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Inside sales representative vs account executive

The differences between inside sales representatives and account executives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an account executive has an average salary of $69,618, which is higher than the $44,413 average annual salary of an inside sales representative.

The top three skills for an inside sales representative include customer service, CRM and outbound calls. The most important skills for an account executive are customer service, CRM, and healthcare.

Inside sales representative vs account executive overview

Inside Sales RepresentativeAccount Executive
Yearly salary$44,413$69,618
Hourly rate$21.35$33.47
Growth rate4%5%
Number of jobs244,168205,561
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Average age4744
Years of experience4-

What does an inside sales representative do?

An inside sales representative is responsible for selling services and products to clients, driving the company's revenues and increase sales profitability. Duties of an inside sales representative include developing strategic sales pitches, responding to customer's inquiries and requests, offering promotional products and discounts, researching potential clients, creating sales reports, and managing customer's possible complaints. An inside sales representative also provides strategic solutions to share with the sales team to improve their sales performance. Inside sales representatives must have excellent communication and negotiation skills to deal with customers' needs.

What does an account executive do?

An account executive is responsible for supporting existing clients, closing client deals, and developing sales strategies to increase the company's sales and satisfaction. An account executive must be competitive enough to keep up with the constant changes in the sales industry, including the high demands of digital marketing, a different approach to product advertising, effective negotiation, and presentation skills. An account executive also requires excellent communication skills for the successful acquisition of client accounts and immediately resolve possible complaints as they arise.

Inside sales representative vs account executive salary

Inside sales representatives and account executives have different pay scales, as shown below.

Inside Sales RepresentativeAccount Executive
Average salary$44,413$69,618
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $69,000Between $44,000 And $109,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WAPortland, OR
Highest paying stateWyomingOregon
Best paying companyBerkshire HathawayHitachi Vantara
Best paying industryTechnologyFinance

Differences between inside sales representative and account executive education

There are a few differences between an inside sales representative and an account executive in terms of educational background:

Inside Sales RepresentativeAccount Executive
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeSUNY College of Technology at AlfredUniversity of Pennsylvania

Inside sales representative vs account executive demographics

Here are the differences between inside sales representatives' and account executives' demographics:

Inside Sales RepresentativeAccount Executive
Average age4744
Gender ratioMale, 54.7% Female, 45.3%Male, 57.2% Female, 42.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 73.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 5.6% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage6%5%

Differences between inside sales representative and account executive duties and responsibilities

Inside sales representative example responsibilities.

  • Coordinate commercial sales and manage projects with HVAC contractors for Georgia district.
  • Accomplish tasks in a timely manner.Skills UsedComputer, math, reading wiring schematics.
  • Generate leads through the use of Linkedin, firm websites and legal magazines.
  • Manage and develop a nationwide territory through cold calling utilizing LinkedIn?, DiscoverOrg.
  • Manage help desk support for company ERP system as well as employee hardware and software issues.
  • Manage a team of 15-25 ISE's through effective sales coaching, call monitoring and creating sales spiff programs.
  • Show more

Account executive example responsibilities.

  • Create and manage Facebook and twitter accounts.
  • Have achieve Google certification for both SEM and SEO sales.
  • Lead proposal team in winning a $1MM RFP, turning around a key account relationship.
  • Manage all aspects of new FedEx implementations (automation set-up, operational support and training of customers).
  • Develop and manage networking, VoIP, IP/TV, video, cloud, wireless, and security/disaster recovery projects.
  • Source all leads by means of cold calling, leveraging linkedin, referrals, and upselling to existing customers.
  • Show more

Inside sales representative vs account executive skills

Common inside sales representative skills
  • Customer Service, 22%
  • CRM, 6%
  • Outbound Calls, 5%
  • Product Knowledge, 4%
  • Work Ethic, 4%
  • Sales Process, 3%
Common account executive skills
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • CRM, 6%
  • Healthcare, 5%
  • Sales Process, 5%
  • Salesforce, 4%
  • Work Ethic, 4%