Associate agents work in almost every organization. An associate agent is hired by an artist, a manufacturing company, a real estate agency, a travel agency and any other professional or organization. There can be different descriptions for the associate agent responsibilities depending on the organization's requirements and business, yet the importance of this position is equal in every organization.
To start with, we can discuss about the responsibilities of an associate agent in a real estate agency. The associate agent here is more like a broker who is majorly responsible for developing the business and getting new clients for the agency. It is the associate agent who deals with the local authorities and manages the paperwork to keep up to date records of the business deals.
There can be an associate insurance agent in an insurance company who will be responsible not just for sales, but also for providing customer service to the clients. He has to verify the details of claims before processing the claim. Collecting premiums, updating and modifying insurance documents, and sending mails to the clients regarding settlement status and outstanding premiums is also a part of the associate insurance agent responsibilities.
Similarly, other associate agents are generally assigned with a dual responsibility of selling and customer service. A description of the most common associate agent responsibilities is provided for further reference.
Sales Planning
An associate agent works with other agents and sales manager to develop quarterly or annual business goals. He recommends strategies for achieving or exceeding the targets that may include appointment of new agents or opening a franchisee store.
Collecting, Verifying and Filing Documents
An associate agent collects the documents from the clients or junior agents, verifies the information provided in it and files the documents accordingly. He also types in the information on a computer for back up and reference of other staff.
Generate Client List
An associate agent is asked to generate a list of prospective clients and prepare a database along with the contact details. He may either contact these clients by himself or assign this duty to another staff to schedule appointments.
Meet Prospective Clients
The associate agent meets prospective clients to understand their requirements and suggest the best options available with the agency. He may also devise custom plans and offers depending on the clients' requirement.
Communicating with Staff, Clients and External Agencies
The associate agent performs all the communication tasks such as sending mails and circulars to the staff, clients, and the external staff or agencies such as surveyors or government authorities.
Collecting Payments
The associate agent collects payments from the clients and maintains record of outstanding payments and payments received.
Reporting and Presentation
An associate agent prepares sales and revenue reports for presentation during meetings. He has to prepare detailed statistics of the sales targets and actual sales and explain it to the attendees for further planning.
Excellent communication and negotiation skills are essential for an individual who would like to pursue this profession. He has to be skilled in research, organizing and multitasking with an ability to plan and achieve the business objectives through proper teamwork.
To apply for this job, an individual needs at least a bachelor's degree with relevant work experience in the said domain. Some organizations may also hire high school diploma holders for this position if their skills and experience fulfill the organizational requirements.
The average annual salary for this job varies from $55,000 to $90,000. It may be higher or lower than the range specified here depending on the organization, location and the overall competency of the candidate.
While applying for the job of an associate agent, do not forget to go through the associate agent responsibilities as it will help you when you face the employer for an interview. If asked, you can answer the questions about the nature of the job and the duties that are associated with this job.