Area manager

From CEOpedia | Management online

An area manager is a person in charge of ensuring the efficient and smooth running of the company. In other words, he or she is in charge of the various sales outlets assigned to him or her. In addition, he or she is sometimes also responsible for training, sales meetings,and events. Therefore, this requires daily supervision of both employees and all operations within their area of cooperation in order to meet the organization's objectives.

The area manager of a company

Nowadays, jobs are constantly evolving in order to adapt to changes, to the needs of both employees and companies, and to the digital transformation of the moment. To go deeper into the professions, let's focus on the job of an area manager.

Within an organization, different types of managers can be distinguished, which are ordered from the lowest to the highest according to the level of performance within the company,[1]

  • First line managers: are responsible for supervising the daily work of employees who are hierarchically lower down in the organization. They are also responsible for executing specific activities within the organization.
  • Middle manager: they are responsible for supervising the first-line managers and reporting to senior management. They are also responsible for analyzing whether or not the company's objectives are being met and designing appropriate strategies to achieve these objectives.
  • Top management: their main function is to carry out the overall responsibility for the management of the company. They are also the ones who determine the company's goals.

It should be noted that although the various managers are in different positions within the company hierarchy, all three types are important because their main purpose is to manage the company.

Responsibilities of an area manager

The following are the main responsibilities that an area manager has to carry out within a company;[2]

  • Responsibility for the points of sale in the area assigned to him/her.
  • Control and review the processes that are carried out within the company.
  • Develop strategies to meet the company's objectives.
  • Organize the tasks to be performed in each area and achieve the objective, and control the unit.
  • Maintain a good image of the area it covers.
  • Supervision and optimization of the operations carried out in the organization to achieve the established goals.
  • Creating and maintaining positive business relationships.
  • Managing and analyzing the company's product range, in particular in your area.
  • Promotional tasks
  • Management of the management team(communication, motivation, etc.)

Qualifications and skills

It should be emphasized that to be a great area manager it is necessary to have a series of skills, requirements and behaviors.

In this case the skills that a manager needs to have can be divided into three,[3]

  • Technical skills: this consists of using unusual skills.
  • Human skills: these are a class of skills that allow the worker to work in a team.
  • Conceptual skills: are those in which the worker must use scientific thinking to be able to solve problems.

The manager must be able to think analytically, as this will enable him/her to develop sales strategies within his/her area of activity. Similarly, it is important to know what products to sell and to whom to sell them. Today's customers need good advice, good service and good communication. In a way, many sales are achieved by building a good relationship with the customer and knowing how to adapt to the changing environment.

In the same way, you have to be able to control and organize your own work, but at the same time the work of the people under you. Likewise, communication skills are an essential aspect, as you are in constant contact with other people.

In addition, you must be a friendly and empathetic person and, above all, be aware of the latest trends and developments in the sector in which you operate. Likewise, you must have commercial, negotiation, flexibility, autonomy and decision-making skills [4]

In terms of education, in order to become a manager of a company, it is necessary to have a university degree, preferably in areas of study such as economics, administration, finance, accounting, sales, etc. It is also important that you have knowledge of marketing, sales techniques and product knowledge. It is also important that you have experience in managing and supervising teams.

You should also have a good knowledge of languages and proficiency in computer software.

It should be emphasized that a manager's job is carried out both in the company's own office and in the field in which it operates. The daily routine of this job involves meeting with customers and conducting sales negotiations.

In addition, an advantage of the management profession is the access to many contacts that can easily be used in the future to further develop the company's objectives.

Final conclusion

Once the research and analysis on the subject of area manager has been carried out, it can be concluded that nowadays, the profession of area manager is crucial for business growth. The commitment, control and vision of the future that they have are important to improve and achieve the objectives set by the company.

Footnotes

  1. Madan, G.,& Murugan, R.(2018), p.162.
  2. Aktar, M. (2018), p.39
  3. Madan, G.,& Murugan, R. (2018), pp.161-163
  4. Verboncu, I.,& Zeininger, L.(2015), pp.609-613


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References

Author: Zaira Bancells Guerrero,Mónica Guijarro Bernabeu,Gabriela Varela Barker

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