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The differences between commercial sales specialists and sales support specialists 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 specialist. Additionally, a commercial sales specialist has an average salary of $73,492, which is higher than the $50,782 average annual salary of a sales support specialist.
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 specialist are customer service, sales support, and powerpoint.
| Commercial Sales Specialist | Sales Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $73,492 | $50,782 |
| Hourly rate | $35.33 | $24.41 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 124,771 | 238,995 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| 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 specialist is primarily responsible for performing clerical tasks to support a sales team. Typically, they gather sales leads and data, produce progress reports and presentations, maintain records of all transactions, and liaise with different accounting personnel. A sales support specialist may respond to calls and inquiries, resolving customers' complaints and concerns promptly and professionally. Furthermore, one may arrange meetings and appointments with clients, develop sales strategies for profit growth, and process orders, all while ensuring customer satisfaction.
Commercial sales specialists and sales support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Commercial Sales Specialist | Sales Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $73,492 | $50,782 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $112,000 | Between $31,000 And $82,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between a commercial sales specialist and a sales support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Commercial Sales Specialist | Sales Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| 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 specialists' demographics:
| Commercial Sales Specialist | Sales Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.1% Female, 22.9% | Male, 36.1% Female, 63.9% |
| 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, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |