Title: Garden Center Hardscape & Hardgoods Sales Representative

Location: Chelmsford, MA

Reports to:  Garden Center Manager

Position Overview:

Responsible for day-to-day activities in store 2 relative to Hardscape Sales, prospecting and follow-through of Hardscape customers, merchandising, cleanliness, and inventory management of Hardscaping department and accessories with the primary aim to provide exceptional customer service to both the internal and external customers through sound and efficient processes that take our product to market. You are expected to be, familiar with plant materials, basic sound horticultural practices, and general plant care maintenance.  This position is also required to assist with all Garden Center operations.

Primary Responsibilities:

Customer Service:

• Help all customers with the sales process from start to finish.
• Assist customers with Plant and Hardgoods purchases as well as add-on sales of related products. Become familiar with the entire GC product line, and can, when appropriate assist the customer with purchases in other areas.
• Maintain a beautiful, easy-to-shop sales area. This includes proper plant organization, accurate price tagging, as well as ensuring plant health through deadheading, monitoring for pests/diseases, and watering when necessary.
• Assist with other Garden Center initiatives.

Training Responsibilities:

• Provide training to staff in all areas including technical, operation, customer service and safety topics.
• Provide training on hardscape lines. Coordinate training with outside reps have the knowledge to succeed in selling stone products to their customers.

Purchasing:

• Purchase all hardscape lines according to annual inventory and sales plan and work closely with the Garden Center Manager on purchasing of functional hard good lines that correlate with stone and masonry supplies.
• Acquire new lines that match what our customer’s want for their projects and demonstrate our commitment to being a large stone products supplier in the region.
• Seek out new dealer and distributor opportunities with best quality materials.
• Develop key contacts and connections with suppliers to fulfill orders and stock in a timely manner.
• Negotiate best prices and terms with suppliers.

Selling/Marketing:

• Working with management and marketing, develop sales and marketing plans for hardscape in order to grow top line sales and profitability of this department that meet identified sales, margin, inventory targets and turn goals.
• Develop aggressive sales programs to gain market share. Coordinate programs that attract new customers to buy hardscape lines from us and gain hardscape sales to existing customers who currently go elsewhere for stone products.
• Assist and enable sales staff to become more educated and capable of increasing hardscape sales to their customers.
• Drive participation in all hardscape and related events.
• Direct merchandising and construction of display areas
• Provide design assistance as/or needed to grow sales with wholesale customers.
• Develop and maintain a design center in our building where customers can sit down and plan projects with their customers.

Operations:

• Direct and oversee incoming deliveries of stone products.
• Direct and oversee outbound deliveries of both stone and green good products.

Requirements:

• Positive, professional manner when interacting with customers.
• Requires cheerful disposition in a somewhat fast paced environment.
• Able to multi-task.
• Lift a minimum of 50 pounds.
• Self-initiative with day-to-day tasks.
• Significant hands-on gardening experience. Training in horticulture a plus.
• Flexible work schedule.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills are important when interacting with customers, peers, and direct reports.
• Ability to work effectively as a team player.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and hectic work environment, make decisions “on the run”, and prioritize tasks effectively.
• Strong organizational skills; ability to organize workforce and delegate responsibilities. Planning and follow-through are key to ensure all retail opportunities are achieved.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job.  They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. 

Weston Nurseries does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability and genetic information, age, national origin, veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited by state and local law.