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Inside sales specialist vs field sales representative

The differences between inside sales specialists and field sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an inside sales specialist and a field sales representative. Additionally, an inside sales specialist has an average salary of $50,944, which is higher than the $48,460 average annual salary of a field sales representative.

The top three skills for an inside sales specialist include customer service, CRM and sales process. The most important skills for a field sales representative are excellent time management, customer service, and powerpoint.

Inside sales specialist vs field sales representative overview

Inside Sales SpecialistField Sales Representative
Yearly salary$50,944$48,460
Hourly rate$24.49$23.30
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs251,423228,254
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 69%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age4747
Years of experience44

What does an inside sales specialist do?

An inside sales specialist is primarily responsible for securing sales by reaching out to clients to sell products and services. They may communicate with customers through calls and correspondence or personally recommend products in a retail store setting. Moreover, they are also responsible for responding to inquiries or concerns, identifying the customers' needs, devising strategies to find sales opportunities, and discussing products to customers. An inside sales specialist is often required to meet sales goals and report to managers should there be any issues or problems.

What does a field sales representative do?

A field sales representative is an employee who is employed by business-to-business (B2B) and wholesale organizations to visit leads and sell products or services to their customers in person. Field sales representatives must attract new customers and win new accounts so that they can maximize profitability within their territory. They travel around their assigned territory and visit their customers regularly to educate them on how their products can benefit them. Field sales representatives must also maintain records of all sales leads and monitor the organization's competitor, new products, and market conditions.

Inside sales specialist vs field sales representative salary

Inside sales specialists and field sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

Inside Sales SpecialistField Sales Representative
Average salary$50,944$48,460
Salary rangeBetween $34,000 And $75,000Between $26,000 And $88,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateWashingtonWashington
Best paying companyKeller Williams Greater SeattleVMware
Best paying industryReal EstateTechnology

Differences between inside sales specialist and field sales representative education

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

Inside Sales SpecialistField Sales Representative
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 69%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeSUNY College of Technology at AlfredSUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Inside sales specialist vs field sales representative demographics

Here are the differences between inside sales specialists' and field sales representatives' demographics:

Inside Sales SpecialistField Sales Representative
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 52.0% Female, 48.0%Male, 69.5% Female, 30.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 5.1% White, 73.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between inside sales specialist and field sales representative duties and responsibilities

Inside sales specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage individual sales activities by developing highly effective, communications focuse relationship with multiple sales channels.
  • Present presentations to potential clients through Microsoft PowerPoint.
  • Maintain and update assigned territory through SalesLogix CRM program.
  • Revise and update CRM database to ensure accurate customer information.
  • Operate as inside sales consultant, primarily in areas of customer relations, sales/service support, coordinating production and transportation scheduling
  • Call on corporate counsel, c-level executives and law firms to sell solutions with traditional litigation support.
  • Show more

Field sales representative example responsibilities.

  • Train and manage new DSR's.
  • Lead seminars for the CPA community for CPE credits.
  • Develop and manage sales in major retail accounts in the Mid-Atlantic region.
  • Manage and assist a vast customer base in the market for new roofing needs after a large hail storm in Lubbock.
  • Manage merchandising and POS materials at the retail store level ensuring meticulous compliance with all current corporate initiative regulations.
  • Conduct effective group Medicare HMO/PPO presentations/seminars, as well as one-on-one field sales presentations.
  • Show more

Inside sales specialist vs field sales representative skills

Common inside sales specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 13%
  • CRM, 7%
  • Sales Process, 5%
  • Work Ethic, 5%
  • Product Knowledge, 5%
  • Outbound Calls, 4%
Common field sales representative skills
  • Excellent Time Management, 17%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • PowerPoint, 6%
  • Medicare, 6%
  • Account Management, 6%
  • Sales Presentations, 5%