Index
Intro
Technical sales specialists, wholesale trade, sell a range of technical goods and services, such as scientific, agricultural and industrial products, electricity, telecommunications services and computer services, to governments and to commercial and industrial establishments in domestic and international localities. They are employed by establishments that produce or provide technical goods and services, such as pharmaceutical companies, industrial equipment manufacturing companies, grain elevators, computer services firms, engineering firms and hydroelectric companies, or they may be self-employed technical sales specialists/agents who contract their services to other companies. Technical sales specialists who are supervisors are included in this unit group.
Extensive company training programs for technical sales specialists may be provided by employers.
Progression to sales management positions is possible with additional training or experience.
Main Duties
Technical sales specialists perform some or all of the following duties:
- Promote sales to existing clients
- Identify and solicit potential clients
- Assess clients’ needs and resources and recommend the appropriate goods or services
- Provide input into product design where goods or services must be tailored to suit clients’ needs
- Develop reports and proposals as part of sales presentation to illustrate benefits from use of good or service
- Estimate costs of installing and maintaining equipment or service
- Prepare and administer sales contracts
- Consult with clients after sale to resolve problems and to provide ongoing support
- Troubleshoot technical problems related to equipment
- May train customers’ staff in the operation and maintenance of equipment
- May conduct sales transactions through Internet-based electronic commerce
- May supervise the activities of other technical staff and sales specialists.
Technical sales specialists usually specialize in a particular line of goods or services.
Employment Requirements
- A university degree or college diploma in a program related to the product or service is usually required.
- Experience in sales or in a technical occupation related to the product or service may be required.
- Fluency in a specific foreign language, and/or foreign work or travel experience may be required for technical sales specialists seeking employment with companies that import or export technical goods or services.
- Technical sales supervisors require experience as a technical sales specialist.
All Titles
- agent, country grain elevator
- agent, primary grain elevator
- agricultural equipment and supplies technical salesperson
- aircraft sales representative
- aircraft technical sales specialist
- alternate heating energy consultant
- alternative heating energy consultant – wholesale
- applications sales engineer
- assistant grain elevator manager
- broadcasting equipment salesperson
- business agent, computers
- chemicals sales representative
- commercial and industrial equipment and supplies sales representative – technical wholesale
- communication equipment sales representative
- computer applications sales engineer
- computer equipment sales specialist
- computer software sales representative
- computer system sales representative
- construction equipment sales representative
- construction material sales representative
- country grain elevator agent
- country grain elevator manager
- country grain elevator operator
- customer support representative – wholesale
- dental equipment and supplies salesperson
- diagnostic instrument sales representative
- district manager, grain elevator
- EDP (electronic data-processing) hardware and services sales representative
- electrical equipment sales representative
- electrical industrial equipment sales representative
- electricity sales representative
- electronic data-processing (EDP) hardware and services sales representative
- electronic equipment salesperson – wholesaleelectronic equipment salesman – wholesale, electronic equipment saleswoman – wholesale
- engineering equipment salesperson
- engineering supplies salesperson
- export company technical sales specialist
- farm equipment salesperson
- farm machinery salesperson
- forestry equipment sales representative
- forestry machinery sales representative
- grain elevator agent
- grain elevator district manager
- grain elevator manager
- grain elevator operator
- graphic arts equipment sales representative
- heavy equipment sales representative
- heavy equipment salesperson
- heavy truck sales representative
- heavy truck salesperson
- hospital equipment sales representative
- hospital equipment salesperson
- hydro-electricity sales representative
- import company technical sales specialist
- industrial equipment sales engineer
- industrial machinery sales representative
- industrial supplies sales representative
- industrial supplies salesperson
- light, heat and power sales engineer
- lighting, heating and power sales representative
- lighting, heating and power sales specialist
- logging equipment salesperson
- lubricating equipment salesperson
- machinery salesperson
- manager, grain elevator
- manufacturer’s sales representative
- material-handling equipment salesperson
- medical equipment and supplies salesperson
- medical instruments sales agent
- metal products salesperson
- milking machine salesperson
- mining equipment sales engineer
- mining equipment sales representative
- natural gas sales representative
- office equipment salesperson – wholesaleoffice equipment salesman – wholesale, office equipment saleswoman – wholesale, technical business equipment salesman – wholesale, technical business equipment saleswoman – wholesale
- oil refinery equipment sales representative
- oil well services sales engineer
- pharmaceutical sales representative
- pharmaceutical salesperson
- plumbing and heating services sales representative
- primary grain elevator agent
- primary grain elevator manager
- primary grain elevator operator
- printing machinery sales representative
- printing management technician
- printing supplies salesperson
- railway equipment and supplies technical sales specialist
- railway equipment and supplies technical salesperson
- residential energy sales adviser
- safety equipment salesperson
- sale executive, technical sales
- sales broker – wholesale
- sales engineer
- sales engineer, technical support
- sales representative, construction materials
- sales representative, lighting, heating and power
- sales representative, technical office equipment
- scientific instrument sales representative
- software sales representative
- solid fuel heating sales consultant
- steel product sales representative
- supervisor, technical salespersons
- surgical supply salesperson
- systems software support sales representative
- technical business equipment salesperson – wholesale
- technical office equipment sales representative
- technical sales consultant
- technical sales executive
- technical sales representative
- technical sales representative – wholesale
- technical sales specialist
- technical sales specialist, aircraft
- technical sales specialist, chemicals
- technical sales specialist, exports
- technical sales specialist, imports
- technical sales specialist, metals
- technical sales specialist, railway equipment and supplies
- technical sales supervisor
- technical salesperson – wholesaletechnical salesman – wholesale, technical saleswoman – wholesale
- technical salesperson, telecommunications
- technical service sales consultant
- technical support specialist – wholesale trade
- telecommunications sales representative
- telecommunications salesperson
- textile machinery salesperson
- topographical equipment salesperson
- ultrasonic equipment salesperson
- veterinary equipment and supplies salesperson
- welding equipment salesperson
- X-ray equipment salesperson
Exclusions
- Advertising, marketing and public relations managers (0124)
- Retail salespersons (6421)
- Sales and account representatives – wholesale trade (non-technical) (6411)