Sales duties vary, depending on position and experience.
Job descriptions for sales team positions vary, depending on the candidate's level of experience and education. An entry-level sales assistant navigates the professional landscape through contact with existing customers. After gaining experience, a sales representative contacts new customers and maintains relationships with existing customers. Sales managers generally use their sales experience to help supervise and coach representatives. Sales directors---who typically have management experience---oversee the entire sales department.
Sales Assistant
The duties of a sales assistant, according to the website HR Management, generally exclude actual sales. Instead, a sales assistant becomes familiar with the process by working with current clients: placing orders for them, receiving their suggestions or complaints and basically assessing their needs and ensuring their satisfaction. Sales assistants are often responsible for additional shipping, receiving, inventory control and general office duties.
Sales Representative
Sales representatives contact potential customers and maintain relationships with current customers. The website HR Village notes that a sales rep is typically responsible for specific accounts or a designated region. Sales reps must identify client concerns and resolve them. They provide status reports on sales activity, adherence to goals, closings and customer follow-ups. They also prepare presentations and contracts. Additional duties can include training sales assistants, coordinating delivery routes and attending seminars or marketing events.
Sales Manager
A sales manager is responsible for the representatives, often coaching them and setting their objectives. HR Management says the sales manager should meet daily with the sales team---individually and in sales meetings---to provide the coaching, advice and support they need to reach their goals. The position typically requires recruiting, hiring and training the sales force and supervising the sales floor. A sales manager also has to stay in contact with inventory and shipping departments to ensure customer needs are being met.
Sales Director
The sales director oversees the sales manager and generally all employees involved in marketing and sales. HR Management describes the main duties of the sales director as maintaining the company's strategic focus and providing leadership for the sales department. Sales directors develop plans for growth, based on sales statistics, and are responsible for implementing those plans. They are also responsible for analyzing market trends and controlling the sales budget. The sales director typically reports to the CEO of the company.
Job Requirements
The basic requirements to become a sales representative, according to HR Village, are a bachelor's degree and three to five years experience in marketing or as a sales assistant. Strong writing and communication skills are expected because sales reps have to create and deliver presentations. They are also expected to understand advertising and sales techniques. The position requires flexibility, willingness to travel and a professional appearance. Graduate degrees, continuing education and experience can help sales reps advance to manager and director positions.
Tags: sales manager, They also, contact with, department Sales, existing customers, experience help, marketing sales