General Sales Manager Job Description
General sales managers oversee the sales operations of the sales department at an auto dealership or a company. The role of a general manager’s task includes securing and training sales personnel, making sure that the department is meeting its sales goals and customer expectations, and creating a departmental strategy plan. In larger companies, the general manager can also serve as an intermediary between the department’s sales team and other departments, as well as the organization’s executive management.
What Exactly Does the General Manager of Sales Accomplish?
- Make annual and quarterly sales forecasts for the year. By estimating the sales total and operating profits and expenses, the service and sales department sales managers are able to consider their competitors, trends in the industry as well as economic indicators.
- Talk about estimates with your general manager. Before deciding on the target for a certain period general sales managers have meetings with the other managers to make sure that the targets are achievable and relevant.
- Meeting with the sales reps. This will allow them to create an action plan to ensure that the sales team meets their gross profit and sales goals.
- Hire, supervise, train and guide sales reps. General sales managers make sure that every employee is properly trained to ensure that they achieve their sales goals.
- Stay informed about the latest local, state and federal laws. The changes in laws could impact their work. Sales managers must remain informed in order to ensure that the business adheres to these laws.
- Establish guidelines for advertising and marketing. Sales managers accomplish this by analyzing the financial performance and the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.
- Review customer satisfaction surveys. Understanding the experiences of customers can help sales managers to make suggestions to improve customer service and retention.
- Develop connections. To boost sales and to maintain an established network, sales executives interact with manufacturing reps, customers and represent the company at conferences and trade shows.
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General Sales Manager Qualifications
- Education: There aren’t any specific qualifications required to become general sales managers. If you’re looking to become a general sales manager you must at a minimum attain a graduation from high school or any similar qualifications. But, a lot of general sales managers hold higher degrees in computer science, business, and maths.
- Experience: To be a general sales manager you should have a minimum of two years of experience in a sales setting. Prior to becoming an executive sales leader, you should consider having a track record of achieving or exceeding the sales goals of their respective companies. In order to become eligible for the post as a general manager, it is essential to develop relationships with customers and understand the needs of business decision-makers. Additionally, you must have managerial skills and the ability to lead.
Skills and Traits of the General Sales Manager
- Skills for Communication: Sales managers, in general, benefit from having strong communication skills when they interact with sales reps and customers.
- Ethical Standards: General sales managers have to maintain the highest standards of ethics as they are accountable for their team’s compliance with the law and the company’s principles in all of their actions.
- Ability to Establish Relationships: General sales managers establish relations with the company’s top management, their peers, as well as their counterparts from other companies.
- Customer Service: General sales managers must have empathy and comprehend the needs of the customer to succeed.
- Teamwork: They should be able to bring together their team members through the same vision.
- Analytical Abilities: General sales managers make use of reports to help coach team members to develop their sales capabilities. They analyze data to better understand margins, the effect of sales discounts, and pricing.
- Time Management: General sales managers are able to organize their tasks and effectively manage their time to finish their jobs in a timely manner.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the General Sales Manager plays a pivotal role in driving the sales operations and achieving revenue targets within the organisation. They oversee the sales team, develop sales strategies, and foster a high-performance culture to meet and exceed sales objectives. With a focus on customer satisfaction and market expansion, they lead by example, mentor sales staff, and ensure adherence to company policies and procedures.
Also, See: Branch Sales Manager | job descriptions