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Sales representative/assistant vs inside sales associate

The differences between sales representative/assistants and inside sales associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a sales representative/assistant and an inside sales associate. Additionally, an inside sales associate has an average salary of $40,687, which is higher than the $38,112 average annual salary of a sales representative/assistant.

The top three skills for a sales representative/assistant include product knowledge, brand awareness and sales associates. The most important skills for an inside sales associate are inside sales, sales associates, and strong customer service.

Sales representative/assistant vs inside sales associate overview

Sales Representative/AssistantInside Sales Associate
Yearly salary$38,112$40,687
Hourly rate$18.32$19.56
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs404,514320,863
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age4747
Years of experience44

What does a sales representative/assistant do?

A sales representative is responsible for selling the company's products through creative leads, existing customer support, educating prospective clients through calls, training, presentations, and creative advertising. Their duties and responsibilities include coordinating with other departments to optimize sales and keeping updated sales records.

What does an inside sales associate do?

An inside sales associate is responsible for selling the company's goods and services through remote communication. Inside sales associates make calls to potential customers, demonstrate the products' features, take orders, process payments, and inform the customers of the delivery details. They strategize the most effective sales pitches to attract the customers on purchasing more services that would generate revenues and increase the company's profitability and brand image. An inside sales associate also supports the marketing team in developing marketing campaigns and promotional offers depending on customer demands and requests.

Sales representative/assistant vs inside sales associate salary

Sales representative/assistants and inside sales associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

Sales Representative/AssistantInside Sales Associate
Average salary$38,112$40,687
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $47,000Between $30,000 And $54,000
Highest paying City-Seattle, WA
Highest paying state-Washington
Best paying company-MSCI
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between sales representative/assistant and inside sales associate education

There are a few differences between a sales representative/assistant and an inside sales associate in terms of educational background:

Sales Representative/AssistantInside Sales Associate
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeSUNY College of Technology at AlfredSUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Sales representative/assistant vs inside sales associate demographics

Here are the differences between sales representative/assistants' and inside sales associates' demographics:

Sales Representative/AssistantInside Sales Associate
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 35.5% Female, 64.5%Male, 57.3% Female, 42.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.6% 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 sales representative/assistant and inside sales associate duties and responsibilities

Sales representative/assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage organization website and Facebook page; writing articles for websites and newsletters.
  • Execute weekly on premise promotions and off-site special events that generate brand awareness, increase distribution and additional sales.
  • Create and maintain purchase and sales orders for clients through use of POS systems.
  • Operate a well-establish POS system which include POS reporting tools to better assist the sales team.
  • Communicate ongoing contact activity utilizing Salesforce.com.

Inside sales associate example responsibilities.

  • Manage individual sales activities by developing highly effective, communications focuse relationship with multiple sales channels.
  • Provide awareness to customers of the benefits of moving to a cloud platform for intra/customer facing web applications.
  • Develop a standardize, customize CRM system to track sales and marketing ROI that link into operational and financial ERP systems.
  • Calculate roofing amounts/square footage etc.
  • Maintain cleanliness and organization of stockroom shelves.
  • Conduct effective outbound telemarketing calls to potential and existing clients.
  • Show more

Sales representative/assistant vs inside sales associate skills

Common sales representative/assistant skills
  • Product Knowledge, 24%
  • Brand Awareness, 20%
  • Sales Associates, 19%
  • Store Associates, 2%
  • Sales Reports, 2%
  • Increase Sales, 2%
Common inside sales associate skills
  • Inside Sales, 13%
  • Sales Associates, 7%
  • Strong Customer Service, 6%
  • Sales Process, 5%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 5%
  • Sales Floor, 5%