Sales support representatives perform tasks that aid the core sales team, including administrative duties, lead generation, and post-sales analysis. Their duties vary based on product and company factors, and they may also be involved in the sales process and even responsible for closing deals.
A sales support representative can have many different roles, depending on how the role is defined in the company. In general, however, the intent of the role is to perform activities that support the core sales team. This can include administrative tasks such as organizing travel and scheduling meetings, as well as specific sales tasks such as sending out sales materials and preparing quotes. In some cases, the support representative may be responsible for inside sales for existing accounts.
There are many different support activities involved in sales. They vary widely based on product factors such as type, price and complexity, as well as company factors such as size, industry and structure. An activity assigned to a sales support representative at one company might be assigned to an administrative assistant, an account representative, or a member of the marketing team at another company.
Common duties include pre-sales activities such as market research and lead generation. For example, sales support representatives might review attendees at an industry trade show to find good prospects and identify contacts. Depending on the employer’s process, he or she would provide this information to the sales team for follow-up, send information to the prospect, or make the initial phone call to determine interest.
Support professionals are also often involved in the sales process. This may include scheduling meetings between the prospect and the sales executive and also being able to attend such meetings. This may include obtaining prices, coordinating bidding efforts across departments, and creating the final package or quote.
During the post-sales period, a sales support representative is often involved in the review and reporting process. This could include analyzing final profit numbers against target targets or creating reports for one or more sales executives. For complex sales projects, such as those involving multiple goods and services, it can also include participating in meetings designed to identify what went well during the project and what could be improved in the future.
Occasionally, the title of sales support representative is used to describe an individual who supports the company through the sale. In this case, the representative may actually be part of the core sales force and not the support team. As such, the representative may also be responsible for introducing the product and closing the deal. This is often the case with smaller businesses or those whose product offerings don’t require a lot of customization.
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