Driving around all day and having coffee and a chat with customers. Is that really what the day of a field sales representative looks like? Some of you might think so. But let me tell you otherwise.
As a matter of fact, I can tell you what a day in the WEICON field service actually looks like straight from the horse’s mouth, figuratively speaking. I joined my colleague Marc Humpert on one of his trips in order to catch a glimpse behind the scenes of the daily work of a field service representative.
Why we put so much emphasis on customer service
One thing first. Service is a top priority here at WEICON! That sounds like a cliche? Yeah, maybe, but we really mean it! Keep in mind that WEICON produces specialty products for the industry. We offer such a wide product range and each product is so complex that many of our customers would be in a fix without professional advice. And that is exaclty why we have trained field service representatives, who assist our customers as well as specialist retailers in all situations worldwide. One of these field sales representatives is my colleague Marc Humpert. Which brings us back to the topic.
Daily work and tasks of a field service representative
A few facts about Marc
With me being a “normal“ employee in the back office, I’ve only had a vague idea up until now of what a day in the WEICON field service looks like. That is why it was really interesting to watch my colleague Marc in action. Marc is one of the 27 field service representatives, who conduct customer visits for WEICON around Germany. He is responsible for the sales area ‘Münsterland‘ and advises customers and specialist retailers as well as industrial end customers on their company premises. In addition to advising existing customers, he is also responsible for acquiring new customers.
On average, six appointments are scheduled each day. To avoid unnecessary trips, Marc plans the most efficient route beforehand. The problem: not all retailers or customers he passes along the way have time for a visit just then.
Whether specialist retailer or industrial company
We had our first appontment with one of our end customers, more specifically with a producer of fresh air systems. The technical manager of the company was looking for an alternate attachment solution for a steel splint in a propeller. So the first step was to determine which of our adhesives was the right one for this specific application. To do so, the material pairing as well as the forces acting on the propeller during rotation needed to be taken into account. Marc had already tested our Structural Acrylic Adhesive RK-1500 in pretests at home and could provide the cured samples of the bonded splint. The adhesive enables high-strength joints between various materials and can be used in a wide temperature range. The temperature resistance was also tested in the company’s cooling chamber, as the systems also operate at extreme sub-zero temperatures. In addition, Marc gave an on-site briefing on the right use of the adhesive in order to ensure its correct handling.
Furthermore, the customer received a specially made folder, which includes photos of each single work step. After the customer had been provided with everything he needed, we set out for our next stop.
Setting the stage for our products
Next, we stopped at a specialist technical retailer, who has been offering WEICON products for several years. Marc‘s task: equipping the merchandise shelf with new products and making the presentation look more appealing.
And since he was already there, Marc and the retailer also scheduled an appointment for a product training. For our retailers, it’s also important to understand the wide range of products to be able to provide the end customers with professional advice.
The work after work
After several other appointments and many, many phone calls, the workday was over. At least that’s what I thought. But the day of a field sales representative doesn’t end with walking out of the door after the last customer visit. After that, Marc first checks the emails he received during the day. Then he has to document every customer visit and every phone call. He collects all this information and passes it on to the sales back office in Muenster. And there it finally is, the well-deserved end of day! Unless another customer calls. Which also happens sometimes.
One thing’s for sure: it never gets boring
The job in the field service is certainly far from the daily grind. On the contrary: the job is very varied and requires high technical competence. No customer is like the other and that’s precisely what makes the consultations challenging and multifaceted.
During my day in the field service, I learned that a successful business not only requires technical know-how, but also sensitivity for the customer’s needs, good self-management and an outgoing personality.
Interview: three questions for field service colleague Marc Humpert
Cross your heart, Marc. Isn’t it exhausting sometimes to always have to structure your workday yourself?
I would lie if I said no. I need to carefully and sensibly plan each day. It’s not like I start working at seven in the morning and finish at 4 p.m. every day. Sometimes my day starts at five in the morning, sometimes I only start at eight. It all depends on when the customer can make time for me and what else I need to do. The job requires a great deal of self-discipline and yes, that can be exhausting at times.
So would a classic 9-to-5 job be something you’d be interested in someday in the future?
No, never! I’ve had some experiences with a “desk job“ and that was not my thing at all. Even though the constant self-management in the field service is exhausting sometimes, I really appreciate the flexibility it offers on the other hand! I am not only in charge of planning my workday, but also of determining my own success. I decide myself which customers I visit, how much time I invest in a project and where our product sales can be pushed more.
In addition, I can balance personal and business appointments really well thanks to the flexible working hours. If I have some free time in the afternoon, I can get other things done, like grocery shopping, working out or going to a doctor’s appointment. That’s something I definitely couldn’t do with a 9-to-5 job.
And even more importantly: I need to be on the road and in close contact with the customers. That’s what I love about my job. Phone and email contact just isn’t enough for me.
Nowadays, more and more aspects in the fields of sales and customer service tend to take place online. Why is the traditional field service still essential, in your opinion?
Admittedly, the field of online sales will become increasingly important in the future. And that’s a good thing. But it will – at least in our line of business – never be able to fully replace the field service, only to add to it. Our products require too much know-how and explanation.
Moreover, my personal experience is that especially new products can be introduced to the market much better with personal customer contact.
Beyond the German borders
We do not only have customers in Germany, but all over the world! That’s why we also have so-called Area Sales Managers International working for our company. They travel all around the world to visit our international subsidiaries, customers and retailers. If you’re interested in finding out what our Area Sales Managers do all day, you should check out this post!
