A salesperson and a sales associate

There are several careers available in the sales sector. These include sales representative and sales assistant. These two professions have the same objective. The only difference lies in their tasks: one is more administrative, the other more commercial. Nevertheless, you can follow the same career path, whether you want to become a sales representative or a sales assistant.

Contents

Description

What’s the difference between a salesperson and a sales associate?

The professions of sales representative and sales assistant are both linked to sales and business. Together, they represent the company that employs them to customers. The only difference is that the salesperson plays the sole role of salesperson, whereas the sales assistant is a sales consultant. In other words :

Sales representatives are responsible for selling one or more products or services to customers. Before that, however, they have to start by prospecting, followed by an interview and negotiation in order to conclude a contract; this is a front-office job. They may often have to travel and meet customers face-to-face.

the sales representative, on the other hand, is a sales advisor. They build customer loyalty among existing customers, and are also involved in prospecting for potential customers; this is a back office job. They provide support to the sales representative, particularly in administrative matters (quotations, order forms, delivery notes, invoices, etc.).

Objectives

What does a sales representative do?

The tasks of a sales representative in the company are to :

finding new customers: prospecting remains his main task;
communicate with targeted customers to provide them with information about the service or product;
selling the service or product. This includes negotiating prices, drawing up contracts and taking orders;
to support customers before and after the sale, i.e. in their purchasing process and their future needs;
build loyalty among existing customers, with the aim of expanding the customer base and renewing commercial agreements;
manage the administrative side of things when they don’t have an attaché or assistant with them.

Jobs

What does a sales representative do?

The commercial attaché’s tasks include :

advising customers on the services and products best suited to their needs;
planning and implementing sales campaigns;
prospecting potential customers: contacting them, then making appointments;
retaining the loyalty of existing customers by sending them new offers, for example;
evaluation of results ;
competitive intelligence;
determining the company’s business sectors ;
gathering information on marketing strategy.

How do I become a sales representative or sales assistant?

To become a sales representative or sales assistant, you can choose between several routes. All you have to do is decide on the level of study and the type of diploma you want.

For a Bac+2 level, there is the DUT in Marketing Techniques, the BTS in International Trade, the BTS in Negotiation and Digitalization of Customer Relations, as well as the BTS in Technical Sales;
for a 3-year higher education qualification, you can choose a Licence or Bachelor’s degree from a public school; or a licence pro (vocational degree) in marketing products and services, technical sales, commerce and distribution, or even a BUT in marketing techniques.
for 5 years’ higher education, you can go for masters degrees at business schools and universities.

Salary

What is the average salary for a sales representative and a sales assistant?

The salary of a sales representative or sales assistant may vary depending on the size of the company, the sector of activity, the region of operation and the customer base. It may also depend on the employee’s status (junior or executive), as well as bonuses and commission based on achieving targets.

the average salary for a salesperson in France is around €50,000 gross per year (including bonuses)
The average salary for a sales representative is €30,000 gross per year. Sales representatives often progress to sales roles as they gain experience and skills.

Offers