Inside Sales Executive

Job Purpose

The Inside Sales Executive is responsible for handling sales activities from the office, generating business through customer enquiries, maintaining relationships with existing customers, developing new customer accounts, preparing quotations, negotiating commercial terms within approved limits, processing sales orders, and coordinating with internal departments to ensure timely delivery of materials.

The role requires a good understanding of steel grades, material specifications, dimensions, stock availability, pricing, and customer requirements related to die steel, tool steel, mould steel, engineering steel, and other industrial raw materials.

The primary objective is to convert customer enquiries into confirmed orders, achieve assigned sales targets, improve customer satisfaction, and contribute to the overall sales growth and profitability of the company.

2. Key Roles and Responsibilities

A. Customer Enquiry Management

• Handle incoming customer enquiries through telephone calls, emails, WhatsApp, and other business communication channels.

• Understand customer requirements regarding material grade, size, thickness, width, length, quantity, and application.

• Collect technical and commercial details required to prepare accurate quotations.

• Respond promptly to enquiries from tool rooms, die manufacturers, mould manufacturers, machine shops, CNC machining companies, engineering units, automobile component manufacturers, and other industrial customers.

• Maintain an enquiry register and ensure that every enquiry is recorded, tracked, and followed up until closure.

• Identify urgent requirements and coordinate internally to provide timely responses.

B. Product and Material Knowledge

• Develop working knowledge of different grades and types of steel supplied by the company, including:

  • Hot Work Tool Steel

  • Cold Work Tool Steel

  • Plastic Mould Steel

  • High-Speed Steel (HSS)

  • Die Steel and Tool Steel

  • Alloy Steel and Engineering Steel

  • Carbon Steel and other industrial steel grades handled by the company.

• Understand commonly requested grades such as D2, D3, H11, H13, P20, EN31, EN24, OHNS, and other grades available in the company's product range.

• Understand the difference between material grades, sizes, forms, hardness conditions, and heat-treatment requirements.

• Coordinate with technical personnel or the Sales Manager whenever clarification is required regarding grade equivalence, specifications, or suitability.

• Avoid committing to a grade substitution or technical specification without proper verification.

C. Quotation Preparation and Submission

• Prepare and send quotations based on customer requirements and company pricing policies.

• Verify material grade, dimensions, quantity, unit of measurement, stock availability, and applicable pricing before issuing quotations.

• Include relevant commercial terms such as GST, freight, delivery schedule, payment terms, quotation validity, and material specifications.

• Coordinate with the stock or inventory team to confirm availability before offering delivery commitments.

• Follow up on submitted quotations and identify reasons for lost orders, including price differences, delivery timelines, and competitor offers.

• Seek approval from the authorised person for special discounts, credit terms, or pricing outside approved limits.

• Maintain an updated quotation register with enquiry status, quoted value, follow-up dates, and order conversion status.

D. Sales Follow-Up and Order Conversion

• Follow up regularly with customers on pending quotations and open enquiries.

• Convert qualified enquiries into confirmed sales orders through professional communication and timely responses.

• Understand customer buying patterns, repeat requirements, and expected order schedules.

• Contact inactive customers to revive business opportunities.

• Identify cross-selling and up-selling opportunities for additional steel grades, sizes, or related materials.

• Maintain a systematic follow-up schedule to ensure that potential orders are not missed.

• Record the reasons for order cancellations, lost quotations, and delayed purchase decisions.

• Achieve assigned monthly and quarterly sales targets as approved by management.

E. New Customer Development

• Identify and approach prospective customers within relevant industrial segments.

• Develop customer contacts among purchase managers, procurement executives, production managers, tool room managers, and business owners.

• Generate leads through telephone calls, business directories, referrals, company databases, and approved digital platforms.

• Introduce the company's product range, stock availability, service capabilities, and commercial terms to prospective customers.

• Build a database of potential customers, including company name, contact person, telephone number, email address, industry, and business potential.

• Schedule follow-up calls and arrange meetings or forward leads to the field sales team wherever required.

• Support the expansion of the company's customer base in existing and new markets.

F. Sales Order Processing

• Receive and verify customer purchase orders before processing.

• Check material description, grade, dimensions, quantity, rate, GST details, delivery address, payment terms, and other relevant conditions.

• Verify the purchase order against the approved quotation and resolve discrepancies before forwarding it for processing.

• Enter confirmed orders into the company's ERP, CRM, or sales register.

• Coordinate with the stores and inventory team for material reservation and availability.

• Coordinate with accounts for customer credit status, outstanding payments, and credit-limit approvals.

• Coordinate with dispatch for cutting requirements, material preparation, packing, transport arrangements, and delivery schedules.

• Keep customers informed about order status and promptly communicate any delay or change in delivery commitments.

G. Stock and Inventory Coordination

• Check current stock availability before confirming customer orders.

• Coordinate with the inventory team regarding available grades, dimensions, quantities, and material identification.

• Identify enquiries for materials that are unavailable in stock and forward the requirements to the purchase department.

• Maintain visibility of fast-moving and slow-moving grades and sizes.

• Inform the Sales Manager about frequently requested unavailable materials and potential stocking opportunities.

• Avoid overcommitting stock that has already been allocated to another confirmed order.

• Ensure that material specifications mentioned in quotations and orders are consistent with the company's stock records.

H. Coordination with Purchase, Accounts, and Dispatch

• Coordinate with the purchase department for non-stock items and special customer requirements.

• Coordinate with the accounts department for payment confirmation, credit approvals, overdue balances, and customer ledger-related queries.

• Coordinate with the dispatch department to ensure that confirmed orders are prepared and dispatched as scheduled.

• Follow up on pending deliveries, shortages, documentation requirements, and customer complaints.

• Communicate customer-specific instructions to the relevant departments accurately.

• Ensure proper documentation and timely communication throughout the order-to-delivery process.

I. Customer Relationship Management

• Maintain professional relationships with existing customers and ensure regular communication.

• Understand customer expectations concerning price, quality, delivery, and service.

• Handle customer complaints regarding incorrect material, dimensions, quantity, delays, or documentation by coordinating with the responsible department.

• Ensure that complaints are recorded, escalated, and followed through to resolution.

• Collect customer feedback and share important observations with management.

• Encourage repeat business through prompt service, accurate quotations, and dependable follow-up.

• Maintain confidentiality of customer information, pricing, commercial terms, and company business data.

J. Sales Records and Reporting

• Maintain accurate records of enquiries, quotations, orders, sales, follow-ups, and lost business.

• Update customer details and communication history in the CRM, ERP, or designated sales register.

• Prepare daily sales activity reports for management.

• Submit reports on pending quotations, confirmed orders, order values, follow-up status, and sales performance.

• Track monthly sales against assigned targets.

• Maintain customer-wise sales data and identify opportunities for repeat orders.

• Provide information regarding competitor pricing and market demand based on legitimate customer feedback.

• Ensure that all sales records and customer commitments are documented accurately.

3. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The performance of the Inside Sales Executive may be evaluated using the following parameters:

1. Monthly sales achievement against assigned targets.

2. Number and value of enquiries handled.

3. Quotation conversion ratio.

4. Number of new customers acquired.

5. Repeat business generated from existing customers.

6. Timeliness and accuracy of quotation preparation.

7. Follow-up effectiveness on pending quotations.

8. Accuracy of order entry and sales documentation.

9. Coordination and adherence to committed delivery schedules.

10. Customer satisfaction and complaint resolution.

11. Accuracy and timely submission of sales reports.

12. Compliance with approved pricing, credit, and discount policies.

Management should establish measurable targets based on the company's sales volume, customer base, product range, and available resources.

4. Required Skills and Competencies

• Good verbal and written communication skills.

• Strong telephone selling and customer-handling skills.

• Ability to understand technical product descriptions and material specifications.

• Good negotiation, persuasion, and follow-up skills.

• Basic knowledge of steel grades, sizes, and industrial applications, or willingness to learn.

• Working knowledge of MS Excel, email, WhatsApp Business, and sales software.

• Ability to prepare quotations, maintain records, and process sales orders accurately.

• Good coordination and time-management skills.

• Customer-oriented approach and problem-solving ability.

• Ability to work under sales targets and handle multiple enquiries simultaneously.

• Professional conduct, integrity, accountability, and attention to detail.

5. Educational Qualification and Experience

Education: Graduate in any discipline; candidates with a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineering, or a related technical field may be preferred.

Experience: Preferably 1–3 years of experience in inside sales, industrial sales, steel trading, engineering materials, tool steel, die steel, mould steel, or a related B2B business.

Freshers: Candidates with good communication skills, commercial understanding, computer knowledge, and an interest in technical sales may also be considered.

6. Computer and Technical Requirements

• MS Excel for sales reports, quotation tracking, and customer databases.

• MS Word and email for quotations and business correspondence.

• ERP or CRM software for order entry and customer records.

• Knowledge of GST invoices, purchase orders, delivery challans, and basic sales documentation.

• Basic understanding of units of measurement, such as kilograms, metric tonnes, millimetres, and inches.

• Basic understanding of steel weight calculations and material dimensions is desirable.

7. Authority and Limitations

The Inside Sales Executive shall:

• Prepare quotations within the pricing and discount limits approved by management.

• Coordinate with internal departments for stock confirmation, order processing, and dispatch.

• Escalate requests involving special discounts, extended credit, non-standard payment terms, or technical substitutions.

• Not commit unapproved prices, credit limits, delivery schedules, or technical specifications.

• Not alter customer orders or commercial terms without proper authorisation.

8. Expected Outcomes

The employee is expected to contribute to increased sales, improved quotation conversion, stronger customer relationships, better follow-up discipline, accurate order processing, timely customer communication, and improved coordination between sales, stores, accounts, purchase, and dispatch departments.

9. General Responsibilities

• Follow company policies, procedures, and reporting requirements.

• Maintain punctuality, discipline, and professional behaviour.

• Protect confidential business information and customer data.

• Perform other sales-related duties assigned by management that are reasonably connected with the position.

• It is a Full Time Sales / Business Development job for candidates with 1 - 3 years of experience.