Naeem Jappie

As a small business owner, it means I’ve had to wear many different hats and juggling many responsibilities every day. It also helps understanding my responsibilities to stay organised and on track to growing the business.
Some important examples that I oversee are customer service, sales and marketing, keeping track of finances and accounting, hiring a suitable team, managing the day-to-day operations and handling technology issues.

Managing a small team of internal salespeople to develop strategies to increase the company’s overall monthly sales targets by retaining current customer base, new business, over-seeing staff, managing key accounts, managing suppliers, setting-up promotions, customer queries and complaints as well as walk-in customers and in-person customer visits.

My role in this position was to implement a comprehensive sales and marketing strategy to increase the annual company turnover. Here the key components and its impact:
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Creating a New Company Profile: Updating or creating a new company profile is essential for portraying your business in the best possible light. It can help potential customers and partners understand your company's strengths, values, and capabilities.
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Customer Database: Building and maintaining a customer database is crucial for targeted marketing and sales efforts. It enables you to segment and personalize your communication, making it more effective.
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Product Price List: Having a clear and up-to-date price list is fundamental for transparency and efficient sales. It ensures that both your sales team and customers are on the same page regarding pricing.
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Monthly Mailers: Sending out regular mailers can help keep your company top-of-mind for existing and potential customers. It's a way to share updates, promotions, and valuable content.
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New Website Content with SEO: An updated website with search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for online visibility. It ensures that your website ranks well on search engines and provides valuable information to visitors.
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Customer Acquisition: Cold-calling and appointment setting are traditional but effective ways to acquire new customers. This proactive approach can expand your customer base.
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Supplier Onboarding: Onboarding suppliers efficiently is crucial for a smooth supply chain. It ensures that you have access to the products and services you need to meet customer demand.
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Cost of Sales Management: Keeping a close eye on the cost of sales is important for maintaining healthy profit margins. It involves managing expenses associated with the sales process while maximizing revenue.

Managing hardware stores nationally, including those in Namibia and Botswana, and implementing social media marketing that led to a 20% increase in turnover is a significant accomplishment. Additionally, closely monitoring the weekly call cycles and sales reports of representatives to improve their performance and meet monthly sales targets across all provinces demonstrates effective management and leadership skills.

In this position, I had to assume the role of a sales executive selling Vehicle branding and Retail solutions to existing and new customers; Sales and Management of National Key Accounts; Achieving and exceeding overall company sales targets; New business sales in current market; Forecasting of sales targets with reference to pipeline and confirmed orders; Planning of sales and administration; Financial acumen of costings and expenses; Client negotiation, presentation, written and verbal communication skills; In person client visits/meetings; Prospecting, setting up appointments, quoting, follow-up, closing; Presentation of quotations; Managing Key accounts nationally; Costing retail solutions viz. wall paper, mesh, pull-up banners, fence banners, chromadek signage, etc.
Reason for leaving: Management opportunity

My Key Responsibilities were:

Customer Relationship Management:
Develop and maintain strong, long-lasting customer relationships through exceptional communication and service.
Understand customer needs and requirements to provide customized print solutions.

Sales and Revenue Generation:
Generate sales leads through various prospecting methods, including cold calling, email marketing, and networking.
Present and sell company products and services to current and potential clients.
Achieve or exceed sales targets and revenue goals.

Product Knowledge:
Maintain a deep understanding of the company's products, services, and printing capabilities.
Stay up-to-date with industry trends and new print technologies.

Quoting and Pricing:
Prepare accurate and competitive price quotes for customers.
Negotiate terms and close sales to maximize profitability.

Order Management:
Ensure the timely and accurate processing of customer orders.
Coordinate with production and logistics teams to meet delivery deadlines.

Reporting:
Keep detailed records of sales activities, customer interactions, and transactions.
Provide regular sales reports to management.

Customer Support:
Address and resolve customer inquiries, issues, and complaints promptly and professionally.

Team Collaboration:
Collaborate with internal teams to ensure smooth order fulfillment and customer satisfaction.
Share market insights and customer feedback with the team to improve products and services.

As a freelance print broker l would serve as an intermediary between clients in need of printing services and printing companies or vendors. Helping clients find the right printing solution for their specific needs, whether it's for business cards, brochures, banners, posters, packaging, or any other printed materials. Here's an overview of what my duties as a freelancer consists of:

Client Consultation: Freelance print brokers begin by discussing the client's printing requirements, including the type of materials, quantity, quality, budget, and deadlines. They help clients define their printing goals and objectives.

Vendor Selection: Print brokers have connections with various printing companies, including offset and digital printers, screen printers, and specialty printers. They assess the client's needs and select the most suitable vendor for the job based on factors like price, quality, and production capabilities.

Obtaining Quotes: The print broker requests price quotes from multiple vendors to ensure the client gets the best value for their money. They negotiate with suppliers to secure competitive pricing.

Project Management: Print brokers oversee the entire printing process, from design and file preparation to production and delivery. They act as a project manager, ensuring that the client's expectations are met and that the project stays on track.

Quality Control: Print brokers maintain quality control by reviewing proofs, samples, and final products to ensure they meet the client's specifications and quality standards.

Cost Efficiency: They strive to save the client money by optimizing print runs, selecting cost-effective printing methods, and avoiding unnecessary expenses.

Logistics and Delivery: Print brokers manage the logistics of printing projects, including coordinating the delivery of finished materials to the client.

Specialty Services: Depending on their expertise, some print brokers may offer additional services, such as graphic design, branding, and marketing consultation.

Troubleshooting: If any issues or challenges arise during the printing process, print brokers work to find solutions and ensure the project's successful completion.

Client Communication: They maintain open and clear communication with the client throughout the project, providing updates, addressing questions or concerns, and ensuring client satisfaction.

Freelance print brokers may charge their clients a fee or commission for their services, or they may receive a commission from the printing vendors they work with. Their primary goal is to make the printing process as smooth and cost-effective as possible for their clients while delivering high-quality printed materials.

Senior Level Manager with about 8 years management experience in running the day to day Operations which includes staff Management, Sales Management, Design & Print Production of Event-Branding, Promotional Services and POS.

My responsibilities include the planning and execution of the company's entire process. This includes the supply chain process for all production requirements from conceptualization, RFQ, through to delivery. In addition, I liaise externally with vendors, while managing the flow of information to ensure timely and efficient delivery to customers.
As an SME company, our team consisted of Sales Reps x2, Graphic Designers x2 and production staff x3, driver and admin assistant to facilitate the production of Printed business stationery and Event branding products which included Litho print and Vehicle branding. An outsourced team was utilized for bigger projects when needed which was under my supervision as well.
Specializing in Large and small format Digital print as well as Signage
All work was done in-house on a 1.3m & a 1.6m Mutoh printer, 1.2m vinyl cutter and a multifunction digital printer - All other work was out-sourced to Lithographic printing and Textile printing companies.
Project manage the planning and execution of complex production schedules and proactively time- manage departments to adhere to critical dates ensuring production schedules are met; Making sure all job tickets are filled in correctly; Development and overseeing team's knowledge of cost analysis (quoting), Event setups and breakdowns towards quality and client expectations; Problem solving with regard to deadlines and discuss with sales; Work proactively with vendors/suppliers to ensure continuous improvement and optimal production solutions for new and existing marketing materials and concepts; Overseeing courier requirements and Deliveries to ensure all deadlines are met; Graphic Design capabilities on Corel Draw and therefore can assist in concept and Creativity on design projects when required; Effectively negotiating pricing on hardware and new print media with current and new suppliers; Process and track mock-ups, electronic templates and print-proofs with Graphic design department for customers; Proactively communicate supply chain issues to production and sales team to coordinate solution implementation; Oversee implementation of purchasing/planning system and set up processes/rules to improve efficiency of cost quoting process. Ensure link to PO system with purchase order completion including document tracking or order confirmation receipts. (checking & signing-off Invoices); Work with finance on budgeting, forecasting and actual product cost analysis compared to proposed; Overseeing all Estimating costs and selling prices with the sales reps ensuring profit margins are tightly in place; Implementing new supplier investigations and adding new products to the production list; My experience in POS, POP and FSU’s built according to clients requirements and can be Permanent, Semi-permanent and Temporary. These units are normally built in plastic and Litho printed onto paper or Digitally printed onto SAV and then mounted onto white board. These Display units are normally for indoor Store branding.
Products: Vehicle branding (full/half wraps or cut-vinyl), Vinyl applications, printed wall paper, Sharkfin banners, Telescopic banners, Pvc banners with eyelets & rope, pull-up banners, Banner walls, hi-resolution posters, Photo books, business cards, A6/A5/A4 full colour Flyers, Clip frames, Signage, etc.
Our customers: SABC and all 16 radio stations based at the SABC buildings

Worked independently as a sales freelance print broker selling commercial products in the print industry utilising the complete sales process from conceptualization to final product.

Sales Executive
Duties: My role here was new business sales in Wide/Large format Digital Print utilising 5m and 3m outdoor printers including a few indoor hi-resolution printers.
Products: Billboards, vehicle wraps, Vinyl applications, printed wall paper, Teardrop banners, telescopic banners, Pvc banners with eyelets, roller banners, Banner walls, hi-resolution posters, etc.
In-house finishing was trimming, eye-letting, banner sewing, pvc-welding, vinyl application; Prospecting clients for new business; Setting up appointments; In-person client visits; Written Quotations; Following-up with clients; Closing; Assist walk-in customers
Reason for leaving: Company sold