Ag Sales Account Manager

Purpose:

The Account Manager is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with key customer accounts and selling new and used equipment and other services. Key customer accounts are those customer segments that have a significant impact on the dealer business. These accounts are developed and maintained with the dealer through a trusted advisor.

Responsibilities:

• Manages key customer account relationships to provide a differentiated customer experience.
• Proactively assesses, clarifies, validates, and communicates key customer account needs on an ongoing basis.
• Provides value to key customer accounts by developing solutions that save time, reduce risk, and increase profits.
• Develop a contact plan that meets the individual needs of the key customer accounts.
• Meet or exceed sales volume goals and sales objectives on assigned key customer accounts.
• Influences customer trade cycles and appraises current and future needs.
• Updates and retains relevant customer account information, such as equipment and operational information in the customer relationship management system. (CRM)
• Engages with dealership personnel (IS Team, Parts, Service, Admin) to promote resources such as John Deere Operations Center, and TRUConnect, ensuring customer expectations are met or exceeded.
• Represents the dealership for the sale of all equipment, aftermarket, and technology-based products and services to assigned customer accounts, following a defined sales process.
• Understand and maintain knowledge for evaluating used equipment (trade-ins), following the TRULAND used equipment process.
• Maintains product knowledge of all equipment and services available to customer accounts.
• Maintains knowledge of financing and risk management options to assist customers with securing the purchase of a solution.
• Maintains and communicates knowledge of customer account operational requirements, both agronomic/turf industry and/or business goals
• Monitors and timely communicates any competitive activity to management.
• Plans, coordinates, and effectively executes equipment field demonstrations, including demo survey registration completion.
• Coordinates dealership team (Integrated Solutions Dept and Aftermarket Support) to manage and deliver the highest levels of value to key customer accounts.
• Attend applicable sales and operational training events and seminars, both internal and external to the dealership.
• Maintain assigned company vehicles and equipment when applicable.
• Assist in product support functions during peak seasons.
• Track customer interaction on Excel spreadsheet or CRM database.
• Assist with inter-store transfers and requests.

Experience, Education, Skills, and Knowledge:

• 5+ years of equipment sales experience.
• High School Diploma or equivalent work experience required, bachelor’s degree in relevant field (such as Ag Business) preferred.
• Extensive knowledge of John Deere and competitive equipment as well as technology trends/advancements.
• In-depth knowledge of farming and agronomic practices and trends, including knowledge of key customer account agronomic operations.
• Business, financial, and logistical management knowledge.
• Ability to work flexible and extended hours.
• Ability to use standard desktop load applications such as Microsoft Office and internet functions as well as dealer business systems.
• Willingness and ability to work flexible and extended hours and weekends.
• Self-starter.
• High attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skill set.
• Exceptional customer service skills with the ability to articulate through a phone call or email.
• Good organizational skills and the ability to multitask.
• Strong listening and interpersonal skills.
• Proven sales skills with ability to read customers and close the sale quickly.
• Ability to negotiate a sales deal when an offer is being made.
• Valid driver’s license required.
• Driving record that meets Employer’s insurance company requirements.