Inside Sales Executive

As the largest pureplay adhesives company in the world, H.B. Fuller’s (NYSE: FUL) innovative, functional coatings, adhesives and sealants enhance the quality, safety and performance of products people use every day. Founded in 1887, with 2023 revenue of $3.5 billion, our mission to Connect What Matters is brought to life by more than 7,000 global team members who collaborate with customers across more than 30 market segments in over 140 countries to develop highly specified solutions that enable customers to bring world-changing innovations to their end markets.

PRIMARY DUTIES

This individual will be the front line to customers and will work with both internal and external customers, primarily over the phone.  Portraying a positive, professional, friendly and helpful company image is critical.  This position has a variety of responsibilities required to manage, grow and solicit new business to meet their assigned customer’s needs and expectations including, but not limited to:

50% SALES GENERATION

• Increase revenue through new lead generation, new sales to inactive customers and increase sales to existing assigned customers.
• Create sales tools to assist in achieving sales growth.

50% CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT

• Single-Point-of-Contact to customer.  Ensure your customer’s needs and expectations are met.  Follow through with requests to completion.
• Contact customers who haven’t purchased within 3 months to understand why and take necessary actions to drive future ordering.
• New customer orientation
  • Conduct introduction and provide welcome packet
  • Follow-up after first order making sure their first transaction with us was highly satisfactory to them.

IN SUPPORT OF PRIMARY DUTIES

PRICING

• Maintain pricing, entered with 98% accuracy
  • Approved quotes and pricing should be processed the same day as received.  Those received after 3:00 pm local facility time may be processed the following day.
  • Manage CPAs according to effective dates.  As expirations dates approach lead efforts with Sales and/or Marketing to ensure new pricing is in effect on-time so prevent disruption to order processing.

RGAs/DISPUTES/CREDITS

• Ensure they are processed and entered accurately, entered on-time, and invoiced on-time
  • Complete necessary documentation, properly research, obtain required authorization and support documents.  Notify Operations of their discrepancies within 1 day of customer notification.  Forward approved RGAs to customers.
  • Enter all stock affecting credits and debits within the same fiscal month that we receive the product.  Process warranty credits within 2 days of receipt.  Process remaining credits and debits within 14 days from the Order Date, or by month-end, whichever comes first. 
  • Process new RGA requests within 2 days or receipt.  Invoice RGAs within 1 day of receipt, or by month-end, whichever comes first. 
  • Expedite partially received RGAs and past due RGAs, credits and debits.
  • Contact customers regarding rejected returns and disposition of product per customer’s request within 14 days of receipt.

SALES ORDER FORM

• Update accordingly based on conversations, promotions, customer freight or shipping requirements, etc.

CUSTOMER MASTER

• Create new customer bill-to, sold-to and ship-to addresses.  Ensure customer’s address information, contacts, terms, etc., are entered and maintained accurately.  Modify as necessary based on information provided by the customer, Sales and/or the Credit department.

INQUIRIES

• Respond to inquiries received by internal and external customers within 4 hours or by end of day, whichever is sooner.

MARKETING

• Assist in executing new or changes to existing Sales and Marketing programs through our customers, Sales, and Operations.  Coordinate with our customers to ensure that their systems are properly set-up with all our necessary vendor information and program specifications.

SERVICE, COMMUNICATION & TEAMWORK

• Improve service through continually meeting and interacting with our customers and other internal departments to maintain your knowledge of products, programs, customer’s needs, new products, stock availability and the production plan.
• Actively participate on teams.  Contributing skills and appropriate knowledge to drive to solutions and results.

PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE

• Know our product lines, their distribution channels, the benefits of our products, basic technical knowledge and competitive information, etc, for the products we manufacture and distribute.

PROCESS, POLICY & STANDARDS

• Knowledge and compliance to all pertinent processes, policies and standards, both departmental and company-wide, needed to perform your primary responsibilities.

The individual in this position is also required to provide complete support and back-up to the Customer Service team during times of absence or as needed to complete workflow.  And also aid the department by answering the telephone and responding to emails, and other inquiries and requests required to assist in the proper completion of all Customer Service responsibilities.

EMPLOYEES SUPERVISED

Number and titles/levels of direct reports:           0

Number and titles/levels of indirect reports:         0

BUDGETARY RESPONSIBILITY

Not applicable

Minimum Requirements

• Minimum 5 years Sales, Marketing or Customer Service related experience in a manufacturing environment
• Advanced PC skills: Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Windows, typing and 10-key data entry
• Excellent communication skills: written, telephone, speaking, reading and listening
• Individuals in the position must be results oriented, organized, able to multi-task, work in a fast paced team environment and possess a strong customer-focused attitude: highly personable, accurate, relates well with people, service oriented, and a positive attitude.
• Ability to meet and exceed customer satisfaction, and resolve dissatisfaction
• Effectively manage work situation of moderate degree of complexity, which could impact company image and/or sales dollars and cost
• General office equipment: fax, copier, scanner, etc
• Demonstrates proficiency in the following competencies:
  • Responsive to change – Adapts (quickly) to changing circumstances
  • Individually responsible for results – Engages in activities and experiences that strengthen contribution to the organization
  • Model collaboration and commitment – Focuses on team success before individual success
  • Focus on customers – Creates an experience for customers – delights customers by providing exceptional value and service
  • Demonstrates operational excellence – Continually looks for new and better ways to get things done and shows functional/technical proficiency in work
  • Demonstrates effective self management – Seeks to understand and act upon improvement opportunities

LEADER COMPETENCIES:

• Accountability for Results – Translates goals/objectives into actionable plans and results
• Build and lead effective teams – Attracts and retains the best people. Optimizes peak performance through development & coaching
• Foster change and innovation - Seeks solutions that strengthen quality, value, service and effectiveness
• Create value for customers - Anticipates and responds to market trends and opportunities
• Demonstrate business acumen and business agility - Demonstrates functional/technical proficiency, engages in effective operational and strategic planning

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Sales or Marketing
• Bi-lingual Spanish

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

• 75% of time sitting, 25% walking, standing, bending
• 60% of time spent on the phone
• 10% travel

H.B. Fuller is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and proud to have created a collaborative culture where employees around the world are seen, heard, and respected. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, or marital status or status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected classification.

H.B. Fuller does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms. To conduct business with H.B. Fuller, a written service agreement must be executed by Human Resources prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. Without a signed service agreement, H.B. Fuller shall not be obligated for payment of any fee or compensation.