Business Growth Apprentice

Summary

We are looking for a well-spoken sales representative to be responsible for following generated leads and producing sales over the phone. The sales representatives' responsibilities include contacting potential customers, focusing on customer needs, and using them to close sales.

Wage: £17,500 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Training course: Sales executive (level 4)
Hours: Monday - Friday, between 9am - 5pm.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
Possible start date: Monday 10 March
Duration: 1 year 6 months
Positions available: 1

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

Identify opportunities, produce leads, and book appointments for the sales force with the emphasis on high quality leads.
Develop creative pitches and propositions aimed at specific industry sectors.
Proactively follow-up on leads generated from canvassing by the account managers.
Use of initiative to identify and follow-up opportunities with companies who are not already on the database.
Manage the database to a high degree of accuracy to ensure targeted marketing activity can take place to generate new business.
Attend monthly meetings with the Corporate Account Managers to update information and discuss any issues.

Where you’ll work

The Quadrus Centre

Woodstock Way

East Boldon

NE35 9PF

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

ZENITH PEOPLE LIMITED

Your training course

Sales executive (level 4)

Equal to higher national certificate (HNC)

Course contents

Sales planning and preparation: Set effective targets using sales forecasts. Prioritise customers and activities to grow account value and maximise return-on-investment in line with your organisation’s strategy. Formulate or refine customer plans and objectives. Create efficient territory plans where appropriate.
Customer engagement: Effectively communicate and interpret customer information exchanged through written, verbal and non-verbal communication. Develop a customer engagement style that effectively opens sales conversations, builds rapport, enhances customer relationships, and adapts to different customer’s social preferences.
Customer needs analysis: Be highly skilled at effective questioning and active listening techniques to understand the customer’s needs, guide the sales conversation appropriately, create mutual understanding, and build trust and affinity with customers.
Propose and present solutions: Develop sales proposals and deliver them using a presentation style and technique appropriate for your customer. Present relevant products and/or services, explain features and their advantages, and clearly articulate the value and benefit of the solution for the specific customer. Use and adapt a range of techniques to draw-out and overcome common sales objections.
Negotiate: Research the customer’s likely desired outcomes and negotiating stance. Develop responses to likely objections. Identify your own organisation’s needs, such as minimum price and acceptable terms. Negotiate or trade variables effectively.
Closing Sales: Be attuned to verbal and non-verbal buying-signals andmove to close at an appropriate point in sales conversations. Develop ethical techniques to close sales and confirm customers’ purchase agreement.
Gathering Intelligence: Collect, analyse and interpret market intelligence and share it appropriately and effectively within your organisation.
Time Management: Use and adapt appropriate tools and techniques to prioritise and manage your time effectively.
Collaboration and team work: Contribute effectively within a team environment. Work collaboratively with both internal and external stakeholders. Manage communications with the cross-functional team in relation to the effective delivery of your sales, such as finance and service delivery. Support continual business improvement by sharing best practice with sales team colleagues and assist the marketing team to develop new marketing collateral.
Customer experience management: Deliver a positive customer experience. Manage customer enquiries and issues effectively. Take proactive action to prevent and minimise customer concerns and complaints. Handle all customer interactions professionally to the customer’s satisfaction.
Digital skills: Effectively use digital tools to conduct research and target customers in line with the overall sales strategy. Able to deliver presentations and meetings using digital communication. Complete accurate records and process sales in accordance with your organisation’s policies, procedures and digital CRM systems.

Your training plan

A fully work-based programme undertaking Level 4 Sales Executive Apprenticeship Standard qualification over 18 months. You will receive support from your employer mentor throughout as well as your training provider who will come out on site to deliver your apprenticeship qualification.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE or equivalent in:

English (grade 4)
Maths (grade 4)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Administrative skills
Analytical skills
Attention to detail
Communication skills
Customer care skills
IT skills
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills

Other requirements

Competitive Bonus Structure

About this company

The Health Insurance Group, formerly traded as SMQ Services Ltd, has been in business since 1993. The company was founded by John and David Collinge and, in the early days, primarily focused on private medical insurance. From the very beginning, first-class customer service has always been their priority, whether they were dealing with an individual or a company insuring 500 employees. As the business has grown and firms such as Healthcare Management Services in the NE came on board, John and David ensured that all new team members carried the same ethos, and today The Health Insurance Group still has clients from 1993. SMQ Services Ltd became an Appointed Representative of an AXA subsidiary in 2012, which The Ardonagh Group purchased in 2018. They control over £6 Billion in premiums with brands such as Swinton, Carole Nash, Towergate, to name but a few. With the might of such a large entity behind The Health Insurance Group, a small provincial broker, can now access market-leading rates and products but still provide market-leading, local broker customer service.

After this apprenticeship

Progression within the organisation and through the sales team.

Ask a question

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