Consultative Sales Representative

Job Description

A Consultative Sales Representative works with clients to identify inefficiencies or bottlenecks in their current process(es) and propose solutions to meet their specific needs. A successful representative will act more as a consultant and technical advisor for the client than a sales agent while still being able to close the sale. They will work in conjunction with the EII engineering team to represent the clients technical, practical, and logistical needs, operating largely as a project manager to develop custom products. A Consultative Sales Representative is a collaborator between EII and clients to creatively develop custom client-based solutions.

A Consultative Sales Representative will spend an average day: following up on leads, whether via phone, email, or scheduled meetings with potential customers; coordinating with the marketing team on client messaging and follow-through; collaborating with the engineering team to design/refine solutions to best suit customer needs; meeting with the business development team and management to review applications and pipelines; managing and directing clients' projects, enforcing their needs and deadlines; preparing quotes for customers; traveling as needed (see below). This position reports to the Business Development Manager and will work most closely with this person and the Application Engineer.

Travel is expected to be up to 40%. The purpose of this travel is business development, and therefore includes trade shows, trade association events, and customer site visits. EII attends 3- 5 large trade shows per year with 3-4 smaller shows, mainly taking place January-June, with one in the fall. EII is also part of several trade associations, and the Consultative Sales Representative will be expected to attend annual or biannual meetings for at least 3 of these (some meetings are co-located with existing trade shows). Customer site visits occur as necessary to observe operations and brainstorm solutions with the customer. Trips may range from overnight to approximately 10 days, with most large trade show trips taking approximately 1 week, smaller shows and trade association events 3-4 days, and customer site visits 1-3 days. Travel will mainly take place within the United States with the possibility of the occasional visit to Canada. If future business is prospected or secured in other places (South America, Europe) then at that time travel to those locations may also be required. Experience and comfort with a significant amount of travel is greatly preferred for this position. 

Position responsibilities include:

• Develop professional business relationships with clients by: proactively making phone calls; attending trade shows and association events; establishing a follow-up process.
• Travel to customer sites to evaluate needs, provide consultation, and identify areas of potential improvement in their operations.
• Prompt earnest and ongoing discussion with clients to understand their needs and develop customized solutions, based on opportunities for improvement to current logistical processes, then convey these ideas to internal teams.
• Document prospective client processes and improvement areas; present these to EII team with the purpose of developing solutions collaboratively.
• Coordinate between teams to determine solutions, costs, and timelines; create project proposals.
• Define, justify, document, and present proposed methodology for potential solutions to customers that demonstrates improved workflow and ROI.
• Prepare weekly reports describing follow-up activity, presentations, and new opportunities.

Successful candidate will possess:

• Strong professional values such as customer-centric focus, teamwork, and accountability.
• Ability to reach out to new prospective clients to engage in a discussion of their operations and needs.
• Ability to represent company well at networking events.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving, sometimes ambiguous environment.
• Ability to identify weaknesses in business process and define new processes where needed.
• Excellent autonomous problem-solving skills.

Familiarity with the following is a plus but not required:

• The postal/package processing industry.
• A background in warehouse automation, hardware, software, and business process.
• Experience in project management.
• Experience in product customization and solution-focused design.

Next steps:

Click the link to submit a resume for this position, and a cover letter if desired. Once submitted and reviewed, you will receive an invitation to complete a brief (approx. 10-minute) work style assessment. Should we move forward from there, our hiring process includes 3-4 interviews and a sales exercise. We will communicate with you every step of the way; we promise not to leave you hanging!

We are always excited to meet new potential team members and see if we are a good fit. Even if the Consultative Sales Rep is not exactly the right position for you, we may still be interested in your skill set. As our CEO, Don Caddy, likes to say, “We have to make sure we have the right people on the bus, and then we have to make sure they are in the right seat.”

Company Description

Engineering Innovation, Inc. (EII), based in Lafayette, IN, is a trusted partner in the logistics, automation, and mailing industries, and has been since its foundation in 2006. Led by a team of engineers with creative problem-solving skills and a knack for improvement, our team members are talented and ambitious, and our company is known for its customer service above all else. We pride ourselves on our ability to design solutions that fill specific niches for our customers, and provide continued support, not just for our products, but our clients' overall processes. (If you would like to learn more about our company culture, please visit www.eii-online.com .) 

EII is a small (approx. 80 team members), but growing, dynamic company looking for highly motivated individuals to join our business development team. The business development team is responsible for identifying prospective customers, developing relationships with clients, identifying the needs of the client, and collaborating with the engineering team to develop customer-specific solutions. 

Benefits

• Competitive Wages
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Time Off
• 401(k)/Roth with company matching up to 6% and 100% immediate vesting after 90 days
• Medical Insurance
• Company-Paid Short - and Long -Term Disability
• Wellness program
• Employee referral program