What does a sales administrator do?
A sales administrator supports sales representatives to make customer deals. Aside from that, tasks such as answering customer queries, checking stock availability, processing deliveries, sending out invoices, and maintaining records and databases are a sales administrator's duties. Overall, a sales administrator focuses on orders, communicating to customers via telephone or face-to-face, invoicing, targeting sales, and record keeping.
Sales administrator responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real sales administrator resumes:
- Manage distributor accounts including inventory management, allocations, and communicating internally with purchasing, logistics, finance and shipping departments.
- Work with operations to expedite deliveries, or track shipments as requested by customer.
- Confer with sales, shipping, and warehouse to expedite or trace missing or delay shipments.
- Publish POS materials and create correspondence to distributors for seasonal promotion items.
- Design and produce consumer/distributor incentive programs, POS materials and retail display systems.
- Manage distributor accounts including inventory management, allocations, and communicating internally with purchasing, logistics, finance and shipping departments.
- Select to maintain up to date ISO policies with distribution to all department members.
- Target OEM accounts to try and get appointments for salespeople.
- Control of all rooming lists, enforcing cut-off dates outline in contractual agreements, arrange amenities and upgrades for VIP guests.
- Process PO's, reconcile QuickBooks, and create and analyze financial reports for viability and growth potential.
- Update company Facebook page and answer any customer questions.
- Detail and communicate high-profile VIP arrivals and site-visits.
- Invoice products and services using QuickBooks, which update inventory immediately and efficiently.
Sales administrator skills and personality traits
We calculated that 37% of Sales Administrators are proficient in Customer Service, Sales Support, and PowerPoint. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Leadership skills.
We break down the percentage of Sales Administrators that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 37%
Interfaced with Customer Service Representatives and Operations Management to resolve order transmission issues and coordinate laptop upgrades and software enhancement patches.
- Sales Support, 13%
Provided sales support for the Western Regional Sales Manager representing companies providing professional electronics products and related technology services.
- PowerPoint, 5%
Executed administrative duties including correspondence, travel arrangements, PowerPoint presentations for Regional Meetings.
- Data Entry, 5%
Assisted Purchasing Manager with operating the inventory control system including data entry and reconciling receiving documents to system generated reports.
- CRM, 4%
Coordinate customer account administration such as licensing, customer approval and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) data maintenance.
- Salesforce, 4%
Design and develop User Interfaces for SalesForce users as per requirements.
Most sales administrators use their skills in "customer service," "sales support," and "powerpoint" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential sales administrator responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a sales administrator to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "sales managers must collect and interpret complex data to target the most promising geographic areas and demographic groups, and determine the most effective sales strategies." Sales administrators often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "program and monitor phone and data system installations for accuracy and customer support"
Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform sales administrator duties is communication skills. Sales administrators responsibilities require that "sales managers need to work with colleagues and customers, so they must be able to communicate clearly." Sales administrators also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "assisted with customer support, first line of communication with clients via answering phones, questions or providing general information. "
Leadership skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of sales administrators is leadership skills. This skill is critical to many everyday sales administrator duties, as "sales managers must be able to evaluate how their sales staff performs and must develop strategies for meeting sales goals." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "handled customer inquiries referred by senior leadership team and field operations. "
Customer-service skills. sales administrator responsibilities often require "customer-service skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "when helping to make a sale, sales managers must listen and respond to the customer’s needs." This resume example shows what sales administrators do with customer-service skills on a typical day: "developed and designed key account, especially semiconductor related industry, consists of account set up and continuous customer support. "
The three companies that hire the most sales administrators are:
- Bath & Body Works124 sales administrators jobs
- Realogy
43 sales administrators jobs
- Topgolf35 sales administrators jobs
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Compare different sales administrators
Sales administrator vs. Account manager
Account managers are employees who act as the bridge between the company they represent and the client of the company. They are assigned to handle specific clients so that the company will be able to tailor-fit any product or service according to the clients' requirements. Account managers are responsible for maintaining a harmonious relationship between the two parties by ensuring that any agreement made is amenable to both the company and the client. They are also responsible for ensuring that the company will be able to provide the needs of the client within any limitation that the client may have. Account managers also ensure that the company's reputation and well-being are always considered in any dealings.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, sales administrator responsibilities require skills like "sales support," "strong customer service," "data entry," and "salesforce." Meanwhile a typical account manager has skills in areas such as "account management," "healthcare," "product knowledge," and "work ethic." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Account managers earn the highest salaries when working in the technology industry, with an average yearly salary of $76,412. On the other hand, sales administrators are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $47,215.The education levels that account managers earn slightly differ from sales administrators. In particular, account managers are 1.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a sales administrator. Additionally, they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Sales administrator vs. Sales internship
Sales internship is a program that requires work in the business and sales development. Sales interns work as assistants to managers and senior staff. Their duties and responsibilities are administrative. They do research, send emails, update records, and make calls. It is their job to maintain good client relationships. They observe the process and other details related to sales. Also, they help in identifying and tracking sales leads, evaluating success, and generating sales reports.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real sales administrator resumes. While sales administrator responsibilities can utilize skills like "sales support," "strong customer service," "data entry," and "purchase orders," sales interns use skills like "sales intern," "work ethic," "client relationships," and "excellent interpersonal."
Sales interns may earn a lower salary than sales administrators, but sales interns earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $36,889. On the other hand, sales administrators receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $47,215.sales interns earn similar levels of education than sales administrators in general. They're 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Sales administrator vs. Sales support representative
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.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a sales administrator is likely to be skilled in "strong customer service," "data entry," "salesforce," and "purchase orders," while a typical sales support representative is skilled in "phone calls," "product knowledge," "good communication," and "work ethic."
Sales support representatives earn the best pay in the finance industry, where they command an average salary of $45,182. Sales administrators earn the highest pay from the technology industry, with an average salary of $47,215.Most sales support representatives achieve a similar degree level compared to sales administrators. For example, they're 1.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Sales administrator vs. Sales and marketing internship
In a sales and marketing internship, one of the primary duties is to assist in marketing-related tasks under a manager's supervision. The responsibilities will vary depending on the orders or directives given. However, they will mostly revolve around conducting research and analysis, preparing reports and presentations, participating in meetings, sharing insights, identifying opportunities, and developing resource materials such as surveys and polls. There are also instances where an intern must manage social media accounts to improve brand awareness and improve client relationships.
Types of sales administrator
Updated January 8, 2025
