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The differences between client relationship managers and sales managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a client relationship manager and a sales manager. Additionally, a client relationship manager has an average salary of $89,226, which is higher than the $73,952 average annual salary of a sales manager.
The top three skills for a client relationship manager include customer service, client service and client satisfaction. The most important skills for a sales manager are product knowledge, customer satisfaction, and sales performance.
| Client Relationship Manager | Sales Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $89,226 | $73,952 |
| Hourly rate | $42.90 | $35.55 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 85,793 | 119,066 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
Client Relationship Managers handle special client accounts for the company. They are usually assigned to essential clients or corporate accounts. They ensure that the company keeps these clients engaged. Client Relationship Managers work hard to build professional working relationships. They give special attention to the assigned client accounts and provide clients with updates on company services and promotions. They tend to any concerns that clients may have, and they ensure that these concerns are properly addressed and resolved. Client Relationship Managers are entrusted to build and strengthen the company's relationship with a client. As such, they are expected to be professional, friendly, and collaborative.
Sales managers are responsible for leading the organization's sales team. They oversee the progress and performance of the whole team, set area assignments to team members, and set weekly or monthly quotas. Sales managers oversee training team members during onboarding and providing further coaching to help them achieve their goals. They manage the challenges that team members may meet and help mitigate any problems that come along the way. Sales managers also set the strategic direction of the sales team and follow through by ensuring that the team's activities are in line with the goals.
Client relationship managers and sales managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Client Relationship Manager | Sales Manager | |
| Average salary | $89,226 | $73,952 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $139,000 | Between $42,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Fenwick & West | Capgemini |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a client relationship manager and a sales manager in terms of educational background:
| Client Relationship Manager | Sales Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between client relationship managers' and sales managers' demographics:
| Client Relationship Manager | Sales Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.2% Female, 52.8% | Male, 68.7% Female, 31.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |