Sales Department: Account Manager

| 9 minutes

The purpose of this document is to describe the function of the Sales Department - Account Manager inside AdvaCare Pharma organization and define the department members' roles and responsibilities within the team.

1. KPIs

  1. Sales Growth
  2. Revenue Per Client
  3. Client Retention Rate
  4. Profit Margin
  5. Existing Client Engagement
  6. Average Sales Cycle Length

2. Organizational Structure

3. Department Role within Company

3.1 Goals of Account Manager - Sales Dept.
a. Developing and maintaining designated accounts.
b. Understanding the Customers market, purchasing cycle and challenges.
c. Controlling the Customer to come to the end goal of closing an order in the least amount of time and back and forth emails.
d. Communicate with the various departments to complete an order with the most amount of profit and least amount of mistakes.
e. Ensuring the information provided to other departments is accurate and confirmed by the Customer.
f. Constantly engaging with inactive Customers to continue cooperation.
g. Most importantly, to follow the SOPs.
3.2 Interdepartmental Relationships
Account Managers (Sales Dept.) & Business Development Dept. (Sales Dept.)

The main role of BD Dept. is researching, prospecting and qualifying leads to develop new clients and handle registrations. BD Dept. will pass over a non-registration Customer to Account Managers when the order has been confirmed or when the registration for a Customer has been completed.

Account Managers (Sales Dept.) are responsible to:

  • Process the first order of a new Customer that BD Dept. has passed to the Account Manager.
  • Inform BD Dept. when new registrations are required for an existing Customer.
  • Communicate with a Customer to place an order of the completed registration products when BD Dept. informs Account Manager registration has finished.
  • Update BD Dept. when exclusivity has been provided to any existing Customer.
  • Inform BD Dept. when Quarterly Meetings will be scheduled so BD can prepare discussions for the virtual meeting.

Business Development Dept. is responsible to:

  • Identify the products required from the Customer, confirm the order, sign the Manufacturing Agreement and Sales Contract and confirm the down payment has been received for the first order.
  • Arrange for the Transition Meeting to introduce the Account Manager to the Customer.
  • Assist with documents required when a Customer can place an order and do the registration at the time.
  • Inform Account Manager when a Customer has completed registration to push the Customer to place an order.
Account Managers (Sales Dept.) & Purchasing Dept.

The main role of the Purchasing Dept. is to assist Account Managers with providing prices from Vendors according to the requirements of the Customers. Purchasing Dept. While Purchasing Dept. represents the vendors and their possibilities and needs, Sales Dept. represents the clients and their needs. At the same time, both departments represent the company’s needs.

Representing different sides of the International Trade can be challenging and cause some friction, or even conflicts, between departments. However, balancing the needs of client, vendor and the company is the key to company’s growth, therefore every member of both departments needs to be clear on the main goal: maximizing the profit of the company.

Account Managers (Sales Dept.) are responsible to:

  • Get all the details about the products or required documents from the client and provide the information to the Purchasing Dept. beforehand;
  • Be clear on the specifications of products required and inform Purchasing Dept.;
  • Be clear on WHEN the client intends to start the order to get the valid and fresh prices from Vendors;
  • Facilitate inter-department communication.

Purchasing Dept. is responsible to:

  • Reply to all tasks sent by Sales Dept., and every question asked via tasks within the least possible amount of time;
  • Provide maximum possible information and all options;
  • Confirm the order within the least possible amount of time and make sure production time is met;
  • Not just copy/paste the information, but think what option will be best for the company and share opinion or advice when possible;
  • Facilitate inter-department communication.
Account Managers (Sales Dept.) & Accounting Dept.

The main role of the Accounting Dept. is to arrange timely payments to Vendors, send payment requests to the Customer and to follow up and make sure to receive timely payments from Customers.

Account Managers (Sales Dept.) are responsible to:

  • Inform Accounting Dept. to send payment request emails to the Customer.
  • Inform Accounting Dept. of any additional costs or changes in the total amounts to Customers before sending payment requests.
  • Ask the Accounting Dept. of which bank account to use for special payment requirements for a Customer.
  • Inform Accounting Dept. if the Customer is requesting different payment terms to get approval of new payment terms.

Accounting Dept. is responsible to:

  • Send payment request emails to the Customer according to the correct invoice.
  • Keep the record of balances (debits/credits) per Customer.
  • Follow up with Customer for payments or balances due.
  • Assess Customer’s payment history to approve or revise the requested payment terms from Customer.
Account Managers (Sales Dept.) & Logistics Dept.

The main role of the Logistics Dept. is to arrange for the shipments of orders, promotional materials, samples or documents to the Customer.

Account Managers (Sales Dept.) are responsible to:

  • Provide Logistics Dept. with the necessary information to provide a shipping or courier cost.
  • Inform Logistics Dept. of the contact information of the Customer’s freight forwarder.
  • Inform Logistics Dept. to upload the shipping cost to the system.
  • Ask if a certain product has restrictions for shipping.

Logistics Dept. is responsible to:

  • Provide the best shipping method and cost by contacting several forwarders.
  • Contacting the Customer’s freight forwarder to arrange for shipment.
  • Inform Account Managers if there are extra costs for a shipment ahead of time.
  • Inform Account Managers when a shipment requires inspection due to the destination country.
Account Managers (Sales Dept.) & Design Dept.

The main role of the Design Dept. is to prepare the packaging designs for the products of an order or registration, promotional materials and samples. Account Managers will send the mockup designs to the Customer for confirmation and once confirmed, Design Dept. will send the mockup designs to the related Vendors. The Vendors will send the designs in the format from the printing company back to the Design Dept. for approval from Account Managers.

Account Managers (Sales Dept.) are responsible to:

  • Provide the Design Dept. with the information to prepare the mockup packaging designs based on the requirements of the Customer.
  • Check all of the elements of the mockup and Vendor packaging designs to avoid any mistakes.

Design Dept. is responsible to:

  • Prepare the mockup packaging designs based on the information provided by Account Managers.
  • Check all of the elements of the mockup and Vendor packaging designs to avoid any mistakes.
  • Provide Account Managers with printing costs when required.
Account Managers (Sales Dept.) & Marketing Dept.

The main role of the Marketing Dept. is to handle the production, design and shipping of the promotional materials which we provide to the Customers for each order and manage the samples inventory.

Account Managers (Sales Dept.) are responsible to:

  • Inform Marketing Dept. of the background of the Customer.
  • Inform Marketing Dept. when to contact the Customer to begin communication regarding the promotional materials.
  • Assist Marketing Dept. with communicating with the Customer.
  • Inform and update Marketing Dept. on the production schedule of the order.
  • Assist Marketing Dept. with choosing the samples from storage to include with the promotional materials.

Marketing Dept. is responsible to:

  • Communicate with the Customer via emails to understand what, where, why and how the Customer will use the promotional materials (what is the purpose and use of the Promotional materials).
  • Collaborate with the Design Dept. to design the promotional materials.
  • Search on Taobao and communicate with the sellers to get the best cost and quality of promotional materials and arrange for production to meet the shipping date of the order.

4. Roles and Responsibilities

Sales Dept. Manager

General:

  • Delegate work evenly between members of the Department;
  • Monitor work of Account Managers - Sales Dept.;
  • Ensure the efficiency of Account Managers - Sales Dept.;
  • Check every contract or agreement prepared by Account Managers - Sales Dept.;
  • Read every task that goes through the company and know details of every RFQ/Order/Customer;
  • Identify potential problems of every RFQ/Order/Customer and suggest solutions to Purchasing Dept. and Sales Dept.;
  • Create new processes and make sure they are followed;
  • Train new members of Sales Dept.;
  • Track department KPIs;
  • Create Projects for Sales Dept. and according to the set goals;
  • Schedule activities for department improvement and make sure they are followed;
  • Handle quality problems with Purchasing Dept.;
  • Contact the Customers and step in to assist with communication and issues:
  • Execute meetings with Customers (Transition, QBR, etc.);
  • Suggest Odoo development for Sales Dept.;
  • Test new features of Odoo and provide with feedback; Train Account Managers;
  • Hold workshops for Sales Dept. on Customers and Products Development;
  • Oversee Distributor Performance, compliance with MA, exclusivity terms;
  • Suggest products for promotional samples when orders start production;
  • Confirm final promotional materials designs for Promotional Tasks of Orders;
  • Assign projects for engaging with Inactive Distributors and track the progress;
  • Handle Interviews for new potential Account Managers - Sales Dept.;
  • Coordinate Newsletters with Marketing Dept. for existing Accounts.

Deliverables:

  • Department KPIs
  • Department SOPs
  • AdvaCare Account Managers - Sales Dept. Training Program
  • Flowcharts (including updates and revisions)
  • Evaluation reports on Account Managers/Distributor Accounts performance

Documents:

  • AdvaCare SOPs
  • Odoo Technical Manual

Skills:

  • Decision-making
  • Problem-solving
  • Delegation
  • Communication
  • Accuracy
  • Attention to detail
  • Forecasting skills
  • Training and mentoring skills
  • English language
Sales Account Managers

General:

  • Process RFQs with the end goal to turn the RFQ into an order: negotiate with the Customer, identify the product specifications, documentation requirements to provide to Purchasing Dept.;
  • Track progress of RFQs/Orders and keep it updated;
  • Process orders from Customers assigned: identify the product specifications, documentation requirements to provide to Purchasing Dept.;
  • Keep constant contact with Customers and engage with inactive Customers to understand their market (challenges, changes in requirements, best-selling products, procurement cycle, etc.);
  • Coordinate production with Purchasing Dept. to meet the production schedule;
  • Create “Order Packaging Details” for the new products produced in the System for future reference;
  • Coordinate with all departments to make sure the orders are moving forward without any delays coming from our end;
  • Maintain and update Customer information in the System;
  • Ensure documents are signed and stamped from the Customer (Sales Contract, PDCA);
  • Ensure shipping documents are confirmed by the Customer before sending original hard copies via DHL;
  • Ensure the products packaging is correct and acceptable by Customer;
  • Handle Customers Quality Complains from creating QC Ticket to Resolution Acknowledgment Agreement with Customer;
  • Handle Customers Meetings (QBR, Transition, order-related) and keep records in the System;
  • Track annual orders and ensure the MA terms are met;
  • Meet deadlines set in activities;
  • Follow SOPs processes;
  • Gather information of Customer Distribution channels, pass it to Marketing Dept. in order to select the best promotional tools;
  • Coordinate with Marketing Dept. regarding Promotional Materials for Customers, check content and designs;
  • Pass feedback on Promotional Materials to Marketing Dept. and ensure it is implemented in the next delivery.

Deliverables:

  • Sales Quotation
  • Sales Contracts and Proforma Invoices
  • Packaging Design Confirmation Agreement (PDCA)
  • Order Packaging Details Form
  • Shipping Documents
  • Feedback Form
  • Quality Complaint Forms

Documents:

  • AdvaCare SOPs
  • Odoo Technical Manual

Skills:

  • Effective communication
  • Time management (Multitasking)
  • Active listening
  • Confidence
  • Negotiation
  • Detail oriented
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