Route sales representatives acquire and maintain customer relationships, inspect products, deliver them on time, record financial transactions, and communicate with supervisors. They must possess interpersonal skills, attention to detail, and basic math skills.
A career as a route sales representative is perfect for someone who enjoys traveling and constantly interacting with customers. While those in this career may handle a wide range of products, the fundamental job duties they perform are similar. This includes acquiring new customers and relating to existing customers, inspecting shipped products, delivering products, recording financial transactions, and communicating with supervisors.
Some of the most important aspects of being a route sales representative are acquiring new customers and maintaining relationships with existing customers. This work, in large part, revolves around interacting with others and understanding the customer’s needs. A person in this position must be knowledgeable about the products they sell and be able to explain the benefits of those products. Consequently, an individual must possess considerable interpersonal skills and be able to create rapport with customers.
Another part of the job that is sometimes overlooked – but still important – is inspecting outgoing products. For example, if a route sales rep is delivering bread to a grocery store, he would need to check the dates on the loaves to ensure they haven’t gone stale. In order to maintain a positive reputation with customers and the public, it is important that this person is attentive to details and guarantees the quality of the products.
Delivering the right products to customers on time is also extremely important. If this job is not done efficiently, the company’s customer base is likely to suffer. Consequently, it is critical that a route sales representative be punctual and accurate when delivering products. In some cases, he will need to review inventory with a customer to ensure all products are accounted for.
Recording all financial transactions between the company and customers is another common duty. As people working in this position often handle large sums of money on a daily basis, it is critical that they keep up with them. Some companies use computers or other electrical devices for this, and others keep paper files. Regardless of the method, it is important that a route sales rep has at least basic math skills and is well organized.
In addition, it is necessary to communicate continuously with company supervisors. As a route sales representative is usually a subordinate, it is his duty to follow the supervisor’s orders and perform these actions correctly. In many cases, he will communicate with his supervisor before the start of each work day and at the end of each day. This practice helps keep everyone on the same page.
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