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Distributor vs sales/account representative

The differences between distributors and sales/account representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a distributor and a sales/account representative. Additionally, a sales/account representative has an average salary of $56,954, which is higher than the $40,606 average annual salary of a distributor.

The top three skills for a distributor include distributors, customer service and delivery truck. The most important skills for a sales/account representative are customer service, CRM, and sales process.

Distributor vs sales/account representative overview

DistributorSales/Account Representative
Yearly salary$40,606$56,954
Hourly rate$19.52$27.38
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs89,197257,122
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age4747
Years of experience44

Distributor vs sales/account representative salary

Distributors and sales/account representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

DistributorSales/Account Representative
Average salary$40,606$56,954
Salary rangeBetween $31,000 And $52,000Between $39,000 And $81,000
Highest paying CityClifton, NJOlympia, WA
Highest paying stateNew JerseyWashington
Best paying companyABBSmartsheet
Best paying industryHealth CareTechnology

Differences between distributor and sales/account representative education

There are a few differences between a distributor and a sales/account representative in terms of educational background:

DistributorSales/Account Representative
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeSUNY College of Technology at AlfredSUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Distributor vs sales/account representative demographics

Here are the differences between distributors' and sales/account representatives' demographics:

DistributorSales/Account Representative
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 56.3% Female, 43.7%Male, 57.8% Female, 42.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.7% 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 Percentage6%6%

Differences between distributor and sales/account representative duties and responsibilities

Distributor example responsibilities.

  • Generate leads for outside sales representatives including organizing, monitoring and updating Microsoft CRM program.
  • Train in OSHA safety standards and maintain compliances.
  • Use an RF scanner to produce labels identifying repack case contents.
  • Use Facebook as a great social media outlet, as well as twitter.
  • Operate forklift and stand up forklift, used RF scanner guns to track items
  • Install new valves, water meters, taps for water meters, and fire hydrants.
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Sales/account representative example responsibilities.

  • Generate leads and evangelize product to physicians in orthopedics, hematology, internal medicine, surgery, critical care and cardiology.
  • Assist external accounts in error resolution so that all EDI transactions process without manual intervention or delay.
  • Work with senior management to implement a sales program for new P3T software enhancement and participate in CRM application development team.
  • Collaborate with sales representatives to ensure new account set-up, establish specifications, and assist with EDI account maintenance and invoicing.
  • Create PowerPoint presentations and literature utilize and present in sales calls.
  • Core competencies: -Administrative/computer skills: maintain CRM systems to successfully identify potential customers.
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Distributor vs sales/account representative skills

Common distributor skills
  • Distributors, 28%
  • Customer Service, 23%
  • Delivery Truck, 7%
  • Customer Relations, 7%
  • Product Line, 4%
  • Wellness Products, 4%
Common sales/account representative skills
  • Customer Service, 13%
  • CRM, 8%
  • Sales Process, 6%
  • Product Knowledge, 5%
  • Sales Strategies, 5%
  • Sales Techniques, 4%