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The differences between customer sales specialists and client relations specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a customer sales specialist and a client relations specialist. Additionally, a customer sales specialist has an average salary of $44,173, which is higher than the $39,902 average annual salary of a client relations specialist.
The top three skills for a customer sales specialist include product knowledge, sales floor and customer service. The most important skills for a client relations specialist are client relations, customer service, and data entry.
| Customer Sales Specialist | Client Relations Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $44,173 | $39,902 |
| Hourly rate | $21.24 | $19.18 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 417,148 | 200,766 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A customer sales specialist aims to secure sales and reach sales targets. To make this possible, they conduct extensive market research and analysis, generate leads for clients and business opportunities, develop sales pitches, create marketing materials and strategies, and reach out to clients to offer services and products. In some businesses, a customer sales specialist may also engage directly with customers to demonstrate products or to assist them with their needs.
A client relations specialist is primarily in charge of building positive relationships with clients by providing optimal services. Although the extent of their responsibilities depends on their company of employment, it typically includes handling customer calls and correspondence, offering products or services, discussing promotions or product specifications, answering inquiries, arranging appointments, resolving issues and concerns, and processing payments or refunds. Moreover, a client relations specialist conducts market research and analysis to identify the current trends and practices, aiming for client satisfaction.
Customer sales specialists and client relations specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Customer Sales Specialist | Client Relations Specialist | |
| Average salary | $44,173 | $39,902 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $55,000 | Between $27,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | - | Real Estate |
There are a few differences between a customer sales specialist and a client relations specialist in terms of educational background:
| Customer Sales Specialist | Client Relations Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between customer sales specialists' and client relations specialists' demographics:
| Customer Sales Specialist | Client Relations Specialist | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.3% Female, 49.7% | Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 6.6% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 6.5% White, 55.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |