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The differences between functional consultants and customer relationship management consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a functional consultant and a customer relationship management consultant. Additionally, a customer relationship management consultant has an average salary of $97,795, which is higher than the $85,317 average annual salary of a functional consultant.
The top three skills for a functional consultant include business process, prototyping and ERP. The most important skills for a customer relationship management consultant are power bi, azure, and salesforce.
| Functional Consultant | Customer Relationship Management Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $85,317 | $97,795 |
| Hourly rate | $41.02 | $47.02 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 51,066 | 125,333 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A functional consultant is responsible for supporting a team of business analysts and software engineers in designing and creating a software system and related computer applications, following the specifications of a client on their software needs. Functional consultants analyze different technological approaches, evaluate technical solutions, and utilize the best system method to meet the requirements of a client efficiently. A functional consultant performs multiple diagnostic tests to ensure the optimal performance of the system. They should also have excellent communication skills, especially in coordinating with the clients on updates and adjustments as needed.
A customer relationship management consultant is responsible for providing management solutions for clients to develop successful customer relationships. Customer relationship management consultants evaluate business requirements and plans and identify potential risks that may affect the reputation and stability of an organization in the market. They also review the company's services, find strengths and weaknesses, and recommend solutions to enhance customer satisfaction. A customer relationship management consultant must be highly organizational and communicative, especially in finding opportunities to boost the company's brand image and maximize operational productivity to support the customers' needs and concerns.
Functional consultants and customer relationship management consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Functional Consultant | Customer Relationship Management Consultant | |
| Average salary | $85,317 | $97,795 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $110,000 | Between $73,000 And $131,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Workday | Square Enix |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Retail |
There are a few differences between a functional consultant and a customer relationship management consultant in terms of educational background:
| Functional Consultant | Customer Relationship Management Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | - | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between functional consultants' and customer relationship management consultants' demographics:
| Functional Consultant | Customer Relationship Management Consultant | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.9% Female, 28.1% | Male, 66.0% Female, 34.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 25.2% White, 51.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 22.5% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |