Career Guide
Sales assistant/sales adviser
The role of a sales assistant/sales adviser involves assisting customers with their purchases, whether in-store or online, by identifying their needs and recommending suitable products.
The profession
What is a sales assistant/sales adviser?
His role
The sales assistant/sales adviser supports customers throughout their purchasing journey. You analyse their needs and recommend suitable products, then answer their questions before finalising the sale. You negotiate pricing terms and monitor the fulfilment of orders right through to delivery. This role makes you the direct point of contact between the retailer and its customers.
Its scope of activity
You will mainly work in-store, within the retail sector. Some retailers also offer on-site or remote roles. Your day-to-day work centres on welcoming customers and providing advice. You will also be involved in handling payments and monitoring stock levels, in line with the sales targets set by your manager.
The functions
What are the duties of a sales assistant/sales adviser?
The role of a sales assistant/sales adviser combines customer service with organisational tasks within the shop.
Welcoming and advising customers
Closing sales and collecting payments
Track the progress of orders right through to delivery
Analysing needs and recommending suitable products
Ensure that goods are stocked on the shelves and labelled
Take part in stock-taking and sales promotions
Negotiating the terms of sale
Monitor stock levels and place orders
Qualifications
Qualities and skills required to be a good salesperson/sales adviser
A junior sales assistant or sales adviser must have a firm grasp of the basics of the role: product knowledge and in-store presentation techniques. Proficiency in using till systems rounds off this foundation, as do good interpersonal skills and the ability to listen actively.
With experience, sales techniques improve: handling objections and cross-selling become commonplace. The use of CRM tools also makes it easier to follow up with customers and helps to boost the point of sale’s turnover.
At expert level, the ability to pass on one’s expertise and adapt to changes in the market paves the way for team leadership or department management.
The benefits
What are the benefits of working as a sales assistant or sales adviser?
There are still plenty of job vacancies in the retail sector, with roles available to those with a school-leaving certificate.
The fixed salary is often supplemented by performance-related bonuses and sales commissions. Benefits such as company health insurance may also be provided, depending on the retailer.
Remuneration
Sales assistant/sales adviser: salary and career progression
At the start of their career, the gross annual salary is around €21,600, or approximately €1,800 gross per month, a figure in line with the benchmarks provided by Onisep (€1,867 gross per month) and Studyrama (€1,700 gross per month). After 5 to 10 years’ experience, the median salary is around €26,400 gross per year. Senior or specialist roles, particularly in the automotive or luxury sectors, can earn up to €39,980 gross per year, with salaries generally remaining higher in the Île-de-France region.
Up to
€39,980
Annual salary
Training courses
What qualifications do you need to become a sales assistant or sales adviser?
Our training courses
There are several training programmes that lead to a career as a sales assistant or sales adviser, ranging from the CAP in General Retail to the BTS in Operational Sales Management ( MCO ).
This BTS programme is open to those who have completed their A-levels and can be undertaken as a work-study programme at INSEEC, providing professional experience through direct contact with customers.
Discover
Other careers you might be interested in
Find out more about careers as a department manager and a customer advisor.
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