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The differences between outside sales managers and route sales managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both an outside sales manager and a route sales manager. Additionally, an outside sales manager has an average salary of $84,408, which is higher than the $48,830 average annual salary of a route sales manager.
The top three skills for an outside sales manager include product knowledge, CRM and customer service. The most important skills for a route sales manager are food service, sales territory, and sales route.
| Outside Sales Manager | Route Sales Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $84,408 | $48,830 |
| Hourly rate | $40.58 | $23.48 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 138,054 | 112,342 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
An outside sales manager is responsible for monitoring the sales staff performance in selling goods and services to existing and potential clients and ensuring that the team meets sales objectives. Outside sales managers set reasonable sales targets and establish techniques to maximize the staff's efficiency and productivity. They regularly connect with the clients to determine their needs and make any adjustments to business plans as needed. An outside sales manager should have excellent knowledge of the current market trends to identify business opportunities that would generate more revenues and resources.
A route sales manager is responsible for monitoring the performance of the sales staff within their designated areas, ensuring the adherence to sales goals and objectives efficiently, and providing the highest satisfaction to the customers. Route sales managers develop strategic procedures for marketing campaigns, identifying business opportunities to generate more revenue resources, and increase the company's profitability. They also conduct sales training and programs for the staff to maximize productivity and enhance their sales skills. A route sales manager analyzes sales reports and evaluates customers' needs by studying market trends.
Outside sales managers and route sales managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Outside Sales Manager | Route Sales Manager | |
| Average salary | $84,408 | $48,830 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $138,000 | Between $42,000 And $56,000 |
| Highest paying City | Albany, NY | - |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | - |
| Best paying company | Dominion Enterprises | - |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between an outside sales manager and a route sales manager in terms of educational background:
| Outside Sales Manager | Route Sales Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between outside sales managers' and route sales managers' demographics:
| Outside Sales Manager | Route Sales Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% | Male, 93.7% Female, 6.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |