The role of a sales engineer is a fairly modern one, but these individuals are becoming increasingly important for companies that sell products with a high level of technical complexity. In this article, we explain more about what the job entails.
What is a sales engineer?
A sales engineer is a common position in the retail and commercial trade industries and refers to someone who uses their technical knowledge to explain the benefits of services or products to customers. Often working closely with salespeople, they are enthusiastic, confident and persuasive.
Due to the technical nature of the role, sales engineers require a thorough understanding of the products they are helping to sell, meaning they often hold university degrees in the fields they specialise in. They are also good communicators, delivering talks and presentations to explain how a product solves a specific customer problem.
What does a sales engineer do?
Another large part of a sales engineer’s job is to act as the technical liaison between sales and product development teams. They may also work with engineers and customers alike to help identify and create new products. It’s common for them to provide technical support to customers during the installation and implementation stages too.
A sales engineer is similar to a consultant, but with more emphasis on technology. They can specialise in many different fields, like data analytics or cybersecurity, but great sales engineers will generally have an understanding of many areas for successful implementation – from infrastructure requirements through to final testing phases.
The typical duties of a sales engineer include:
· Carrying out market research to understand customers’ needs.
· Providing support to customers during the technological implementation process.
· Working with product development teams to determine new and improved solutions for customers.
· Showing customers how these products or services could increase production or lower costs.
· Securing orders and arranging for their delivery.
What is the workplace like for a sales engineer?
The workplace looks very different for every sales engineer. Some work freelance and will travel the country to provide their expert services to different sales firms, whereas others will be employed by companies that design and build technical products on a permanent basis.
The role offers a lot of flexibility and can be adapted to suit the needs of each individual. When working freelance, sales engineers can expect some international travel and long overseas trips.
What is the average salary for a sales engineer?
A sales engineer is a very high-paying role. Typically, a person in this job will earn upwards of £80,000 per annum.
This number will usually be lower when the individual is just starting out, with an average salary of around £40,000. However, over time, a sales engineer can easily earn £100,000+, especially with a lot of dedication and hard work.
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