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Customer relationship management manager vs category manager

The differences between customer relationship management managers and category managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 8-10 years to become both a customer relationship management manager and a category manager. Additionally, a customer relationship management manager has an average salary of $102,945, which is higher than the $102,035 average annual salary of a category manager.

The top three skills for a customer relationship management manager include analytics, salesforce and digital marketing. The most important skills for a category manager are strategic sourcing, category strategy, and supplier performance.

Customer relationship management manager vs category manager overview

Customer Relationship Management ManagerCategory Manager
Yearly salary$102,945$102,035
Hourly rate$49.49$49.06
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs127,674108,424
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 69%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age3939
Years of experience1010

What does a customer relationship management manager do?

A customer relationship management manager is responsible for maintaining a healthy and long-term business relationship with customers and business partners to keep a positive reputation for the company and increase its market reliability. Customer relationship management managers analyze business functions and identify new business opportunities for revenue resources, as well as offering new services to the clients according to their interests. They also handle contract negotiations, respond to the clients' inquiries and concerns, and resolve complaints immediately.

What does a category manager do?

Category managers are usually employed in the retail industry. They are primarily responsible for the sales enhancement of a specific group of products. The managers are involved in pricing, marketing, inventory, and vendor management. Their daily tasks include meeting with suppliers to talk about the plans, conducting orientation to the market research company, and updating category reports. Qualified applicants must have a degree in business administration or a related field as well as relevant job experience in a related job.

Customer relationship management manager vs category manager salary

Customer relationship management managers and category managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Customer Relationship Management ManagerCategory Manager
Average salary$102,945$102,035
Salary rangeBetween $74,000 And $141,000Between $74,000 And $138,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateWashingtonNevada
Best paying companyAppleMcKinsey & Company Inc
Best paying industryProfessionalManufacturing

Differences between customer relationship management manager and category manager education

There are a few differences between a customer relationship management manager and a category manager in terms of educational background:

Customer Relationship Management ManagerCategory Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 69%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of GeorgiaUniversity of Georgia

Customer relationship management manager vs category manager demographics

Here are the differences between customer relationship management managers' and category managers' demographics:

Customer Relationship Management ManagerCategory Manager
Average age3939
Gender ratioMale, 60.3% Female, 39.7%Male, 55.7% Female, 44.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between customer relationship management manager and category manager duties and responsibilities

Customer relationship management manager example responsibilities.

  • Lead PPC, SEO, and social media marketing programs.
  • Manage CRM products including email, SMS, social, and mobile apps.
  • Manage all print, digital, mobile and web activities for B2B and B2C communications.
  • Work to develop an RFP, manage collecting vendor bids, vendor selection and funding approval.
  • Manage all testing plans relating to compatibility, qualification, benchmarks and validation between WPD and the OEM.
  • Lead the development and execution of chain level consumer promotions, including POS display, radio and print advertisements.
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Category manager example responsibilities.

  • Lead team to manage predominantly seasonal fashion apparel by reacting to trends with appropriate buys and proactive exit strategies.
  • Manage and create purchase plans and OTB's.
  • Design and manage all BTL plans for the brands.
  • Manage multiple sources of data to mine for business voids and opportunities at both macro and micro levels.
  • Deliver profit and sales forecasts, manage merchandising budget, and used IRI data to produce optimal product mix.
  • Lead a high performance jewelry merchandising team in a digital commerce environment through television, e-commerce, and social media.
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Customer relationship management manager vs category manager skills

Common customer relationship management manager skills
  • Analytics, 8%
  • Salesforce, 7%
  • Digital Marketing, 7%
  • Email Marketing, 6%
  • Cloud, 6%
  • Project Management, 5%
Common category manager skills
  • Strategic Sourcing, 8%
  • Category Strategy, 8%
  • Supplier Performance, 5%
  • Supplier Relationships, 4%
  • Customer Service, 4%
  • Cost Savings, 4%

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