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The differences between general sales managers and technical sales managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a general sales manager and a technical sales manager. Additionally, a technical sales manager has an average salary of $129,770, which is higher than the $118,744 average annual salary of a general sales manager.
The top three skills for a general sales manager include customer service, dealership and customer satisfaction. The most important skills for a technical sales manager are customer satisfaction, sales management, and CRM.
| General Sales Manager | Technical Sales Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $118,744 | $129,770 |
| Hourly rate | $57.09 | $62.39 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 196,210 | 193,981 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
General sales managers are responsible for monitoring the daily operation of the sales team and analyze marketing strategies to improve sales performance and generate more revenues. General sales managers develop strategic plans, adjust sales quotas as needed, identify business opportunities, research current market trends, and evaluate the annual budget. General sales managers also respond to the customers' inquiries and high-level complaints, providing immediate resolutions to ensure customer satisfaction. A general sales manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle the sales department, especially on sales techniques in reaching the business' profitability goals.
A technical sales manager is responsible for monitoring the sales techniques and performance of the sales team in selling technical services and systems to the customers. Technical sales managers coordinate with clients to discuss and negotiate offers of new products and services. They also identify business opportunities by analyzing current technology trends from public demands to generate more revenue resources and increase the company's profits. A technical sales manager facilitates and plans sales training and programs to maximize staff's efficiency and productivity.
General sales managers and technical sales managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Sales Manager | Technical Sales Manager | |
| Average salary | $118,744 | $129,770 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $196,000 | Between $90,000 And $186,000 |
| Highest paying City | Westport, CT | Columbia, MD |
| Highest paying state | Maine | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Meta | Palo Alto Networks |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a general sales manager and a technical sales manager in terms of educational background:
| General Sales Manager | Technical Sales Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between general sales managers' and technical sales managers' demographics:
| General Sales Manager | Technical Sales Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.5% Female, 14.5% | Male, 86.2% Female, 13.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |