The Technical Product Sales Representatives sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers where technical or scientific knowledge is required in such areas as biology, engineering, chemistry, and electronics, normally obtained from at least 2 years of post-secondary education.
Tasks for Technical Product Sales Representatives:
- A Technical Product Sales Representative contacts new and existing customers to discuss their needs, and to explain how these needs could be met by specific products and services.
- A Technical Product Sales Representative answers customers’ questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms.
- The Technical Product Sales Representative quotes prices, credit terms and other bid specifications in accordance with the product that they are representing to the appropriate parties involved.
- The Technical Product Sales Representative must emphasize product features based on analyses of customers needs, and on technical knowledge of product capabilities and limitations.
- The Technical Product Sales Representative negotiates prices and terms of sales and service agreements with clients in accordance to the company program they are representing.
- The Technical Product Sales Representative maintain customer records, using automated.
- The Technical Product Sales Representative identifies prospective customers by using business directories, following leads from existing clients, participating in organizations and clubs, and attending trade shows and conferences.
- The Technical Product Sales Representative must be capable of preparing sales contracts for orders obtained, and submit orders for processing.
- The Technical Product Sales Representative selects the correct products or assists customers in making product selections, based on customers’ needs, product specifications, and applicable regulations.
- The Technical Product Sales Representative collaborates with colleagues to exchange information such as selling strategies and marketing information.
The Technical Product Sales Representative must have knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services related to the technical and scientific fields. They also must have the knowledge of basic principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs, assessments, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. In order to accomplish their goals they need to have a good knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar that is pertaining to their product or service. Also Technical Product Sales Representatives must have knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
The Technical Product Sales Representatives need knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing effective manufacture and distribution of goods. The Technical Product Sales Representative must be able to talk to others to convey information effectively, persuade others to change their mind and accept the newer technical products. Since many of these products could be new on the market or changed to suit the market many people are unaware of their capabilities. This could cause the Technical Product Sales Representative to take action that will help inform the consumer of the benefits of the products.
The Technical Product Sales Representative needs to be able to give their full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points made, asking questions at the appropriate times. This will enable them to better understand what the customer is looking for in the product and explain to them in specific terms that will meet with customer satisfaction. They also need to be able to convey instructions or information in a manner that the customer can understand. Sometimes too much technical terms can confuse a customer. This is why most Technical Product Sales Representatives need the capability to explain a product in lay terms as well as understanding the scientific terminology.
It is very important for a Technical Product Sales Representative to manage their time in order to meet all the commitments and meetings required to represent the product or service they represent. They need to allow for extra time in order to complete negotiation with their customers. In some situations they may need to bring customers together in order to reconcile differences. They need to be actively looking for ways to help people and methods to explain how their product or service can benefit the customer and society as a whole.