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National account representative vs field sales representative

The differences between national account representatives 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 a national account representative and a field sales representative. Additionally, a field sales representative has an average salary of $48,460, which is higher than the $44,826 average annual salary of a national account representative.

The top three skills for a national account representative include national accounts, customer service and product knowledge. The most important skills for a field sales representative are excellent time management, customer service, and powerpoint.

National account representative vs field sales representative overview

National Account RepresentativeField Sales Representative
Yearly salary$44,826$48,460
Hourly rate$21.55$23.30
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs204,509228,254
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age4747
Years of experience44

What does a national account representative do?

A national account representative plays a pivotal role in managing client relationships. These professionals manage relationships for high-value customers, especially those who invest vast amounts in the company or those who have stayed in the organization for an extended period. In general, the national account representative's primary goal is to foster trust. National account representatives identify new business opportunities and make sales calls. To qualify as a national account representative, you must possess a bachelor's degree in this field, primarily in business administration.

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.

National account representative vs field sales representative salary

National account representatives and field sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

National Account RepresentativeField Sales Representative
Average salary$44,826$48,460
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $64,000Between $26,000 And $88,000
Highest paying City-Seattle, WA
Highest paying state-Washington
Best paying company-VMware
Best paying industry-Technology

Differences between national account representative and field sales representative education

There are a few differences between a national account representative and a field sales representative in terms of educational background:

National Account RepresentativeField Sales Representative
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeSUNY College of Technology at AlfredSUNY College of Technology at Alfred

National account representative vs field sales representative demographics

Here are the differences between national account representatives' and field sales representatives' demographics:

National Account RepresentativeField Sales Representative
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 54.5% Female, 45.5%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 national account representative and field sales representative duties and responsibilities

National account representative example responsibilities.

  • Manage and assist a vast customer base in the market for new roofing needs after a large hail storm in Lubbock.
  • Increase revenue through upselling new specialize testing options with key clinic staff and physicians.
  • Provide sales and technical support to distributors and OEM'S in the electrical distribution industry.
  • Maintain continuous contact with customers, including OEM, distribution, system integrators and end users.
  • Maintain continuous communication with warehouse managers, third party administrators, injure employees and healthcare professionals.
  • Respond to inquiries from medical providers, hospitals and other healthcare facilities regarding eligibility and claim status.
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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.
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National account representative vs field sales representative skills

Common national account representative skills
  • National Accounts, 17%
  • Customer Service, 15%
  • Product Knowledge, 13%
  • Account Management, 5%
  • Sales Growth, 4%
  • Trade Shows, 3%
Common field sales representative skills
  • Excellent Time Management, 17%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • PowerPoint, 6%
  • Medicare, 6%
  • Account Management, 6%
  • Sales Presentations, 5%