According to people in this career, the main tasks are...
| Task | Importance |
|---|---|
| Sell products requiring extensive technical expertise and support for installation and use, such as material handling equipment, numerical-control machinery, or computer systems. | 92% |
| Develop, present, or respond to proposals for specific customer requirements, including request for proposal responses and industry-specific solutions. | 91% |
| Collaborate with sales teams to understand customer requirements, to promote the sale of company products, and to provide sales support. | 87% |
| Create sales or service contracts for products or services. | 83% |
| Visit prospective buyers at commercial, industrial, or other establishments to show samples or catalogs, and to inform them about product pricing, availability, and advantages. | 82% |
| Keep informed on industry news and trends, products, services, competitors, relevant information about legacy, existing, and emerging technologies, and the latest product-line developments. | 81% |
| Identify resale opportunities and support them to achieve sales plans. | 80% |
| Confer with customers and engineers to assess equipment needs and to determine system requirements. | 79% |
| Plan and modify product configurations to meet customer needs. | 79% |
| Prepare and deliver technical presentations that explain products or services to customers and prospective customers. | 79% |
| Recommend improved materials or machinery to customers, documenting how such changes will lower costs or increase production. | 78% |
| Maintain sales forecasting reports. | 78% |
| Document account activities, generate reports, and keep records of business transactions with customers and suppliers. | 78% |
| Research and identify potential customers for products or services. | 77% |
| Secure and renew orders and arrange delivery. | 76% |
| Develop sales plans to introduce products in new markets. | 75% |
| Provide information needed for the development of custom-made machinery. | 74% |
| Provide technical and non-technical support and services to clients or other staff members regarding the use, operation, and maintenance of equipment. | 73% |
| Attend trade shows and seminars to promote products or to learn about industry developments. | 73% |
| Diagnose problems with installed equipment. | 71% |
| Attend company training seminars to become familiar with product lines. | 71% |
| Arrange for demonstrations or trial installations of equipment. | 67% |
| Write technical documentation for products. | 64% |
| Train team members in the customer applications of technologies. | 63% |
| Report to supervisors about prospective firms' credit ratings. | 52% |
