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The differences between customer sales specialists and customer care associates 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 customer care associate. Additionally, a customer sales specialist has an average salary of $44,173, which is higher than the $33,115 average annual salary of a customer care associate.
The top three skills for a customer sales specialist include product knowledge, sales floor and customer service. The most important skills for a customer care associate are customer care, patients, and customer service.
| Customer Sales Specialist | Customer Care Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $44,173 | $33,115 |
| Hourly rate | $21.24 | $15.92 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 417,148 | 250,296 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| 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 customer care associate's role focuses on providing customer support and service, ensuring optimal services and client satisfaction. Their responsibilities typically revolve around assisting walk-in customers by answering inquiries, offering recommendations or alternatives, and informing them of any promos or discounts. It is essential to devise strategies to identify customer needs, providing them as needed. Furthermore, a customer care associate may answer inquiries made through calls or correspondence, make reservations, handle complaints or concerns, and resolve them according to the company's policies and regulations.
Customer sales specialists and customer care associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Customer Sales Specialist | Customer Care Associate | |
| Average salary | $44,173 | $33,115 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $55,000 | Between $24,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Diego, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Centennial Bank |
| Best paying industry | - | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a customer sales specialist and a customer care associate in terms of educational background:
| Customer Sales Specialist | Customer Care Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between customer sales specialists' and customer care associates' demographics:
| Customer Sales Specialist | Customer Care Associate | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.3% Female, 49.7% | Male, 30.1% Female, 69.9% |
| 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, 12.4% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |