WHAT DOES A FIELD SALES MANAGER DO?

Published: Mar 18, 2025 - The Field Sales Manager supports the development and implementation of the company’s business strategies, acting as a change agent with a focus on enhancing dealer capabilities, increasing revenue, and optimizing operational costs. This role drives performance and profitability within the territory through effective management of key performance indicators, dealer relations, and customer experience enhancement. This position collaborates with internal teams and dealers to achieve sales targets, conduct forecasting, and develop actionable insights for continuous business improvement.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Field Sales Manager

1. Field Sales Manager Duties

  • Data Analysis: Proactively analyze national sales out data, infrastructure and investment, market trends and competitor information, whilst identifying sales opportunities and anticipating obstacles.
  • Strategic Initiative Development: Use commercial analysis to develop and lead the execution of short and long-term initiatives that add value.
  • Partner Relationship Management: Demonstrate the commercial value of Dyson to retail partners and effectively build joint business plans to deliver growth.
  • Distribution Strategy Creation: Working with the Retail Activation Manager and the Senior Key Account Managers, create the distribution strategy in line with Dyson principles for sustainable long-term growth.
  • Guideline Development for In-store Experience: Create the right guidelines set for the field team to guarantee the right in-store experience and to monitor selective distribution system.
  • Training Strategy Development: Coordinating retail education specialist and beauty education specialist, create the training strategy for all physical stores (including direct stores).
  • Demo Strategy Execution: Create and execute with the team the demo strategy working both with internal and outsourced Dyson experts.
  • Digital Experience Management: Focus on the digital demos’ division to ensure the shopping experience reaches high standards also online.
  • Leadership and Collaboration: Take part in regular meetings with the RS leadership team (Retail Activation Manager and the Senior Key Account Managers, Senior Physical Direct Manager) to provide and receive updates on the business, work in synergy and align on critical decisions.
  • Leadership and Mentorship: Lead by example and be a point of reference for the younger generations within the Company.
  • Performance Culture Support: Provide relevant feedback to peers and team members to enable and support a high performing culture.

2. Field Sales Manager Details

  • Strategic Leadership: Driving strategy and delivering results.
  • Employee Development Planning: Prepare development plans for employees.
  • Resource Management: Ensure the team is trained and has the resources to do the job.
  • Coaching and Feedback: Coach and provide feedback to employees.
  • Talent Development: Deliver high-potential sales representatives for future management roles.
  • Relationship Building: Develop customer, supplier, and vendor relationships.
  • Service Excellence: Enhance manager relationships with key contacts by providing superior service and operational excellence.
  • Problem-Solving Techniques: Implement effective and practiced techniques for solving problems.
  • Communication Skills: Effectively communicate with all levels (supplier, customer, vendor).
  • Meeting Participation: Attend reviews and meetings.
  • Strategic Customer Engagement: Increase management presence at customer accounts to achieve access to decision-makers.
  • Data-Driven Decision Making: Use data and analysis to make recommendations to the team and to management.
  • Budgeting and Planning: Responsible for budgeting and planning.
  • Process Improvement Implementation: Take the next step as a key player in implementing process improvement based on data.
  • Vision and Motivation: Instill vision and create enthusiasm to achieve goals.

3. Field Sales Manager Responsibilities

  • Strategic Business Planning: Support the development and delivery the company’s business plan, while acting as a change agent with proven business acumen.
  • Dealer Consultancy: Provide consultancy to dealers to enhance business value through increasing revenues and margins, improving productivity, and optimizing costs.
  • Customer Loyalty and Service Excellence: Achieve service excellence and customer loyalty by adding value to the dealer, making the dealer successful, and sustaining positive dealer relationships.
  • Performance Analysis: Analyze performance including progress against targets (sales, parts & accessories, general merchandise, market share, Return on Sales, marketing activities engagement, etc.) and suggest improvements for the business.
  • Feedback and Influence: Provide constructive feedback and play an influencer role to drive improved dealer performance.
  • Forecasting and Reviews: Conduct monthly vehicle forecasting and quarterly territory/dealer plan reviews.
  • Targeted Performance Management: Drives targeted performance and associated profitability in a defined market area aligned with an overall market-level plan.
  • Dealership Operations Understanding: Operates with a clear understanding of all facets of dealership operations, core profit centers, and Customer Experience, and utilizes resources that implement best practices that will be effective for dealer profitability.
  • Sustainable Dealer Operations: Ensures dealers are operating with a sustainable business plan to meet objectives.
  • Revenue and Margin Targeting: Work towards revenue and margin targets.
  • KPI and Service Level Delivery: Deliver the required KPI's and service levels to customers.
  • Territory Management Planning: Create and Deliver Territory Management Plans to hit budget.
  • Diary Planning: Plan a diary to beat the visit target and achieve all priorities and objectives.
  • Virtual Team Collaboration: Work in a virtual team with an Internal Key Account Manager and Sales Support to optimize total area revenue.
  • Sales and Market Development: Work with the Internal Sales Team and Market Insight to develop prospect lists and win new to company business.

4. Field Sales Manager Job Summary

  • Sales Team Leadership: Managing, guiding, and coaching members of the sales team on planning and executing actions to efficiently drive and deliver commercial results.
  • Sales Team Development: Effectively manage and develop the sales team's soft skills.
  • Funnel Management Strategy: Develop and drive, with the sales team, a clear understanding/ability to deliver excellent funnel management through balancing the four kinds of selling work (closing, prospecting, qualifying, developing) to build a business pipeline suitable to meet financial targets, both short-term and long-term.
  • CRM Utilization: Ensure that the sales team fully understands how to use SFDC effectively and in line with the company’s expectations as its CRM business tool to manage the future sales pipeline by recording every sales opportunity (as per guidelines) and to maintain SFDC current with respect to account & contact details, opportunity management, tasks & events, references, and assets in an accurate/timely fashion.
  • Strategic Business Implementation: Work closely with the Regional Sales Manager, the Field Specialist Manager, and the Regional Marketing Manager to implement the defined business strategy/tactics to deliver the commercial goals (market share/financial).
  • Market Intelligence: Market/competitive information and suggestions to identify with the generation of new sales tools, along with any associated people development needs to enhance the delivery of commercial goals.
  • Cross-Team Collaboration: Closely cooperates with other teams and support functions with the aim of increasing customer satisfaction and sales.
  • Sales Strategy Implementation: Implementing strategies to boost sales.
  • Customer Relations: Building rapport with customers.
  • Sales Performance Monitoring: Monitoring the sales team along with sales performance.
  • Client Engagement: Attending meetings with clients.
  • Product and Market Knowledge: Being fully aware of the products and services and identifying competition.

5. Field Sales Manager Accountabilities

  • Account Business Plan Development: Develop a target account business plan and lead the team to significantly grow account sales, services opportunities, and profits.
  • Sales Training and Coaching: Train and coach the team to provide in-depth customer technology roadmap and uncover new sales opportunities.
  • Partner Relationship Development: Develop business relationships with partners to optimize joint selling opportunities.
  • Market Awareness Building: Build market awareness of CDW through participation in local/regional industry events, organizations, and affiliations.
  • Target Account Strategy Establishment: Establish target account strategies and implementation plans.
  • Segment Strategy Assistance: Assist in development and implementation of segment goals and strategies.
  • Field Coverage Sales Management: Develop and manage an ongoing field coverage sales model.
  • Team Utilization: Work with the field team to effectively utilize Specialists and System Engineers via joint sales calls and on-site assessments.
  • Sales Collaboration Insurance: Ensure collaboration between inside sales and Account Executives in the development of account strategies, follow-up programs, and new business development.
  • Interdepartmental Collaboration Driving: Drive interdepartmental collaboration and use it as a resource in developing customer relationships.

6. Field Sales Manager Functions

  • Sales Target Achievement: Deliver revenue and volume sales targets.
  • Sales Team Development: Coach, train, mentor, and develop sales representatives to maximize all opportunities.
  • Sales Process Management: Manage the full cycle sales process to deliver sales success on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
  • Sales Strategy Implementation: Devise and implement sales management processes to drive success of individuals and the business.
  • Client Relationship Management: Work with the client to strengthen relationships, generate new business opportunities, and obtain referrals.
  • Efficiency in Scheduling: Manage efficient journey planning & scheduling of meetings to maximize effectiveness across the sales team.
  • Sales Acceleration: Accelerate sales cycles, demonstrate best sales practice, and close sales through field trips.
  • Marketing and PR Optimization: Optimize ongoing marketing, publicity, and PR events to increase base sales.
  • Sales Process Adherence: Ensure all reps are using the sales process as it was intended by GNI and to deliver the correct level of coaching to ensure consistency of world-class performance from all reps.
  • KPI Clarity and Management: Ensure that each sales rep has a clear understanding of each of the KPIs that they are ranked and paid on.
  • Sales Rep Motivation and Equipping: Ensure that the sales rep is fully equipped and motivated to achieve world-class standards across every portion of the role, which will be measured against these KPIs.
  • Sales Training Control: Effectively control training of sales reps in order to achieve the agreed sales strategy across all specified channels.
  • KPI Development and Review: Develop, implement, and review individual KPIs in conjunction with the Account Manager.

7. Field Sales Manager Job Description

  • Partnership Development: Create, build, and maintain strong partnerships with Distributors and Retailers to grow the VPX Portfolio in the assigned territory.
  • Sales Strategy Application: Apply company sales strategies in key markets to dominate the energy category.
  • Trade Communication: Communicate to Distributor Partners to execute in trade execution with upcoming promotional programs and activities.
  • Streamlined Communication: Work closely with the Regional Sales Manager and Leadership team to ensure streamlined communication is received.
  • Trade Opportunity Identification: Identify trade opportunities to work with distributor partners to improve retailer support.
  • Relationship Building: Build strong local-level relationships with key decision makers for chain accounts in the territory.
  • Product Understanding and Solutions Providing: Understanding products and providing the best solutions to clients while supporting clients’ needs.
  • Sales Team Management: Managing a team of 3-4 sales representatives.
  • Team Coaching and Development: Coaching the team and developing them to their fullest potential.
  • Performance Standards Coordination: Coordinating with the branch manager to meet performance standards.
  • Client Consultation: Acting as a consultant to clients by providing solutions and support for needs all while ensuring that they receive the most utility from products.

8. Field Sales Manager Overview

  • Community Relationship Building: Generate program interest through building relationships with local community leaders.
  • Value Articulation: Articulate the program’s value to small businesses by understanding its benefits and sell through inspiration.
  • Partner Acquisition: Acquire new partners through driving referrals through community leaders, hosting events at the local and station levels, door-to-door knocking, and leading a team of junior sales staff to support boots on the ground efforts.
  • Sales Performance Tracking: Track and monitor sales performance of the junior sales team and improve daily.
  • Best Practices Establishment: Establish best practices to manage pipeline, cultivate relationships, and convert into future partners.
  • Sales Strategy Creation: Create sales strategies to achieve goals.
  • Expectation Setting: Setting proper expectations with prospective applicants to ensure they’re set up for success.
  • Internal Collaboration: Partnering with internal teams to facilitate solutions on behalf of DPs.
  • Operational Improvement Identification: Identifying workflow inefficiencies and working to formulate and implement operational improvements at the network level and to improve the individual DP experience.
  • Salesforce Utilization: Utilize Salesforce to manage pipeline, maintain follow-ups, and log all lead activity.
  • Product Launch Optimization: Optimize the launch and implementation of new products.
  • Merchandising Compliance: Optimize and secure compliance of the merchandising activity.
  • Field Activity Coordination: Coordinate all field activities in the store promotion catalogue.
  • Field Activity Management: Manage the field activity and accurate reporting to the Commercial Controller efficiently.
  • Cost and Routing Control: Cost and routing control.

9. Field Sales Manager Details and Accountabilities

  • Supervisory Direction and Standardization: Provide direction and guidance to supervisors to ensure clarity of role - all supervisors are operating to the same standards.
  • Field Sales Strategy Definition: Define and implement a field sales strategy to generate expected profit and meet or exceed sales objectives in alignment with the Company's strategic business plan.
  • Financial Risk Identification: Identify areas of financial risk such as the Proof of Delivery (PoD) process and develop appropriate solutions.
  • Risk Monitoring: Ensure ongoing monitoring to minimize future risks.
  • Reporting Tools Availability and Understanding: Ensure availability and understanding of appropriate reporting tools/systems.
  • Expert User Development: Develop expert or ‘super’ users within the field structure.
  • Supplier Performance Review: Regularly review the performance of third-party suppliers, in terms of key statistics/financial KPIs, with management, to ensure optimum effectiveness, adjusting the process as required.
  • Training for Ad Hoc Personnel: Work with third-party suppliers to ensure appropriate training/induction notes for ad hoc cover personnel.
  • Recruitment Tools Development: Work with HR to devise effective recruitment and selection tools, including regular review.
  • HR Policy Review: Work with HR to ensure all HR policies are regularly reviewed in line with legislation and best practice.
  • Management Training on HR Policies: Provide training/coaching to management on policies where appropriate.
  • Absence Management Tools Implementation: Work with HR to implement effective absence management/monitoring tools and solutions, providing regular reports/statistics to management.
  • Customer Service Excellence: Ensure the highest level of customer service.
  • Internal Network Creation with Marketing: Create an internal network with Marketing and Trade Marketing.

10. Field Sales Manager Tasks

  • Territory Management: Manage territory effectively through time and project management.
  • Communication and Reporting: Provide consistent communication and timely reporting of goal attainment, field activities, account opportunities, competitive trends, and field team accomplishments.
  • Pipeline Management: Manages solutions pipeline through SPS and Changepoint.
  • Ethical Business Practices: Adhere to ethical and fair business practices, following the CDW Way principles.
  • Customer Relationship Management: Work with the Professional Services Managers to manage customer relationships and monitor satisfaction with the quality of products and services to maximize client satisfaction.
  • Sales Training Development: Develop product knowledge and sales skills of field sales team by providing ongoing product, services, and sales skills training provided by CDW and outside sources.
  • Professional Development Opportunities: Provide the team with professional development opportunities.
  • Performance Reviews: Prepare and give annual performance reviews.
  • Relationship Building: Develop solid business relationships with high-level decision-makers within target accounts.
  • Customer Business Understanding: Understand each target customer's business model and how to best serve unique needs.
  • Vendor Collaboration: Engage local vendor field management, collaborating sales efforts and partnerships with target accounts and new account opportunities.
Relevant Information
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