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What does an inside sales account manager do?

Updated January 8, 2025
8 min read
Quoted expert
Bill Thorne
What does an inside sales account manager do

An inside sales account manager oversees the operations and workforce performance within an inside sales team, ensuring efficiency and profit growth. Their duties revolve around monitoring sales progress, devising new strategies to identify new business and marketing opportunities, maintaining records of all transactions, identifying inconsistencies and errors, performing corrective measures, producing sales forecasts, and supervising accounts. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the team to reach sales targets, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

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Inside sales account manager responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real inside sales account manager resumes:

  • Utilize SalesForce to manage customer activity.
  • Manage CRM sales pipeline for management forecasting and proper account and opportunity management.
  • Utilize CRM to track all pertinent information relate to the opportunity and effectively manage territory
  • Evaluate monthly budgets and territory saturation levels quarterly while managing lease renewals through needs analysis and ROI presentations
  • Manage accounts while providing excellent customer service, help build financial relationships, redirecting calls in upselling credit per customer needs
  • Construct custom dashboards and sales reports within SalesForce showing real time status.
  • Develop concepts and procedures, analyze and resolve general ledger interfaces with computerize payroll, time tracking and project accounting system.
  • Excel in outside sales of data and telecommunications services for regional IP base communications provider.

Inside sales account manager skills and personality traits

We calculated that 16% of Inside Sales Account Managers are proficient in Customer Service, Account Management, and CRM. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Leadership skills.

We break down the percentage of Inside Sales Account Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Customer Service, 16%

    Provided exemplary customer service to inbound inquires regarding business rules, problems and discrepancies, equipment functionality, and inventory availability.

  • Account Management, 9%

    Account Management Intellectual Property Consulting Corporate Governance and Compliance Consulting Entity Management Social Media Marketing

  • CRM, 9%

    Utilize CRM to track all pertinent information related to the opportunity and effectively manage territory

  • PowerPoint, 5%

    Facilitated online product demonstrations & online training of software using PowerPoint.

  • Salesforce, 4%

    Utilized SalesForce to manage customer activity.

  • Outbound Calls, 4%

    Updated customer information using company software Set appointments for outside sales Processed and handled inbound and outbound calls

"customer service," "account management," and "crm" are among the most common skills that inside sales account managers use at work. You can find even more inside sales account manager responsibilities below, including:

Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for an inside sales account manager to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "sales managers must collect and interpret complex data to target the most promising geographic areas and demographic groups, and determine the most effective sales strategies." Inside sales account managers often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "prepared and presented system recommendations, cost analysis as well as customer supports. "

Communication skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling inside sales account manager duties is communication skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "sales managers need to work with colleagues and customers, so they must be able to communicate clearly." According to an inside sales account manager resume, here's how inside sales account managers can utilize communication skills in their job responsibilities: "demonstrated effective communications between manufacturing, quality and engineering to maintain customer relations and expand customer base. "

Leadership skills. This is an important skill for inside sales account managers to perform their duties. For an example of how inside sales account manager responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "sales managers must be able to evaluate how their sales staff performs and must develop strategies for meeting sales goals." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of an inside sales account manager: "acquired promotion due to exemplary work ethic, performance excellence, and leadership initiative. ".

Customer-service skills. For certain inside sales account manager responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "customer-service skills." The day-to-day duties of an inside sales account manager rely on this skill, as "when helping to make a sale, sales managers must listen and respond to the customer’s needs." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what inside sales account managers do: "provided professors with post-adoption customer support and retain for future semesters. "

Most common inside sales account manager skills

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Compare different inside sales account managers

Inside sales account manager vs. Manager, account executive

An account executive manager is responsible for handling client accounts and leading the account management procedures to promote the client's brand image in the market and maintain the highest satisfaction. Account executive managers work with the marketing and sales team to identify sales and promotional strategies that would increase revenues and product profits. They also review the current market trends to develop business opportunities according to client needs and public demands. An account executive manager coordinates with the clients for regular updates and informs them of business plan adjustments as needed.

If we compare the average inside sales account manager annual salary with that of a manager, account executive, we find that managers, account executive typically earn a $6,862 higher salary than inside sales account managers make annually.Even though inside sales account managers and managers, account executive are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require customer service, account management, and powerpoint in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an inside sales account manager are more likely to require skills like "crm," "salesforce," "outbound calls," and "marketing campaigns." On the other hand, a job as a manager, account executive requires skills like "virtualization," "contract negotiations," "post sales," and "account executives." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Managers, account executive really shine in the technology industry with an average salary of $87,422. Comparatively, inside sales account managers tend to make the most money in the technology industry with an average salary of $80,276.managers, account executive tend to reach similar levels of education than inside sales account managers. In fact, managers, account executive are 2.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Inside sales account manager vs. Account executive/sales manager

An Account Executive/Sales Manager manages client accounts, building positive client relationships in the process. Part of their job is to secure sales, which requires them to conduct research and analysis to find new business and client opportunities, generate leads, offer products and services to clients through calls and correspondence, arrange appointments, and process payments. There are instances where they must assist clients by resolving issues and concerns, ensuring client satisfaction. Moreover, they are also responsible for developing sales plans and strategies while implementing the company's policies and regulations among staff.

A career as a account executive/sales manager brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of an inside sales account manager. In fact, account executive/sales managers salary is $31,877 lower than the salary of inside sales account managers per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Inside sales account managers and account executive/sales managers both require similar skills like "customer service," "account management," and "sales process" to carry out their responsibilities.

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that inside sales account manager responsibilities requires skills like "crm," "powerpoint," "salesforce," and "outbound calls." But an account executive/sales manager might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "account executives," "sales professionals," "real estate," and "business sales."

Account executive/sales managers earn a lower average salary than inside sales account managers. But account executive/sales managers earn the highest pay in the media industry, with an average salary of $51,472. Additionally, inside sales account managers earn the highest salaries in the technology with average pay of $80,276 annually.In general, account executive/sales managers achieve similar levels of education than inside sales account managers. They're 1.9% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for inside sales account managers in the next 3-5 years?

Bill ThorneBill Thorne LinkedIn profile

Executive Director of the NRF Foundation and Senior Vice President of Communication and Public Affairs of NRF, National Retail Federation

COVID-19 has accelerated the trends we've seen over the past few years as retailers reimagine the customer experience, blending online and offline channels. Mobile apps provide in-store wayfinding and augmented reality to allow customers to quickly search products and identify their exact locations in the store. Additionally, many retailers offer Buy Online, Pick-up In-Store (BOPIS), or curbside pickup options so that customers can pay and checkout with minimal or no contact. We expect retailers will continue to use a variety of tools to help shoppers find the items they need and want.

Inside sales account manager vs. Territory sales manager

A territory sales manager is an individual who supervises the daily sales operations of sales representatives that are assigned to a particular location. Territory sales managers are required to meet sales targets to gain an increase in revenues and must maintain excellent customer relationships. They attend trade shows to promote the products and services of the company at the same time, conduct surveys to better understand the needs of their customers. As they are engaged in sales, territory sales managers must possess a bachelor's degree in business administration or management.

On average, territory sales managers earn higher salaries than inside sales account managers, with a $13,943 difference per year.By looking over several inside sales account managers and territory sales managers resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "customer service," "account management," and "crm." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an inside sales account manager is likely to be skilled in "powerpoint," "salesforce," "outbound calls," and "marketing campaigns," while a typical territory sales manager is skilled in "territory sales," "healthcare," "patients," and "strong work ethic."

Territory sales managers earn the best pay in the retail industry, where they command an average salary of $77,665. Inside sales account managers earn the highest pay from the technology industry, with an average salary of $80,276.territory sales managers typically earn similar educational levels compared to inside sales account managers. Specifically, they're 0.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Inside sales account manager vs. Regional sales manager

A regional sales manager is responsible for monitoring the sales and distribution of goods and services within a specific region. Duties of a regional sales manager also include analyzing expenses and cost estimates, ensuring that operations meet budget goals with the highest quality, researching current market trends for sales performance development, providing sales training, and presenting sales reports. A regional sales manager must have strong leadership and decision-making skills to enforce policies and procedures to boost operations performance.

Regional sales managers typically earn higher pay than inside sales account managers. On average, regional sales managers earn a $22,567 higher salary per year.While both inside sales account managers and regional sales managers complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like customer service, account management, and crm, the two careers vary in some skills.While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "powerpoint," "salesforce," "outbound calls," and "marketing campaigns" are skills that commonly show up on inside sales account manager resumes. On the other hand, regional sales managers use skills like regional sales, commercial cleaning, territory sales, and healthcare on their resumes.In general, regional sales managers earn the most working in the technology industry, with an average salary of $93,505. The highest-paying industry for an inside sales account manager is the technology industry.The average resume of regional sales managers showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to inside sales account managers. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 3.2% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.1%.

Types of inside sales account manager

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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