience is required. Industry experience will be an added advantage.
• Language Proficiency: English language speaking and writing proficiency is required.
• Knowledge: In-depth knowledge of sales principles, concepts, and practices, especially as they relate to the courier industry in Nigeria is required.

Application Closing Date
29th September, 2017.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV's to: [email protected] using "Account Executive" and specify what location (Kano) you are applying for.