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Inside Sales Representative Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

An Inside Sales Representative, or Salesperson sells products and services online or in a store or office environment. Their primary duties include understanding the customers’ needs, identifying new sales opportunities through calls and emails and helping Sales Executives close sales deals.

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Inside Sales Representative duties and responsibilities

Inside Sales Representatives communicate with customers to understand their needs and generate new leads. Other duties and responsibilities of Inside Sales Representatives include: 

  • Developing new sales opportunities using outbound cold emails, cold calls and lead follow-ups
  • Communicating with customers to understand their needs and requirements and identify sales opportunities
  • Answering customers’ questions, resolving their concerns and providing additional information via calls and emails
  • Explaining and demonstrating the functions and features of products and services
  • Maintaining and improving the database of prospects
  • Researching for new leads
  • Keeping up to date with product and service information and competitor offers
  • Upselling products and services
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Inside Sales Representative Job Description Examples:

What does an Inside Sales Representative do?

Inside Sales Representatives sell products or services to customers, this could include both individuals and businesses. They look for new clients, understand the needs of customers and make effective sales pitches. Many Inside Sales Representatives contact potential customers several times before making a sale. They usually perform a number of follow-up calls to determine the customer needs and recommend solutions. After making a sale, Inside Sales Representatives may remain in contact with the customer in order to strengthen the client relationship and sell additional service or products.

Inside Sales Representative skills and qualification

A successful Inside Sales Representative candidate will have a range of skills and qualifications to perform duties effectively: These skills and qualifications include: 

  • Excellent customer service skills
  • Excellent verbal communication and active listening skills
  • Experience working with telephones and handling multiple calls and emails daily
  • Patience, time management skills and the ability to prioritise tasks
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team
  • Excellent numeracy skills for accurate and speedy calculation of sales prices, discounts and percentages

Inside Sales Representative experience requirements

The experience requirement for Inside Sales Representatives varies depending on the product or service they will be selling. Ideally, Inside Sales Representatives must have a few years of experience selling products or services of a company. It’s helpful if candidates have customer service experience. Candidates can also gain valuable experience during their studies or apprenticeship.

Inside Sales Representative education and training requirements

The educational requirements of Inside Sales Representatives depend on their job duties and responsibilities and the industry. Some employers prefer candidates with a bachelor’s degree, while others recruit applicants with an intermediate or advanced apprenticeship in sales and telesales. Relevant work experience can also pass for educational qualifications in some organisations. Inside Sales Representatives who sell specialised products or services such as pharmaceuticals or chemicals may need a degree in that field or professional certifications to qualify for employment. Depending on the industry, employees may need to be trained after recruitment.

Inside Sales Representative salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary of Inside Sales Representatives is £27,800 per year. The actual salary can depend on the industry, job duties and responsibilities, experience, qualifications, location and the employer.

Job description samples for similar positions

Here are job description samples for similar positions if you are not looking to recruit Inside Sales Representatives:

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Inside Sales Representative job description FAQs

How can you make your Inside Sales Representative job description stand out?

To attract good candidates start with a powerful summary that includes the exact job title. By being specific you will increase the chances of getting applications from the right candidates. Describe the specific job duties and responsibilities so candidates know what to expect, also highlight the specific qualifications, experience and skills required for the role. It is also helpful to include information about salary and employment benefits.

What is the difference between an Inside Sales Representative and an Outside Sales Representative?

The primary difference between an Inside Sales Representative and an Outside Sales Representative is the location of their work. Inside Salespersons typically sell from an office or through cold calls and emails while Outside Salespersons sell through face-to-face interactions with people and visits to conventions or client businesses.

Who does an Inside Sales Representative report to?

An Inside Sales Representative reports directly to a Sales Manager or the equivalent in an organisation.

What makes a good Inside Sales Representative?

Highly effective Inside Sales Representatives should have exceptional knowledge of the company’s products and services. They must understand the terminologies of the company’s field and be up-to-date with the latest industry trends. Inside Sales Representatives should also be proficient in the company’s most-used sales tools and be adept at social media platforms used by its customer base.

Job Description Examples

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