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National account representative vs sales support representative

The differences between national account representatives and sales support 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 sales support representative. Additionally, a national account representative has an average salary of $44,826, which is higher than the $38,310 average annual salary of a sales support representative.

The top three skills for a national account representative include national accounts, customer service and product knowledge. The most important skills for a sales support representative are sales support, phone calls, and POS.

National account representative vs sales support representative overview

National Account RepresentativeSales Support Representative
Yearly salary$44,826$38,310
Hourly rate$21.55$18.42
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs204,509319,292
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 55%
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 sales support representative do?

A sales support representative is responsible for assisting the complex operations of sales departments, performing administrative duties under the supervision of a direct manager. Sales support representatives' tasks include acknowledging and encoding customers' orders in the system, processing payments, responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns about the products, writing sales reports, and updating the customer of the shipment details. They also support the sales representatives on selling goods and services to potential customers by creating marketing materials and communicating with customers over the phone and e-mail to generate revenues and increase profits.

National account representative vs sales support representative salary

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

National Account RepresentativeSales Support Representative
Average salary$44,826$38,310
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $64,000Between $30,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City-Seattle, WA
Highest paying state-Washington
Best paying company-NetApp
Best paying industry-Finance

Differences between national account representative and sales support representative education

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

National Account RepresentativeSales Support Representative
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeSUNY College of Technology at AlfredSUNY College of Technology at Alfred

National account representative vs sales support representative demographics

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

National Account RepresentativeSales Support Representative
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 54.5% Female, 45.5%Male, 39.9% Female, 60.1%
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, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 73.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between national account representative and sales support 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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Sales support representative example responsibilities.

  • Manage internal CRM and inventory software to track and input sales orders, account history, and stock allocation.
  • Facilitate the transition from AS400 to JDE operating system.
  • Utilize all programs, systems, and procedures of windows operating systems.
  • Help customers troubleshoot technical issues with their computers, process customer transactions and handle escalate issues.
  • Assist in setting up and checking EDI data from customers, brokers, carriers, and truckers.
  • Work collaboratively with sales representatives and regional vice presidents to produce cost proposals, problem solve and troubleshoot issues.
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National account representative vs sales support 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 sales support representative skills
  • Sales Support, 16%
  • Phone Calls, 10%
  • POS, 8%
  • Product Knowledge, 7%
  • Customer Complaints, 6%
  • Customer Inquiries, 6%