Being a field sales agent is not a walk in the park. The profession requires aggressive and equally motivated persons who are up to the task come rain or sunshine. Traveling from one place to another to meet both active and prospective clients is the highlight of a field sales agent day to day work. They also act on behalf of their employer to monitor what competitor companies are up to. Field sales agents are more than the company's representatives, because their daily sales activities out in the field can either impact their company's growth positively or negatively. For a profession that is quite demanding, the following are the qualifications that everyone who identifies as a field sales rep should exhibit.
Technology advancement around the world has made things simpler for all professions and businesses included. The mobile app industry is enough proof of how various tasks across various professions have been simplified. For example, there are several sales management apps that sales agents and reps can leverage in their day to day routines. These apps are easy to operate while on the go and they are designed to maximize profits all while saving time compared to traditional or manual methods. A field sales agent should be able to manipulate all the features (both free and advanced/premium) that come with sales apps such as optimizing sale routes. Most sales apps also help with management of both current and prospective clients.
A field sales rep should dedicate enough time to see that deadlines of scheduled meetings and tasks are met. They can manage this through use of calendars & tasks features that are available in most sales apps. Repmove.app is among sales apps that offer calendars and tasks features. An evaluation of every week's work is important as it sets mood for the following week and ensures there is a smooth sailing of sales activities. Some of the weekly activities that a field sales agent should pay attention to include keeping records of active and prospect clients and doing follow-ups, among any other administrative tasks. Field sales agents should also show the ability to avoid distractions while adhering to scheduled activities.
Closing a deal does not mark the end of a sales process and a professional field sales agent should understand this. Communication with active clients should continue because it is a sign to clients that the company is not just after making sales but also ensuring they are comfortable using their product or services. Follow-ups through email are necessary, and a field sales agent should timely respond to any enquiries made by active clients. Such dedication is enough encouragement to current clients in making them seek future services or upgrades with the company. Also, lasting customer relationships with satisfied clients paves way for prospective clients given the positive reviews. It's also safe to say an active client becomes a prospective one on the basis of future considerations.
Most company management teams rely on reports by various employees, and in this case field sales agents, to make major progressive decisions for the company. It should be easy for field sales agents to compile field sales reports with the help of various sales apps while on the go. The reports should in detail represent field happenings and all the crucial information the management may require. The reports should, for example, highlight closed deals, new clients, prospects, financial data, field budget, and anything else touching on field sales. It is important when such reports are made on a timely basis, creating no room for delays because every moment counts when it comes to closing sales for any business.
Field sales agents act as representatives for their companies, and they should have top notch levels of persistence. How persistent they are determines if they will close deals and generate targeted sales within a certain period of time. They should have what it takes to persuade prospects to try out their offers. While there are prospects that are easy to persuade into closing sales, some will need more effort to win them over, and that is where persistence comes in. Even after closing deals, field sales agents should work on maintaining close business relationships with current clients for the sake of future dealings. How persuasive they are, also determines whether a current client will tag along for future engagements. Don't be deterred by failure.
There is no doubt that field sales agents play an integral role in a company's success. The profession is also quite demanding and only the strong-willed can make it work. For that reason, field sales agents should possess the highlighted qualifications and play by them when out in the field. More qualifications in this profession include being excellent in communication (both orally and in written form), and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision from superiors. Prospects should also find field sales agents approachable for smooth interactions. It is also worth noting that with time and with the right education requirements, field sales agents can upgrade or apply for higher positions like account executive and sales consultants.
