Key account representative vs inside sales representative

The differences between key account representatives and inside 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 a key account representative and an inside sales representative. Additionally, a key account representative has an average salary of $48,841, which is higher than the $44,413 average annual salary of an inside sales representative.

The top three skills for a key account representative include business development, account management and product knowledge. The most important skills for an inside sales representative are customer service, CRM, and outbound calls.

Key account representative vs inside sales representative overview

	Key Account Representative	Inside Sales Representative
Yearly salary	$48,841	$44,413
Hourly rate	$23.48	$21.35
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	236,207	244,168
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

What does a key account representative do?

A key account representative identifies opportunities for increasing sales and defines outreach strategies. Key account representatives find, develop, and maintain customer accounts. The account representatives serve as the main point of contact between an organization and its clients. They make regular communication with the clients, address their concerns, and track their transactions and payments. Part of their job is to present expanded and new opportunities to the clients. They have to be adaptable and have empathy in performing their job. Among the skills they need to develop include people or communication skills, relationship building, and time management.

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.

Key account representative vs inside sales representative salary

Key account representatives and inside sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Key Account Representative	Inside Sales Representative
Average salary	$48,841	$44,413
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $69,000	Between $28,000 And $69,000
Highest paying City	-	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	-	Wyoming
Best paying company	-	Berkshire Hathaway
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between key account representative and inside sales representative education

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

	Key Account Representative	Inside Sales Representative
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Key account representative vs inside sales representative demographics

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

	Key Account Representative	Inside Sales Representative
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 52.3% Female, 47.7%	Male, 54.7% Female, 45.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black 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%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between key account representative and inside sales representative duties and responsibilities

Key account representative example responsibilities.

Evaluate monthly budgets and territory saturation levels quarterly while managing lease renewals through needs analysis and ROI presentations
Prepare catalogs, PowerPoint presentations, and cost spreadsheets in accordance with client product requests and within budgetary parameters.
Develop concepts and procedures, analyze and resolve general ledger interfaces with computerize payroll, time tracking and project accounting system.
Install and maintain software, hardware and networking and troubleshoot computer systems for problems ranging from software incompatibilities to electrical problems.

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.

Key account representative vs inside sales representative skills

Common key account representative skills

Business Development, 15%
Account Management, 12%
Product Knowledge, 12%
Post Sales, 10%
Customer Complaints, 7%
CRM, 5%

Common inside sales representative skills

Customer Service, 22%
CRM, 6%
Outbound Calls, 5%
Product Knowledge, 4%
Work Ethic, 4%
Sales Process, 3%

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Key Account Representative
Key Account Representative vs Inside Sales Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

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