Outside Sales - Warehouse Distribution

Outside Sales – Warehouse Distribution (House Accounts)

Position Summary We are seeking a motivated, customer-focused Outside Sales Representative – House Accounts to manage, maintain, and grow relationships with existing customers within our warehouse distribution business.

This position is responsible for supporting established house accounts, identifying opportunities to increase sales, strengthening customer relationships, and ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of HVAC products, distribution operations, and customer service, with the ability to balance relationship management and business development.

Unlike a traditional outside sales position focused primarily on acquiring new customers, this role emphasizes growing existing house accounts, increasing customer engagement, and maximizing sales opportunities within an established customer base.

Key Responsibilities

• House Account Management & Customer Relationships

Serve as the primary sales contact for assigned house accounts, maintaining strong and lasting customer relationships.

Conduct regular customer visits to understand business needs, upcoming projects, purchasing patterns, and potential sales opportunities.

Build relationships with contractors, purchasing managers, business owners, and other key decision-makers.

Provide proactive customer support to ensure satisfaction and customer retention.

Reengage inactive or underperforming house accounts to increase sales activity.

Develop a thorough understanding of each customer's business, purchasing preferences, and product requirements.

• Sales Growth & Business Development

Grow revenue and profitability within assigned house accounts through proactive sales efforts.

Identify opportunities to increase product penetration, introduce additional product lines, and expand customer purchasing.

Promote warehouse-stocked products and encourage customers to utilize available inventory.

Identify customer needs and recommend appropriate HVAC equipment, materials, and related products.

Develop account-specific sales strategies to achieve established revenue and gross profit goals.

Monitor customer purchasing trends and identify opportunities to recover lost business.

Support the development of new business opportunities when appropriate and in alignment with company sales strategies.

• Product Knowledge & Technical Support

Develop and maintain a strong understanding of HVAC distribution products, equipment, accessories, and applications.

Assist customers with product selection, availability, specifications, and alternative solutions.

Stay informed about new products, manufacturer programs, promotions, and industry developments.

Work with manufacturers and Engineering and other department within the company to provide accurate product information.

Identify opportunities to introduce customers to additional products and solutions offered by the company.

• Internal Collaboration & Operational Support

Work closely with inside sales, counter sales, warehouse personnel, purchasing, and applied sales to provide seamless customer experience.

Coordinate with inside sales on quotations, order processing, product availability, and customer follow-up.

Communicate customer feedback, product demand, and inventory needs to purchasing and warehouse management.

Assist in resolving customer concerns involving orders, deliveries, returns, warranties, and product availability.

Support inventory planning by sharing customer purchasing trends and anticipated demand.

Promote effective teamwork between outside sales and warehouse distribution operations.

• Sales Planning & Performance Management

Develop and maintain a regular customer visitation and communication schedule.

Track account activity, sales opportunities, customer feedback, and follow-up commitments.

Monitor assigned account performance, including sales revenue, gross profit, and purchasing trends.

Prepare periodic sales activity and account development reports for management.

Identify opportunities to improve customer retention, account profitability, and sales efficiency.

Participate in sales meetings, product training, and business planning discussions.

Qualifications & Experience Required Qualifications 3+ years of experience in sales, account management, wholesale distribution, or a related field preferred.

Experience in HVAC distribution, mechanical equipment, construction materials, or contractor sales strongly preferred.

Strong relationship-building, communication, and customer service skills.

Ability to identify customer needs and develop practical sales solutions.

Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple customer accounts.

Comfortable working independently while collaborating with internal teams.

Proficiency with Microsoft Office and familiarity with ERP or CRM systems.

Valid driver's license and ability to travel locally for customer visits.

Preferred Qualifications Established knowledge of HVAC contractors and distribution channels.

Understanding of warehouse inventory, product availability, and order fulfillment.

Experience managing established customer accounts and increasing account revenue.

Familiarity with gross margin management, pricing strategies, and customer purchasing patterns.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Success in this role will be evaluated based on the following:

Performance Area Measurement Sales Growth Year-over-year revenue growth of assigned house accounts

Gross Profit Gross profit dollars and margin performance

Customer Retention Retention of existing active customers

Account Development Increased purchasing volume and product penetration

Customer Engagement Consistent customer visits and meaningful follow-up

Account Reactivation Recovery of inactive or declining accounts

Internal Collaboration Effective coordination with inside sales and warehouse operations

Customer Satisfaction Responsiveness, service quality, and issue resolution

What Success Looks Like: A successful Outside Sales Representative will: Establish strong, trusted relationships with assigned house account customers.

Consistently grow sales revenue and profitability from the existing customer base.

Increase customer awareness and utilization of warehouse-stocked products.

Identify opportunities before customers turn to competing distributors.

Become a reliable resource for customers through product knowledge, responsiveness, and consistent follow-through.

Work effectively with inside sales and warehouse teams and applied sales to deliver excellent customer service.

Demonstrate ownership and accountability for assigned account performance.

Reporting Relationship Reports To: Director of Wholesale Distribution

Works Closely With: Sales Engineers, Account Managers, Estimators, Manufacturers, Mechanical Contractors, Consulting Engineers, Service Department, Accounting, and Operations.