Outside Food Sales Rep

Gordon Food Service - Steubenville, OH

Full-time - Entry Level

Steubenville, OH

Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods

About the position

As an Outside Food Sales Representative at Gordon Food Service, you will play a crucial role in cultivating relationships and developing new business opportunities within the food service industry. This position is designed for individuals who are passionate about sales and customer service, and who thrive in a dynamic environment. You will be responsible for managing relationships with both existing and prospective customers, ensuring that their needs are met while also driving sales growth for the company. Your territory will include Wheeling, WV and Steubenville, OH, where you will engage with a diverse range of clients in the food service sector. In this role, you will pursue new customers by researching industry and market trends that impact restaurants within your territory. You will identify and research prospective customers, developing tailored sales strategies that highlight the products, services, values, and solutions offered by Gordon Food Service. Presenting these strategies effectively will be key to your success in acquiring new business. Additionally, you will deepen and strengthen existing customer relationships by visiting all customers within your assigned territory on a regular basis. This could be weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, depending on the needs of the customer. You will conduct business reviews to assess existing customer needs and identify areas for growth. Providing ongoing training on Gordon Food Service product offerings will also be part of your responsibilities, ensuring that customers are well-informed and able to maximize the value of our services. Sales territory management will require you to balance the acquisition of new customers with the nurturing of existing relationships. You will coordinate visits to both prospective and current customers, keeping them informed about order statuses and processing updates. Gordon Food Service is committed to your success, especially during your first 90 days, where you will receive comprehensive training through various methods including e-learning, classroom sessions, video roleplays, job shadowing, and mentorship from experienced sales representatives. This training will equip you with the necessary skills to effectively manage customer relationships and understand the products available to our clients.

Responsibilities

• Cultivate relationships with existing and prospective customers.
• Develop new business opportunities within the assigned territory.
• Research industry and market trends impacting restaurants.
• Identify and research prospective customers within the territory.
• Develop and present tailored sales strategies to prospective customers.
• Visit all customers within the assigned territory on a regular basis.
• Conduct business reviews to assess customer needs and identify growth opportunities.
• Provide ongoing training to customers on product offerings.
• Communicate order status and processing updates to customers.
• Balance new customer acquisition with strengthening existing relationships.

Requirements

• Proven experience in sales or customer relationship management.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to research and analyze market trends.
• Experience in developing and presenting sales strategies.
• Self-motivated with a results-driven approach.
• Ability to manage time effectively and prioritize tasks.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in the food service industry.
• Familiarity with CRM software and sales tools.
• Previous experience in territory management.

Benefits

• 401(k) matching program above industry standards.
• Performance compensation structure including salary, commission, and bonuses.
• Low-cost health benefit options for employees and their families.
• Automobile expense reimbursement plan.
• Cell phone reimbursement plan.