How to hire a sales associate and customer service

How to hire a sales associate and customer service, step by step

Here's a step-by-step sales associate and customer service hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a sales associate and customer service job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new sales associate and customer service
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a sales associate and customer service do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The sales associate and customer service hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a sales associate and customer service to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a sales associate and customer service that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of sales associate and customer services and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Sales Associate And Customer Service	Description	Hourly rate
   Sales Associate And Customer Service	Customer service representatives interact with customers to handle complaints, process orders, and provide information about an organization’s products and services.	$10-18
   Customer Sales Representative	The primary role of customer service representatives is to help customers with questions and complaints. It is also their duties and responsibilities to provide customers with information about services and products, take and process orders, and process returns and modifications... Show more	$12-25
   Customer Service Representative	Customer service representatives are the first point of contact of the customers, acting as the frontiers of the company and help in driving customer loyalty and retention by leaving a great impression and resolving all of their concerns. They accommodate customer queries by providing useful and comprehensive information about any products or services... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Plumbing
   • Sales Associates
   • Phone Calls
   • Booking
   • Math
   • Retail Sales
   • Sales Floor
   • Product Knowledge
   • Customer Inquiries
   • POS
   • Cross-Referencing
   • Inbound Calls
   • Customer Complaints

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage call center productivity levels by maintaining CSR schedule adherence.
   • Manage cash balances and inventory stock accurately; ensure cleanliness of all work stations and guarantee excellent customer service.
   • Investigate, analyze, and troubleshoot any issues with a particular delivery.
   • Elicit and record customer information and inquiries via customer relationship management (CRM) software.
   • Move to the CSR position selling and leasing name brand products at a guarantee low price.
   • Provide technical support, and troubleshoot online-base ordering system.

   More sales associate and customer service duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your sales associate and customer service job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A sales associate and customer service salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a sales associate and customer service in Wyoming may be lower than in Connecticut, and an entry-level sales associate and customer service usually earns less than a senior-level sales associate and customer service. Additionally, a sales associate and customer service with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average sales associate and customer service salary

   $13.78hourly

   $28,654 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level sales associate and customer service salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 24, 2025

   Average sales associate and customer service salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$32,411	$16
   2	Oregon	$32,248	$16
   3	California	$31,324	$15
   4	Massachusetts	$31,232	$15
   5	New York	$30,593	$15
   6	Maryland	$29,486	$14
   7	Maine	$28,987	$14
   8	Illinois	$28,817	$14
   9	Colorado	$27,687	$13
   10	Michigan	$27,209	$13
   11	Nevada	$26,351	$13
   12	Minnesota	$26,316	$13
   13	Wisconsin	$26,019	$13
   14	Virginia	$25,921	$12
   15	Ohio	$25,739	$12
   16	Arizona	$25,735	$12
   17	New Mexico	$25,718	$12
   18	North Carolina	$25,615	$12
   19	Pennsylvania	$25,371	$12
   20	Georgia	$25,181	$12

   Average sales associate and customer service salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	GEICO	$42,427	$20.40	42
   2	AT&T	$41,276	$19.84	25
   3	Chicken of the Sea	$39,162	$18.83
   4	Farmers Insurance	$39,050	$18.77	75
   5	Dairy Farmers of America	$38,938	$18.72	11
   6	Appian	$38,084	$18.31
   7	Progressive	$37,869	$18.21	2
   8	Synaptics	$36,931	$17.76
   9	National Railroad Passenger Corporation	$35,856	$17.24	4
   10	Hartman Group	$35,338	$16.99
   11	Automation and Control Technology	$34,962	$16.81
   12	Oldcastle Infrastructure	$34,702	$16.68	29
   13	Office Depot	$34,576	$16.62	15
   14	Subaru	$34,392	$16.53	21
   15	Arconic	$34,327	$16.50	8
   16	The Mountain	$34,039	$16.36	6
   17	Schwan's	$33,688	$16.20	15
   18	Smart Systems	$33,530	$16.12	1
   19	Volt Systems LLC	$33,360	$16.04
   20	Capital One	$33,276	$16.00	9

4. Writing a sales associate and customer service job description

   A good sales associate and customer service job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a sales associate and customer service job description:

   Sales associate and customer service job description example

   Responsibilities
   • Customer Service/Sales associates provide fast, friendly service by actively seeking out customers to assess their needs and provide assistance
   • These associates learn about products using our tools, and provide information to customers in order to sell an entire project
   • Associates in this position will learn how to greet, qualify, recommend and close every customer in their department, and know how to handle basics in adjacent departments
   • Customer Service/Sales associates maintain the in-stock condition of assigned areas, and ensure it is clean, shop-able, and safe
   • Each associate has the responsibility of providing a safe working and shopping environment by following all safety policies & standards, completing specified safety training, immediately correcting hazards & unsafe conditions or reporting conditions to the Manager on Duty, and working safely as not to endanger themselves, co-workers, vendors, or customers
   • These associates work in cooperation with their Department Supervisor and other associates in their department as well as other departments
   
   Job description
   Position Purpose
   
   Customer Service/Sales associates provide fast, friendly service by actively seeking out customers to assess their needs and provide assistance. These associates learn about products using our tools, and provide information to customers in order to sell an entire project. Associates in this position will learn how to greet, qualify, recommend and close every customer in their department, and know how to handle basics in adjacent departments. Customer Service/Sales associates maintain the in-stock condition of assigned areas, and ensure it is clean, shop-able, and safe. Each associate has the responsibility of providing a safe working and shopping environment by following all safety policies & standards, completing specified safety training, immediately correcting hazards & unsafe conditions or reporting conditions to the Manager on Duty, and working safely as not to endanger themselves, co-workers, vendors, or customers. These associates work in cooperation with their Department Supervisor and other associates in their department as well as other departments. Specific store departments may include Building Materials, Décor, Electrical, Flooring, Garden, Hardware, Kitchen & Bath, Lumber, Millwork, Paint, Plumbing and Tool Rental. The Customer Service/Sales position types may include Department Sales, Lead Generator, Pro Account Sales, Sales Specialist, Special Services, and Customer Order Specialist

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find sales associate and customer services for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your sales associate and customer service job on Zippia to find and recruit sales associate and customer service candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit sales associate and customer services, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new sales associate and customer service

   Once you've decided on a perfect sales associate and customer service candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new sales associate and customer service first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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