Farai Mhende
Choma
Summary
To be a team player who contributes to the growth of an organization through setting and achieving goals in line with it’s business objectives as well as help others grow and achieve their goals.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Regional Sales Manager
Coca-Cola Beverages Zambia Limited
09.2024 - Current
- Saw 15% volume growth vs PY for the region in four months
- Improved overall RED score from 71% to 88%-ET Market
- Lead the team that on boarded two new distributors in Mpika and Kawambwa as well as reopened one distributor in Samfya-North Market
- Embed sales force effectiveness & sales force automation by ensuring 100% call adherence by all ASMs and Ads-ET and North Markets
- Ensured effective use of customer segmentation for correct execution of the Picture of Success in trade which
- Set up dedicated WhatsApp groups for each distributor which improved communication as well as order generation/tracking of daily sales and BBDs.
- Carried out a mapping exercise for ET market to align sales staff in the region and identified vacant markets in Nyimba, Mazabuka and Kaoma and initiated the recruitment process-ET Market
- Carry out scheduled and frequent trade visits to customer stores with Area Sales Managers and Account developers for in trade coaching- ET and North Markets
- Coordinated with marketing and vendor teams from EXP-Zambia with events such as the Mosi day of thunder
- Worked with Manufacturing during production planning meeting and assisted with volume projection to ensure production was in line with demand
Area Sales Manager
Coca-Cola Beverages Zambia Limited
11.2023 - 09.2024
- Identified and on boarded two distributors in Kasempa, Kasumbalesa and Chambishi respectively, to ensure volume growth in my area
- Allocated execution resources (e.g. POS / coolers / promotional material) to the team, that improved the visibility score from 56% to 80%
- Identify competitor activities and develops and implements a counter-attack
- Coached and lead a team of 10 Account Developers in copperbelt and Northwestern province
- Managed all quality related queries by working together with Quality Control staff to manage trade complaints and replacements timely.
- Ensuring in trade execution and Implementation of Picture of Success by channel is being done by the sales reps.
- Generated orders by selling in slow moving SKUs and packs as well as performing secondary sales
- Carried out monthly business reviews by customer to analyze previous month’s performance as well as plan for the next target.
- Visited retailers daily with the aid of MacMobile (sales tool)
- Used pack margins and pack role per customer in order to optimize revenue growth.
Territory Sales Manager
Airtel Zambia
04.2019 - 11.2023
- I grew distribution channels by recruiting franchise partners to invest in booths, Airtel money agents, Airtel money branches, Sim card selling outlets as well as recharge selling outlets.
- Ensuring monthly targets are achieved through effective Team Leader recruitment and management
- Ensuring sim and scratch card availability in all channels by engaging distributors as well as retailers creating sufficient stock cover in all sites
- Ensuring appropriate POS distribution in all outlets to enhance visibility.
- Coordinating with back-office teams to rectify and reconcile Airtel Money transactions
- Gross addition growth through partner engagement which results high commissions for agents.
- Reviewing weekly reports to identify and close the gaps thereby
- Ensuring franchise partners receive support by providing KYC phones for sim registration
- Making daily routine visits to all channel partners as per monthly plan.
- Ensuring all direct sales agents meet their individual monthly target
Distribution Team Leader
Coca-Cola Bottling Zambia
12.2018 - 03.2019
- Improved fuel and time efficiency by engaging route planners as well as ensuring drivers stick to the planned route using tracking systems.
- Liaised with the warehouse team to ensure orders are loaded on trucks as per plan.
- Tracked of all distribution vehicles to ensure good speed limit and fuel usage and overall driver behavior.
- Ensured all vehicles are road worthy in accordance with the law by coordinating with the fleet management team.
- Ensured customer accounts are cleared on time by the stock control assistants on site control.
- B2B engagement meeting with key account customers to improve on order delivery cycle
- Liaised with Suppliers, Manufactures, Distributors as well as transporters to resolve any arising problems or complaints
Area Sales Representative
Zambian Breweries PLC
11.2012 - 12.2018
- To promote and sell Zambian Breweries products by:
- Coordinating Promotions and ensuring that they are executed as per plan
- Carry out Promo evaluations to ascertain whether the objective was achieved or not.
- Ensuring availability of all SKUs as per outlet channel standards
- Ensuring Visibility execution is done according to the standards of the Outlet
- Making sells plans for slow moving products
- Identifying dry areas and recruiting a distributor to ensure availability
- Monitoring Distributor activities; stock levels, Rate of sale, Order pattern
- Ensuring distributors are well stocked up
- Monitoring the BBD report and putting in place a plan to sell off products approaching their expiry date as well as making sure they are sold before they expire
- Identifying customers to allocate coolers and ensure they have read and understood the cooler contract and adhere to the rules governing Zambian Breweries cooler usage
- Identifying outlets with the potential to grow and working closely with to achieve theirs and the company’s business objectives.
- Negotiating with customers to have them sell at the recommended price as a way of increasing turn over
- Identifying competition and coming up with a plan to counter it while keeping in mind Competition rules
- Identifying gaps in the market be it availability, cooling, visibility or Pricing and closing them as soon as possible
- Visiting customers on the data base daily and reporting activity using PDA application RPMS
- Compiling a list of outlets which are used to audit Rep impact in trade as well as compliance to laid down standards
- Tracking Individual, team, and company goals to ensure targets are met monthly, quarterly as well as yearly.
- Acting as a liaison between the company and customers as well as Consumers when resolving quality complaints from the market.
Stock Control Assistant
Zambian Breweries PLC
05.2009 - 11.2012
- Invoicing trucks for route and direct customer sales
- Capturing orders for walk-in customers using Flowcentric and Syspro
- Creating credit notes into customer accounts
- Clearing of invoices
- Receiving and processing payments into the intended accounts
- Inventory management ensuring the warehouse is updated timely
- Attending to customer queries concerning their accounts
- Ensuring empties are captured into the correct accounts as truck return to the plant
- Making the necessary cash, stock and empties transfers and reversals in either driver or customer accounts
- Ensuring all invoices and credit notes are filed correctly
- Making corrections for miss-posts, over capture, under capture of goods and payments
- Making follow ups on customers owing and ensuring they make the necessary payments
Education
O Level School Certificate -
Arakan High School
01.2005
Diploma - Computer Systems Engineering
Evelyn Hone College
01.2006
Bachelor of Science - Marketing
African Research University
Online08-2028
Skills
- Verbal: Client communications/interaction, team collaboration, and management reporting
- Research: Data collection, organization, and analysis; investigative skills
- Finance: Basic Costing, budgeting
- Languages: Fluency in English, Nyanja, Lenje, Shona and Bemba languages and business etiquette
- Computer: PowerPoint (multimedia presentations), Excel, Word (report generation, business communications) and E-communications
Websites
References
Kumbirai, Guduza, Home Broadband Lead, kumbirai.guduza@mtn.com, +260966871102, MTN Zambia, Lusaka
Timeline
Regional Sales Manager
Coca-Cola Beverages Zambia Limited
09.2024 - Current
Area Sales Manager
Coca-Cola Beverages Zambia Limited
11.2023 - 09.2024
Territory Sales Manager
Airtel Zambia
04.2019 - 11.2023
Distribution Team Leader
Coca-Cola Bottling Zambia
12.2018 - 03.2019
Area Sales Representative
Zambian Breweries PLC
11.2012 - 12.2018
Stock Control Assistant
Zambian Breweries PLC
05.2009 - 11.2012
Diploma - Computer Systems Engineering
Evelyn Hone College
O Level School Certificate -
Arakan High School
Bachelor of Science - Marketing
African Research University
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