What does a technical sales representative do?
A technical sales representative is responsible for selling products and services by demonstrating the product's details and features to existing and potential clients. Technical sales representatives evaluate clients' needs and recommend solutions through the organization's technology-based products. They also assist with promotional offers and marketing campaigns to boost brand awareness and increase revenues and achieve profitability goals while ensuring the highest customer satisfaction. A technical sales representative must have excellent communication and customer service skills, handling customers' inquiries, and resolving complaints.
Technical sales representative responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real technical sales representative resumes:
- Administer product and system design engineering support, prepare RFP responses, deliver presentations, and manage field support calls.
- Manage and assist a vast customer base in the market for new roofing needs after a large hail storm in Lubbock.
- Conduct sales, build orders, maintain cleanliness and ensure customer satisfaction.
- Direct overall account customer relations and assist in OEM product development.
- Maintain cleanliness provide exceptional customer satisfaction by assisting them in the selection of update fashion to complement their selection.
- Document key sales activities in the company's customer relationship management (CRM) system.
- Maintain customer information and submit call reports in a customer relationship management (CRM) database on a regular basis.
- Create and execute a sales and marketing plan selling high performance, environmentally and user friendly finishes to industrial OEM accounts.
- Initiate contact with prospective customers, product evaluation and qualify new distributors.
- Home OfficeThe Florida/Georgia DSR position requires working completely independent from a home office utilizing multiple sales disciplines.
- Travel domestically and internationally to meet with customers, representatives and distributors as well as run customer evaluations at their facility.
- Prepare RFQ s and follow up.
- Prepare detailed customer proposals, RFP responses, and price quotes for large, regional and national accounts.
- Create an introductory capability PowerPoint presentation for clients.
- Test and troubleshoot residential and commercial water purification systems to assure proper operation.
Technical sales representative skills and personality traits
We calculated that 23% of Technical Sales Representatives are proficient in Sales Process, Business Development, and Sales Support. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Physical stamina, and Self-confidence.
We break down the percentage of Technical Sales Representatives that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Sales Process, 23%
Assumed responsibility for the entire sales process, including customer introduction and recommendations.
- Business Development, 17%
Provided engineering and technical support to the customer as it pertained to existing product improvement and through new business development.
- Sales Support, 15%
Assisted with method development, provided post-sales support and troubleshooting guidance to maximize customer satisfaction and retention.
- Post Sales, 12%
Served in a dual position selling new personal computers and peripheral equipment and providing extensive pre-sale and post sales customer support.
- Java, 5%
Worked with computer programs such as Adobe, C++, and Java.
- OEM, 3%
Reason for leaving is the bottom fell out of the semiconductor market with the majority of OEM manufacturing moved to China.
"sales process," "business development," and "sales support" are among the most common skills that technical sales representatives use at work. You can find even more technical sales representative responsibilities below, including:
Interpersonal skills. The most essential soft skill for a technical sales representative to carry out their responsibilities is interpersonal skills. This skill is important for the role because "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives must be able to work well with many types of people." Additionally, a technical sales representative resume shows how their duties depend on interpersonal skills: "increased sales in territory due to technical knowledge and strong diplomatic and interpersonal skills. "
Physical stamina. Many technical sales representative duties rely on physical stamina. "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives are often on their feet for a long time and may carry heavy sample products.," so a technical sales representative will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways technical sales representative responsibilities rely on physical stamina: "pick and pack customer orders participated in annual physical inventory count member of chemical spill team operated fork lift truck"
Self-confidence. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of technical sales representatives is self-confidence. This skill is critical to many everyday technical sales representative duties, as "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives must be confident and persuasive when making sales presentations." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "delivered 300% growth of sales to key customer by using extensive technical knowledge and engendering confidence to expand product line. "
Customer-service skills. technical sales representative responsibilities often require "customer-service skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives must be able to listen to the customer’s needs and concerns before and after the sale." This resume example shows what technical sales representatives do with customer-service skills on a typical day: "trained direct sale customers, dealers and distributors in product use, technical and safety information. "
The three companies that hire the most technical sales representatives are:
- Oracle582 technical sales representatives jobs
- Ecolab63 technical sales representatives jobs
- Stoneridge Software52 technical sales representatives jobs
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Compare different technical sales representatives
Technical sales representative vs. Sales representative and account manager
A sales representative/account manager is responsible for supervising client portfolio accounts and maintaining long-lasting relationships with business partners. Sales representatives/account managers meet with existing and potential clients to discuss new services offered by the company, as well as addressing their requests for review. They also handle the account budgets, developing strategic procedures and marketing techniques to improve the brand image in the market, generating more revenues and profits for the business. A sales representative/account manager identifies business opportunities by following trends to provide public demands and interests.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, technical sales representative responsibilities require skills like "sales support," "post sales," "java," and "technical assistance." Meanwhile a typical sales representative and account manager has skills in areas such as "flyers," "local businesses," "client relationships," and "develop leads." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
The education levels that sales representative and account managers earn slightly differ from technical sales representatives. In particular, sales representative and account managers are 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a technical sales representative. Additionally, they're 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Technical sales representative vs. Senior sales executive
Senior sales executives are the most experienced members of a sales team. It is their responsibility to lead the customer representatives, ensuring that sales targets are met. Their job includes analyzing business trends to identify ways to improve products, ensuring customer satisfaction is met with the company products or services acquired, as well as submitting account plans and sales reports to higher management. They should also be able to timely resolve issues concerning complaints from the customer.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that technical sales representative responsibilities requires skills like "sales support," "technical assistance," "sales rep," and "technical support." But a senior sales executive might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "healthcare," "sales targets," "roi," and "sales strategies."
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Senior sales executives tend to reach similar levels of education than technical sales representatives. In fact, they're 4.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Technical sales representative vs. Senior accounts representative
Typically, a senior accounts representative familiarizes all the accounts of the company. Senior accounts representatives communicate with customers and resolve client-associated complaints or issues. They monitor business and company messages, email, and other communication systems. It is part of their job to respond to their clients. The skills needed for this position include customer service, sales or marketing, and account management. They are also expected to be knowledgeable in PowerPoint, trade, and product development.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a technical sales representative is likely to be skilled in "sales process," "sales support," "post sales," and "java," while a typical senior accounts representative is skilled in "patients," "payment arrangements," "medicaid," and "branch management."
Senior accounts representatives typically earn similar educational levels compared to technical sales representatives. Specifically, they're 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Technical sales representative vs. Technical sales manager
A technical sales manager is responsible for monitoring the sales techniques and performance of the sales team in selling technical services and systems to the customers. Technical sales managers coordinate with clients to discuss and negotiate offers of new products and services. They also identify business opportunities by analyzing current technology trends from public demands to generate more revenue resources and increase the company's profits. A technical sales manager facilitates and plans sales training and programs to maximize staff's efficiency and productivity.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between technical sales representatives and technical sales managers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a technical sales representative might have more use for skills like "sales support," "java," "sales rep," and "technical support." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of technical sales managers require skills like "sales management," "sales strategies," "pre sales," and "project management. "
In general, technical sales managers hold similar degree levels compared to technical sales representatives. Technical sales managers are 4.9% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of technical sales representative
Updated January 8, 2025
