Application Specialist

Bruegmann is the trusted partner to the world's leading retailers & brands. Our solutions provide value to all stakeholders and deliver sustainable innovation to a dynamic retail world.

We have established a strong presence globally, with key locations in the USA, Central Europe, and Asia. Our primary focus lies in shelving systems within the retail segment, particularly in the beverage sector, merchandise handling systems, and pushers.

About The Role
At Bruegmann, the Application Specialist plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between our product technology and its practical implementation at the customer level. Overall, application specialists play a pivotal role in ensuring that Bruegmann delivers high-quality products and services that meet the unique needs of our customers from different markets (i.e. retail, grocery, brand, etc). And, by actively participating in the quotation process, Application Specialists contribute to the overall success of the sales effort by ensuring that proposed solutions are technically sound, competitively priced, and aligned with the customer's needs and expectations.

Responsibilities

• Product Understanding: Deep understanding of different merchandising products (pushers, roller shelves, retail racking, etc) in order to provide technical support to sales & customers. This includes understanding the product specifications, its components, and its intended use in various customer applications.
• Customer Interaction: May engage with clients to understand their specific requirements, offer technical support, and provide guidance on product selection and customization to meet their needs.
• Technical Expertise: Use technical skills related to the company's products and the manufacturing process to assess customers' systems, ancillary components, product interfaces & other relevant technologies.
• Solution Deployment: Responsible for deploying product solutions based on customer requirements and constraints. This may involve assessing current product configurations, recommending appropriate accessories or modifications, or integrating products into the customer's operations.
• Documentation and Training: Provide technical support by assessing product specifications, manuals and/or other training materials to assist customers in understanding and implementing the recommended solutions effectively.
• Collaboration with Sales: Work closely with the sales team during the pre-sales process including product demonstrations and technical presentations.

• Quote Support for Sales: Help create quotes via (CPQ) and/or SmartSheet for the sales team. Typical contribution to the quotation process:

• Technical Assessment: Collaborate with the sales team to gather complete customer requirements and technical specifications for new projects. Analyze the scope of work, product features, and any customizations needed to meet the customer's needs.

• Product Configuration: Based on the customer's requirements, configure compatible products or systems offered by the company to align with the project specifications. This may involve selecting the appropriate components & accessories and verifying the solution with Product Management.
• Cost Estimation: May work with the sales, project management and procurement teams to estimate the cost of proposed solutions. May consider factors such as material and shipping costs, engineering efforts, and any additional expenses associated with customization or integration.
• Technical Proposal Preparation: Assist the sales team in preparing technical proposals and quotations for the customer. Provide detailed information about the proposed solution, including product specifications, reference drawings or diagrams, and any relevant documentation to support the quotation.
• Value Selling: In addition to providing technical details, application specialists help the sales team articulate the value proposition of the proposed solution to the customer. They highlight the unique features, benefits, and competitive advantages of the company's products and services.
• Customization Options: If the customer requires customization or special modifications to the standard product offerings, application specialists collaborate with the engineering and manufacturing teams to assess feasibility, cost implications, and lead time for implementing the customizations.

Qualifications

• Either 1-3 years in Retail or Grocery operations or bachelor's degree in engineering, Technical Sales, or related field.
• Experience managing capital projects and collaborating with internal & external stakeholders to deliver on both small & larger scales.
• Must be skilled with Excel and/or Smartsheet
• Experience with SalesForce (CPQ) and/or Smartsheet is a plus
• Strong technical aptitude and ability to understand complex product specifications.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with sales and engineering teams.
• Prior experience in application engineering or technical sales is preferred.