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The differences between solution specialists and client relations specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a solution specialist and a client relations specialist. Additionally, a solution specialist has an average salary of $76,424, which is higher than the $39,902 average annual salary of a client relations specialist.
The top three skills for a solution specialist include product knowledge, sales process and SQL. The most important skills for a client relations specialist are client relations, customer service, and data entry.
| Solution Specialist | Client Relations Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $76,424 | $39,902 |
| Hourly rate | $36.74 | $19.18 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 56,938 | 200,766 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A solution specialist is responsible for selling and promoting goods and services of an organization to existing and potential clients through product demonstrations and professional sales pitches, typically on phone calls and e-mail communication. Solutions specialists must possess strong product knowledge to respond to customers' inquiries and concerns about the products and successfully close sales deals that would increase the company's revenues and profitability. A solutions specialist must have excellent communication and customer service skills, maximizing strategic techniques to build customer satisfaction.
A client relations specialist is primarily in charge of building positive relationships with clients by providing optimal services. Although the extent of their responsibilities depends on their company of employment, it typically includes handling customer calls and correspondence, offering products or services, discussing promotions or product specifications, answering inquiries, arranging appointments, resolving issues and concerns, and processing payments or refunds. Moreover, a client relations specialist conducts market research and analysis to identify the current trends and practices, aiming for client satisfaction.
Solution specialists and client relations specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Solution Specialist | Client Relations Specialist | |
| Average salary | $76,424 | $39,902 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $125,000 | Between $27,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | PayPal | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | - | Real Estate |
There are a few differences between a solution specialist and a client relations specialist in terms of educational background:
| Solution Specialist | Client Relations Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between solution specialists' and client relations specialists' demographics:
| Solution Specialist | Client Relations Specialist | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.4% Female, 41.6% | Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 6.7% White, 54.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 6.5% White, 55.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |