Nature of the Work
An educational services sales representative might persuade States to use a particular licensing examination on insurance laws and regulations. Hotel sales representative's contact government, business, and social groups to solicit convention and conference business for the hotel. They contact prospective clients and determine their needs, outline the types and prices of services offered by the hotel, and prepare contracts when clients reserve space at the hotel.
Fundraisers plan programs to raise money for charities or other causes such as the Special Olympics for handicapped children and mentally retarded adults. They write, telephone, or visit potential contributors and persuade them to donate money by explaining the purpose and benefits of various sports programs. They also may organize volunteers and plan special events to raise money. Sales representatives for temporary help services firms locate and acquire clients who will hire the firm's employees. Telephone services sales representative's contact and visit commercial customers to review their telephone systems, analyze their communications needs, and recommend services such as installation of additional telephone instruments, lines, and switchboard systems. Other representatives sell advertising, automotive leasing, public utility, exterminating, burial, printing, shipping, protective, and management consulting services.
Despite the diversity of services being sold, the jobs of virtually all services sales representatives have much in common. First, all sales representatives must fully understand and be able to discuss the services their company offers. Second, the procedures they follow are similar. They develop lists of prospective clients through selected use of telephone and business directories, asking business associates and customers for leads, and looking for new clients as they cover their assigned territory. Sometimes they acquire clients through persons who call to inquire about the company's services. Then they meet with clients and explain how the services being offered can meet their needs, sometimes using literature or demonstrations to describe their company's services. They answer questions about the nature and cost of the services and try to persuade potential customers to purchase the services. If they fail to make a sale on the first visit, they may follow up with more visits, letters, and phone calls. After making a sale, representatives call on their customers to see that the services have met their needs, to determine if additional services are needed, and to obtain referrals.
Since services sales representatives obtain many new ac-counts through referrals, it is important that they maintain regular contact with their clients to ensure that they are satisfied with the services. Developing a satisfied clientele who will continue to use the services and will recommend the services to other potential customers is an important key to success in this field. Like other types of sales jobs, a services sales representative's reputation is very important to his or her success.
Some aspects of service sales work vary with the kind of service sold. Selling highly technical services such as communications systems or computer consulting services usually involves more complex and lengthy sales processes. In these situations, sales representatives usually operate according to policies outlined in the company's marketing and business plans. Such work plans identify prospective clients, establish marketing strategies, and set forth staff responsibilities and timetables to achieve set goals. In selling technical services, sales representatives must become familiar with the intricacies of their customers' operations in order to best serve their needs.
Sales representatives often work as part of a team and receive technical assistance from support personnel. For example, those who sell data processing services might work with a systems engineer, and those who sell telephone services might receive technical assistance from a communications consultant. Because of the length of time between the initial contact with a customer and the actual sale, representatives who sell technical services generally work with several customers at one time. Since prospective sales might be at different stages of the process, sales representatives must be well organized and efficient in scheduling their time. On the other hand, some sales representatives deal exclusively with one large client. Selling less complex services such as linen supply, detective, or exterminating services generally involves simpler and shorter sales processes.
A sales representative's job can also vary with the size of the company. Those working for relatively large companies generally are more specialized and are assigned territorial boundaries and specific services and accounts. Those in smaller companies generally have more independence. Representatives in smaller companies may have administrative and public relations responsibilities in addition to their sales duties.
A sales representative's job also depends on the size of his or her territory. A representative for a pest control company may sell primarily by telephone from an office. A linen supply sales representative may serve a small territory in a large city, but a sales representative for a national educational services organization may be responsible for serving several States.
Working Conditions:
Working conditions for sales representatives vary. Those responsible for a large territory may spend a great deal of time traveling, sometimes for weeks at a time. Representatives who cover a small territory may spend a certain amount of time in the office each day keeping records, preparing various documents, and setting up appointments with customers. Appointments must be scheduled for a time most convenient to customers. Representatives who sell exclusively by telephone spend all their time in the office. Many representatives have the flexibility to set their own schedules so long as they meet their company's goals.
Selling is stressful work. Sales representatives face competition not only from representatives of other companies but also from fellow workers. Companies may set goals or quotas and hold contests with prizes for those who make the most sales.
Employment:
Services sales representatives hold tens of thousands of salaried job mostly in business services industries, including management, consulting, public relations, protective, advertising, personnel supply, and computer and data processing services. Significant numbers of sales representatives worked for firms that offer a wide range of other services. The following tabulation shows the distribution of services sales representative jobs by industry.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement:
Many employers require that services sales representatives have a college degree, but specific requirements vary depending on the services that a particular company sells. Employers who market advertising services seek individuals with a college degree in advertising or marketing or a master of business administration degree; companies that market educational ser-vices prefer individuals with an advanced degree in marketing or related fields. Many hotels seek graduates from college hotel administration programs, and companies that sell computer ser-vices and telephone systems prefer sales representatives with a background in computer science or engineering. Courses in business, economics, and marketing are helpful in obtaining most jobs as services sales representatives.
Some employers hire sales representatives with a high school diploma if they have a proven sales record. This is particularly true for those who sell nontechnical services such as linen supply, exterminating, laundry, and funeral services.
Many firms conduct formal intensive training programs for their sales representatives. Individuals learn about the company's operations and services. They also receive instruction in various sales techniques such as prospecting for clients, probing customer needs, interviewing, sales presentations, and closing a sale. They may also receive motivational and sensitivity training to help them understand different personality types and make men more effective in dealing with people. Sales representatives may also attend seminars on a wide range of subjects given by outside training institutions such as technical schools and colleges and universities. In addition, frequent in-house training sessions acquaint them with new services and products and help them maintain and update their sales techniques. They may also receive training in the use of computers to increase their productivity.
Many large companies prefer to hire sales representatives directly out of school, while smaller companies prefer to hire individuals who have a proven sales record. Smaller companies generally lack the resources to provide training programs for their sales representatives.
Sales representatives must have a pleasant, outgoing personality and good rapport with people. They must be highly motivated, well organized, and efficient. Good grooming and a neat appearance are essential. Self- confidence, reliability, and the ability to communicate are also vital characteristics. Sales representatives should be self-starters who have the ability to work under pressure to meet sales goals.
Sales representatives who have good sales records and leader-ship ability may advance to sales supervisor, branch manager, or district manager. Those with managerial ability eventually may advance to sales manager or other executive positions; many top executives in industry started as sales workers.
Frequent contact with business people in other firms can provide sales workers with leads about job openings, thus facilitating advancement possibilities. Some go into business for themselves as independent representatives. Others find opportunities in advertising and market research.
Job Outlook:
Employment of services sales representatives, as a group, is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations in response to the continued rapid increase in demand for services in general. However, growth of services sales jobs is directly related to employment growth in the particular industries where they are found. For example, the burgeoning growth in temporary help firms should prompt very rapid growth for personnel supply services sales representatives; the continued growth in factory and office automation should lead to very rapid employment growth for data processing ser-vices sales representatives; and growth in the advertising industry should also spur much faster than average growth in employment of this industry's sales force. Employment of those who sell hotel services and automotive services is expected to increase at a somewhat slower pace but still significantly faster than the average for all workers due to the continued increase in demand for their services.
In addition, many openings will occur each year because of the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. As in other sales occupations, turnover is relatively high, particularly among representatives who sell non-technical services. Each year, many new services sales representatives discover that they are unable to earn enough money at selling and leave the occupation.
Prospective services sales representatives with a college background or a proven sales record should have the best job opportunities.
Earnings:
Earnings of experienced sales representatives depend on performance. Successful sales representatives can quickly establish a clientele and build up their income. Experienced sales representatives often earn more than managers in their firm.
Sales representatives work on different types of compensation plans. Some get a straight salary; others are paid solely on a commission basis, a percentage of the dollar value of their sales. Most firms use a combination of salary and commissions. Many sales representatives have expense accounts to cover meals and travel, and some drive a company car. Many companies offer benefits such as paid vacations, life and health insurance, and pension plans. Some employers offer bonuses, extra vacation time, trips, and prizes for sales that exceed company quotas. Since sales are affected by changing economic conditions and consumer and business preferences, earnings may fluctuate from year to year.
Related Occupations:
Services sales representatives must have sales ability and knowledge of the service they sell. Workers in other occupations that require these skills include buyers, real estate agents, insurance agents, securities sales representatives, wholesale and retail trade sales representatives, telephone solicitors, and travel agents.
