What Do Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Reps Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Reps sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses or groups of individuals. Work requires substantial knowledge of items sold. They also contact regular and prospective customers to demonstrate products, explain product features, and solicit orders.

Other tasks include:

• Recommend products to customers, based on customers’ needs and interests.
• Answer customers’ questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms.
• Estimate or quote prices, credit or contract terms, warranties, and delivery dates.
• Train customers’ employees to operate and maintain new equipment.
• Consult with clients after sales or contract signings to resolve problems and to provide ongoing support.
• Provide customers with product samples and catalogs.

We asked Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Reps how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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73% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 37% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Reps recommend products to customers, based on customers’ needs and interests. They answer customers’ questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms.

A typical day for a Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representative will also include:

• Contact regular and prospective customers to demonstrate products, explain product features, and solicit orders.
• Identify prospective customers by using business directories, following leads from existing clients, participating in organizations and clubs, and attending trade shows and conferences.
• Consult with clients after sales or contract signings to resolve problems and to provide ongoing support.
• Estimate or quote prices, credit or contract terms, warranties, and delivery dates.
• Monitor market conditions, product innovations, and competitors’ products, prices, and sales.

We asked some Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Reps a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	98% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	41% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	67% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	69% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	7% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	35% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Reps also train customers’ employees to operate and maintain new equipment. They may also forward orders to manufacturers.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Reps Check stock levels and reorder merchandise as necessary. They might also Arrange and direct delivery and installation of products and equipment.

In addition, they Consult with clients after sales or contract signings to resolve problems and to provide ongoing support.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Negotiate details of contracts and payments.

To some Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Reps, it is also their responsibility to Perform administrative duties, such as preparing sales budgets and reports, keeping sales records, and filing expense account reports.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representative, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas..

They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/sales/wholesale-and-manufacturing-sales-representatives.htm

http://www.manaonline.org/

http://www.mrerf.org/