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The differences between commercial sales specialists and sales support associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a commercial sales specialist and a sales support associate. Additionally, a commercial sales specialist has an average salary of $73,492, which is higher than the $34,454 average annual salary of a sales support associate.
The top three skills for a commercial sales specialist include customer accounts, customer complaints and inventory control. The most important skills for a sales support associate are sales floor, back room, and math.
| Commercial Sales Specialist | Sales Support Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $73,492 | $34,454 |
| Hourly rate | $35.33 | $16.56 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 124,771 | 447,642 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A commercial sales specialist is responsible for selling the company's goods and services to corporate organizations and identifying business opportunities that would generate more revenue resources and increase profits for the company. Commercial sales specialists determine the customers' needs and recommend product solutions by discussing and demonstrating product features and benefits, responding to their inquiries and concerns, and resolving complaints. They also work closely with the marketing team to enhance promotional efforts and media strategies to improve brand recognition in the market.
A sales support associate is an individual who is responsible for assisting sales staff and help customers. To provide this assistance, sales support associates use customer communication methods such as telephones or email to process customer orders and ensure that they are accurate. They work closely with distributors to make sure that products are available for their customers. Sales support associates may function as either part-time or full time, but companies may require excellent communication skills.
Commercial sales specialists and sales support associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Commercial Sales Specialist | Sales Support Associate | |
| Average salary | $73,492 | $34,454 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $112,000 | Between $25,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | Goldman Sachs |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a commercial sales specialist and a sales support associate in terms of educational background:
| Commercial Sales Specialist | Sales Support Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred |
Here are the differences between commercial sales specialists' and sales support associates' demographics:
| Commercial Sales Specialist | Sales Support Associate | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.1% Female, 22.9% | Male, 43.5% Female, 56.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |