What does a product advisor do?
A product advisor specializes in developing and recommending strategies to optimize a company's product development operations. Among their responsibilities include performing market research and analysis, determining trends and client needs, understanding and identifying project requirements, gathering and analyzing data on existing systems, and implementing solutions against problem areas. They may also study client feedback and competitor strategies, identify the strengths and weaknesses of current procedures, and develop strategic business plans in adherence to the company's policies and regulations, including its mission and vision.
Product advisor responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real product advisor resumes:
- Lead commodity team management for spend categories within product lines and OEM accounts.
- Manage all facets of product consultation while continually outperforming departmental goals and objectives in relation to sales profitability and revenue growth.
- Train staff on POS and workshops.
- Check customers out using mobile POS system.
- Work with SQL extensively to test database integrity.
- Provide customer with support for apple products, troubleshooting, schedule appointments and setup repairs.
- Perform data analysis and review to troubleshoot, diagnose, and correct processing and/or client issues.
- Consult with business owners regarding payroll and human resource solutions which fit their individual business model.
- Develop business through analyzing payroll and human resources needs of companies and make recommendations base on those findings.
- Cashier, demo computers, tablets, phones, work in the back stock room and help answer customer's questions.
- Create multiple user level training decks, demo presentation decks, and proprietary post-implementation step-by-step system maintenance guides.
- Administer make-up application to customers during cosmetic demonstrations
- Administer make-up application to customers during cosmetic demonstrations
Product advisor skills and personality traits
We calculated that 29% of Product Advisors are proficient in Service Offerings, Technology Solutions, and PowerPoint. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Interpersonal skills, and Math skills.
We break down the percentage of Product Advisors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Service Offerings, 29%
Educated technology capability with expert level knowledge in all consumer retail products, devices and service offerings.
- Technology Solutions, 28%
Presented and sold technology solutions for public and enterprise consumers while performing exceptional customer service.
- PowerPoint, 7%
Maintain expert-level product knowledge in all Microsoft retail products including Windows, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Product Knowledge, 6%
Maintain an expert-level product knowledge and effectively communicate tailored solutions to a diverse set of consumers.
- Technical Issues, 5%
Worked directly with customers about hardware and software, OS operations and implementation, and technical issues.
- SQL, 4%
Gained hands-on experience using the following: MS Excel, MS Access, SQL, and SAS Visual Analytics.
Most product advisors use their skills in "service offerings," "technology solutions," and "powerpoint" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential product advisor responsibilities here:
Customer-service skills. One of the key soft skills for a product advisor to have is customer-service skills. You can see how this relates to what product advisors do because "retail sales workers must be responsive to the wants and needs of customers." Additionally, a product advisor resume shows how product advisors use customer-service skills: "led and promoted large-scale community events to improve customer relations and overall sales. "
Interpersonal skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling product advisor duties is interpersonal skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "a friendly and outgoing personality is important for these workers because the job requires almost constant interaction with people." According to a product advisor resume, here's how product advisors can utilize interpersonal skills in their job responsibilities: "retail sales, customer service, strong interpersonalclient relationships; maintenance, campaign sales in major department stores. "
Math skills. This is an important skill for product advisors to perform their duties. For an example of how product advisor responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "retail sales workers must have the ability to calculate price totals, discounts, and change owed to customers." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a product advisor: "used retail math to define opportunities and gaps in monthly sales goals. ".
Selling skills. product advisor responsibilities often require "selling skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "retail sales workers must be persuasive when interacting with customers." This resume example shows what product advisors do with selling skills on a typical day: "maximized sales by using professional selling techniques, demonstrating product knowledge and communication skills. "
The three companies that hire the most product advisors are:
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Product advisor vs. Sales team member
A sales team member is responsible for selling goods and services to the customers, responding to their inquiries and concerns, and updating them with new services and promotional offers. Sales team members play a huge role in generating revenues for the business by maintaining existing clients and attracting potential customers. They assist with developing sales strategies for brand awareness, creating sales pitches, and identifying sales opportunities by researching current market trends. A sales team member must have excellent communication and customer service skills to negotiate with the customers and ensure their highest satisfaction.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between product advisors and sales team member. For instance, product advisor responsibilities require skills such as "service offerings," "technology solutions," "powerpoint," and "technical issues." Whereas a sales team member is skilled in "wine," "cleanliness," "ladders," and "basic math." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Sales team members tend to reach similar levels of education than product advisors. In fact, sales team members are 3.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Product advisor vs. Retail clerk
A retail clerk is responsible for selling goods and services to the customers, recommending products based on their needs, and responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns about the product. Retail clerks assist with the store's marketing strategies, organize product displays, monitor inventories, endorse promotional discounts, and help customers on their checkout payments. A retail clerk must have excellent communication and customer service skills to handle customers' requests and ensure their highest satisfaction.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, product advisor responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "service offerings," "technology solutions," "powerpoint," and "technical issues." Meanwhile, a retail clerk has duties that require skills in areas such as "stock shelves," "groceries," "retail sales," and "basic math." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Retail clerks earn a lower average salary than product advisors. But retail clerks earn the highest pay in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $30,316. Additionally, product advisors earn the highest salaries in the technology with average pay of $108,442 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Retail clerks tend to reach similar levels of education than product advisors. In fact, they're 3.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Product advisor vs. Sales clerk
A sales clerk is responsible for assisting customers in purchasing products, responding to customer inquiries, and providing product recommendations. Sales clerks require excellent customer service and communication skills to offer the best services to the customers and maintain good customer feedback for the business. They also check inventories, request supplies as needed, and organize product displays on the appropriate shelves. A sales clerk must have strong verbal communication skills to manage customer concerns and excellent time-management skills to perform tasks within the fast-paced work environment.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a product advisor is likely to be skilled in "service offerings," "technology solutions," "powerpoint," and "technical issues," while a typical sales clerk is skilled in "stock shelves," "retail sales," "store policies," and "store displays."
Sales clerks earn the highest salary when working in the energy industry, where they receive an average salary of $28,784. Comparatively, product advisors have the highest earning potential in the technology industry, with an average salary of $108,442.sales clerks typically earn similar educational levels compared to product advisors. Specifically, they're 3.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Product advisor vs. Retail sales representative
A retail salesperson's responsibility is to sell products and provide necessary information to the consumers to convince them of availing items. Retail salesperson's duties include coordinating with promotional programs, recommending strategies to increase sales, answering customer's inquiries, and escalating any concerns to the management that might affect the company's sales performance. A retail salesperson must have excellent communication skills to build a good rapport with the customers and assist them with their needs. A retail salesperson also helps with inventories and documenting a customer's suggestion for service improvement.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between product advisors and retail sales representatives, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a product advisor might have more use for skills like "service offerings," "technology solutions," "powerpoint," and "sql." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of retail sales representatives require skills like "retail sales," "retail store," "store management," and "strong computer. "
In general, retail sales representatives earn the most working in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $41,295. The highest-paying industry for a product advisor is the technology industry.retail sales representatives reach similar levels of education compared to product advisors, in general. The difference is that they're 1.9% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of product advisor
Updated January 8, 2025











