Trade Sales Counter Person
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
As a Trade Sales Counter Person, you will be the face of Howdens, providing potential and existing customers with outstanding service and support. As part of the wider sales team, you will contribute to generating and following up on leads, helping to drive sales growth. you will process sales for customers, ensuring accurate pricing, delivery dates, and stock requirements. Your effective customer account management skills will aim to expand our customer base and develop long-term collaborative relationships with our trade customers.
Maintaining up-to-date product and industry knowledge will be a priority, allowing you to provide informed recommendations and assistance to our valued customers. Thriving in a fast-paced environments, you'll demonstrate strong prioritisation and organisational skills as a Trade Sales Counter Person, ensuring smooth operations at the trade sales counter.
Skills and attributes you need to be a successful Trade Sales Counter Person:
- Customer service
- Thrives in fast-paced environments
- An eye for design
- Sales-focused
- Prioritisation and organisation skills
- Communication
What you get from us as a Trade Sales Counter Person:
- Competitive base salary
- Monthly depot bonus OTE
- Team incentives and outings
- Competitive Pension Plan with a maximum company contribution of 12%.24 days holiday, rising to 26 days after 5 years
- Staff discount on Howdens products
- Buy as you earn share scheme
About Howdens:
Howdens Joinery is the UK’s number one trade kitchen supplier providing thousands of products across kitchens, joinery, and hardware. We have over 900 depots throughout the UK and Europe – making us the first choice for more than 460,000 loyal trade professionals. Last year our sales reached circa 2.3bn, and we have an ambitious growth agenda.
There is a strong entrepreneurial ethos and the opportunity to develop within a fast-paced and commercial environment. That, along with a competitive salary, development opportunities, and exciting rewards, are among the reasons why our people enjoy working for Howdens – and why we have been named one of the 10 Best Big Companies to Work For.
How to apply:
When you apply, you will need to attach a CV. If this is your first time applying for a role with us, you will need to activate your account when you apply for this role. Please check your email carefully to ensure that you have completed this step. We are unable to view your application if you have not activated your account. Good luck with your application.
Howdens is founded on the principle of being Worthwhile for ALL concerned. We’re working hard to ensure we provide an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome. We will do everything we can to support you during your application. If you need us to make any adjustments to our recruitment process, please email with the job title and location, and we will be happy to help you.
Please note that candidates applying for this role must have a valid right to work in the UK, we do not offer sponsorship of employment for any depot positions at this time. We appreciate your understanding.
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Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Highlight your trade sales or counter sales experience prominently as this is the core role requirement
📊 Quantify your customer service achievements: 'Managed 150+ trade accounts, achieving 95% customer retention'
🏗️ Emphasise any kitchen, joinery, or construction industry knowledge as Howdens specialises in trade kitchen supply
🎯 Showcase your account management skills as the role focuses on expanding customer base and long-term relationships
🚀 Mention experience in fast-paced retail or trade environments as this is specifically valued by Howdens
Suggested CV bullets
3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.
Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:
- •Managed 180+ trade customer accounts, achieving 94% retention rate and £2.4M annual sales through proactive relationship building
- •Processed 45+ daily sales orders with 99.2% pricing accuracy while coordinating delivery schedules across 12 supplier networks
- •Increased depot monthly sales by 23% through product knowledge expertise and design recommendations for kitchen installations
Free to copy — tailoring requires a 30-sec CV upload.
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We've drafted a cover letter for Howdens Joinery. Preview the opening, then unlock the full personalised version.
Letter preview — tailored to Howdens Joinery
Dear Hiring Manager,
Howdens' position as the UK's number one trade kitchen supplier makes this Trade Sales Counter Person role on Isle of Skye exactly the career opportunity I've been seeking. My background in customer service and sales-focused approach aligns perfectly with your need to serve 460,000+ trade professionals and drive growth within your £2.3bn business.
My background in trade sales and customer account management has prepared me to excel in fast-paced depot environments while building the long-term collaborative relationships Howdens values with its trade customers.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›How would you handle pricing queries for complex kitchen installations?
- ›Describe your experience with stock management systems in a trade environment
- ›How do you stay updated with product specifications and industry trends?
- ›What's your approach to coordinating delivery schedules with multiple suppliers?
- ›How would you process a large trade order while managing counter walk-ins?
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time you built a long-term relationship with a difficult trade customer
- ›Describe a situation where you had to prioritise multiple urgent customer requests
- ›Give an example of when you exceeded sales targets in a previous role
- ›How do you handle pressure when working in a fast-paced environment?
- ›Tell me about a time you provided design advice that led to a successful sale
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time you built a long-term relationship with a difficult trade customer
Describe a situation where you had to prioritise multiple urgent customer requests