Technical sales representative

A Technical Sales Representative is a specialized sales professional who focuses on selling complex technical products and services. They possess a deep understanding of the technical aspects of the products they sell and can effectively communicate these to potential customers. This role is crucial in industries such as engineering, manufacturing, IT, and telecommunications, where detailed product knowledge is necessary to meet client needs and drive sales.

Here are some typical duties performed by technical sales representatives:

• Product Knowledge: Gain and maintain an in-depth understanding of the technical specifications and functionalities of the products or services being sold.
• Client Consultation: Engage with potential clients to understand their specific technical needs and requirements.
• Sales Presentations: Prepare and deliver detailed sales presentations and product demonstrations tailored to the client’s needs.
• Proposal Development: Create comprehensive sales proposals, including cost estimates, product configurations, and implementation plans.
• Technical Support: Provide technical assistance and answer client questions during the sales process.
• Relationship Building: Develop and maintain strong relationships with new and existing clients, acting as a trusted advisor.
• Market Analysis: Conduct market research to identify new sales opportunities and stay informed about industry trends and competitor offerings.
• Sales Targets: Achieve or exceed sales targets and quotas set by the company.
• Collaboration: Work closely with the technical and engineering teams to ensure customer requirements are met and products are delivered on time.
• After-Sales Support: Provide ongoing support to clients after the sale, including troubleshooting, training, and updates on new products or features.

The following job titles also refer to technical sales representative:

field salesperson
inside technical sales representative
trainee technical sales representative
assistant technical sales engineer
technical field sales representative
field saleswoman
senior technical sales engineer
graduate technical sales engineer
field salesman
outside technical sales representative
graduate technical sales representative
assistant technical sales representative
trainee technical sales engineer
senior technical sales representative

Technical Sales Representatives typically work in a combination of office settings and field environments. They spend a significant amount of time meeting with clients at their offices or job sites, which may require travel, sometimes extensively. The role involves regular use of computers and technical equipment for product demonstrations and presentations. Work hours can be flexible, often extending beyond the typical 9-to-5 to accommodate client schedules and deadlines. The position requires a blend of technical acumen and strong interpersonal skills, as representatives must effectively communicate complex information in an accessible manner. Additionally, they must manage the pressures of meeting sales targets and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.

To become a Technical Sales Representative, the following educational background and experience are typically required:

1. Education: A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as engineering, computer science, business, or a related technical discipline is often required. Advanced degrees or specialized training can be advantageous.
2. Technical Training: On-the-job training specific to the products or services sold is essential. This may include understanding product specifications, installation processes, and industry standards.
3. Sales Experience: Previous experience in sales, particularly in a technical field, is highly beneficial. Experience in customer service and account management can also be valuable.
4. Certifications: Industry-specific certifications may enhance credibility and job prospects. For example, certifications in IT, engineering, or specific technical products can demonstrate expertise.
5. Skills: Strong communication and presentation skills, technical knowledge, problem-solving abilities, and a customer-focused approach are critical. Proficiency in using CRM software and other sales tools is also important.

Ongoing professional development is crucial to stay updated with the latest technological advancements and market trends. Membership in professional organizations, such as the Sales Management Association or industry-specific groups, provides access to resources, networking opportunities, and continued education.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Technical sales representative is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to technical sales representative.

technical sales representative in agricultural machinery and equipment
technical sales representative in chemical products
technical sales representative in electronic and telecommunications equipment
technical sales representative in hardware, plumbing and heating equipment
technical sales representative in machinery and industrial equipment

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of technical sales representative.

• Characteristics of products: The tangible characteristics of a product such as its materials, properties and functions, as well as its different applications, features, use and support requirements.
• Sales promotion techniques: The techniques used to persuade customers to purchase a product or a service.
• Product comprehension: The offered products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
• Characteristics of services: The characteristics of a service that might include having acquired information about its application, function, features, use and support requirements.

These skills are necessary for the role of technical sales representative.

• Guarantee customer satisfaction: Handle customer expectations in a professional manner, anticipating and addressing their needs and desires. Provide flexible customer service to ensure customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Communicate with customers: Respond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.
• Implement marketing strategies: Implement strategies that aim to promote a specific product or service, using the developed marketing strategies.
• Ensure customer focus: Attitude that puts customers at the centre of the business in all cases.
• Ensure compliance with legal requirements: Guarantee compliance with established and applicable standards and legal requirements such as specifications, policies, standards or law for the goal that organisations aspire to achieve in their efforts.
• Answer requests for quotation: Make up prices and documents for the products that customers may purchase.
• Maintain relationship with customers: Build a lasting and meaningful relationship with customers in order to ensure satisfaction and fidelity by providing accurate and friendly advice and support, by delivering quality products and services and by supplying after-sales information and service.
• Implement customer follow-up: Implement strategies that ensures post-sale follow up of customer satisfaction or loyalty regarding one’s product or service.
• Prospect new customers: Initiate activities in order to attract new and interesting customers. Ask for recommendations and references, find places where potential customers can be located.
• Record customers’ personal data: Gather and record customers’ personal data into the system; obtain all signatures and documents required for rental.
• Contact customers: Contact customers by telephone in order to respond to inquiries or to notify them of claim investigation results or any planned adjustments.
• Keep records of customer interaction: Recording details of inquiries, comments and complaints received from customers, as well as actions to be taken.
• Demonstrate motivation for sales: Show incentives that drive someone to reach sales goals and business targets.
• Use customer relationship management software: Use specialised software to manage company’s interactions with current and future customers. Organise, automate and synchronise sales, marketing, customer service, and technical support, to increase targeted sales.
• Prioritise tasks: Organise tasks according to their priority.
• Produce sales reports: Maintain records of calls made and products sold over a given time frame, including data regarding sales volumes, number of new accounts contacted and the costs involved.
• Implement sales strategies: Carry out the plan to gain a competitive advantage in the market by positioning the company’s brand or product and by targeting the right audience to sell this brand or product to.
• Apply technical communication skills: Explain technical details to non-technical customers, stakeholders, or any other interested parties in a clear and concise manner.
• Respond to customers’ inquiries: Answer customers’ questions about itineraries, rates and reservations in person, by mail, by e-mail and on the phone.
• Supervise sales activities: Monitor and oversee the activities related to the ongoing sales in the shop to ensure that sales goals are met, assess areas for improvement, and identify or solve problems that customers could encounter.
• Have computer literacy: Utilise computers, IT equipment and modern-day technology in an efficient way.
• Demonstrate products’ features: Demonstrate how to use a product in a correct and safe manner, provide customers with information on the product’s main features and benefits, explain operation, correct use and maintenance. Persuade potential customers to purchase items.
• Provide customer follow-up services: Register, follow up, solve and respond to customer requests, complaints and after-sales services.
• Keep records on sales: Keep records of the activities of the sales of products and services, tracking which products and services were sold when and maintaining customer records, in order to facilitate improvements in the sales department.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of technical sales representative. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Chemical products: The offered chemical products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
• Textile industry machinery products: The offered textile industry machinery products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
• E-procurement: The functioning and methods used to manage electronic purchases.
• Sales activities: The supply of goods, sale of goods and the related financial aspects. The supply of goods entails the selection of goods, import and transfer. The financial aspect includes the processing of purchasing and sales invoices, payments etc. The sale of goods implies the proper presentation and positioning of the goods in the shop in terms of accessibility, promotion, and light exposure.
• Credit card payments: The methods involving payment done through credit cards.
• Electronic and telecommunication equipment: The offered electronic and telecommunication equipment and products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
• Types of aircraft: The various types of aircraft, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
• Office equipment: The offered office machinery and equipment products, its functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
• Agricultural equipment: The offered agricultural machinery and equipment products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
• Types of maritime vessels: Know a large variety of maritime vessels and their characteristics and specifications. Use that knowledge to ensure that all security, technical, and maintenance measures are taken into account in their supply.
• International commercial transactions rules: Pre-defined commercial terms used in international commercial transactions which stipulate clear tasks, costs and risks associated with the delivery of goods and services.
• Machinery products: The offered machinery products their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
• Consumer protection: The current legislation applicable in relation to the rights of consumers in the marketplace.
• Hardware, plumbing and heating equipment products: The offered hardware, plumbing and heating equipment products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
• Ict software specifications: The characteristics, use and operations of various software products such as computer programmes and application software.
• Industrial tools: The tools and equipment used for industrial purposes, both power and hand tools, and their various uses.
• Multimedia systems: The methods, procedures and techniques pertaining to the operation of multimedia systems, usually a combination of software and hardware, presenting various types of media such as video and audio.
• E-commerce systems: Basic digital architecture and commercial transactions for trading products or services conducted via Internet, e-mail, mobile devices, social media, etc.
• Mining, construction and civil engineering machinery products: The offered mining, construction and civil engineering machinery products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
• Market pricing: Price volatility according to market and price elasticity, and the factors that influence pricing trends and changes in the market in the long and short term.
• Electronic communication: Data communication performed through digital means such as computers, telephone or e-mail.
• Sales strategies: The principles concerning customer behaviour and target markets with the aim of promotion and sales of a product or a service.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of technical sales representative. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Create solutions to problems: Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
• Speak different languages: Master foreign languages to be able to communicate in one or more foreign languages.
• Perform customers’ needs analysis: Analyse the habits and needs of customers and target groups in order to devise and apply new marketing strategies and to sell more goods in a more effective way.
• Address problems critically: Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various abstract, rational concepts, such as issues, opinions, and approaches related to a specific problematic situation in order to formulate solutions and alternative methods of tackling the situation.
• Issue sales invoices: Prepare the invoice of goods sold or services provided, containing individual prices, the total charge, and the terms. Complete order processing for orders received via telephone, fax and internet and calculate the customer’s final bill.

2433 – Technical and medical sales professionals (excluding ICT)

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References

1. Technical sales representative – ESCO
2. Featured image: Photo by Christiann Koepke on Unsplash