Description
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 in wholesale trade who are supervisors are included in this unit group.
Job Titles
- Aircraft sales representative
- Communication equipment sales representative
- Construction equipment sales representative
- Electricity sales representative
- Heavy equipment sales representative
- Industrial supplies sales representative
- Medical instruments sales agent
- Software sales representative
- Technical sales representative
- Technical sales supervisor
- Technical support specialist – wholesale trade
Main Duties
- Maintain and grow sales relationships with existing clients
- Identify and solicit potential clients
- Assess clients’ needs, recommend or assist in the selection of appropriate goods or services, and negotiate prices or other sales terms
- Provide input into product design where goods or services must be tailored to suit clients’ needs
- Develop sales presentations, proposals, or other materials to illustrate benefits from use of good or service
- Estimate costs of installing and maintaining equipment or service
- Prepare and administer sales contracts and maintain customer records
- Consult with clients after sale to resolve problems and to provide ongoing support
- Troubleshoot technical problems related to equipment
- Develop and maintain technical product or service knowledge to explain features to clients and answer questions about goods or services
- Develop, implement and report on sales strategies to achieve business goals
- Assess market conditions and competitors’ activities and develop an awareness of emerging markets and trends
- May offer training in the operation and maintenance of equipment
- May supervise the activities of other technical staff and sales specialists.
Workplaces
- Maintain and grow sales relationships with existing clients
- Identify and solicit potential clients
- Assess clients’ needs, recommend or assist in the selection of appropriate goods or services, and negotiate prices or other sales terms
- Provide input into product design where goods or services must be tailored to suit clients’ needs
- Develop sales presentations, proposals, or other materials to illustrate benefits from use of good or service
- Estimate costs of installing and maintaining equipment or service
- Prepare and administer sales contracts and maintain customer records
- Consult with clients after sale to resolve problems and to provide ongoing support
- Troubleshoot technical problems related to equipment
- Develop and maintain technical product or service knowledge to explain features to clients and answer questions about goods or services
- Develop, implement and report on sales strategies to achieve business goals
- Assess market conditions and competitors’ activities and develop an awareness of emerging markets and trends
- May offer training in the operation and maintenance of equipment
- May supervise the activities of other technical staff and sales specialists.
Skills
- Management of Material Resources
- Negotiating
- Persuading
- Coordinating
- Critical Thinking
Abilities
- Fluency of Ideas
- Memorizing
- Speech Clarity
- Speech Recognition
- Verbal Ability
Personal Attributes
- Active Learning
- Adaptability
- Analytical Thinking
- Attention to Detail
- Collaboration
Similar Occupations
- Advertising, marketing and public relations managers (10022)
- Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers (64100)
- Sales and account representatives – wholesale trade (non-technical) (64101)
Source: OaSIS
Employment Outlook
The employment outlook will be moderate for Technical sales specialists – wholesale trade (62100) in Prince Edward Island for the 2022-2024 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
- Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
- A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
- There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Employment growth in this field depends upon the level of business and consumer spending which is driven by the overall economic environment. Some positions may be commission-based and geared towards meeting quotas which can cause some workers to pursue different occupations with more stability. Also, since some employers may prefer in-depth product knowledge, mobility between sub-industries can be restricted at times. Self-employment and freelance work opportunities exist for experienced workers who are established and have contacts in specific industries.
Specialists with strong product knowledge and formal education may have a more favourable outlook. As workers may be required to travel locally, employers may require a valid driver’s licence. In certain fields, specialists will need to meet with clients abroad therefore a willingness to travel and knowledge of foreign languages may be assets. Those with a combination of sales experience or training and solid communication and interpersonal skills will likely have the best job prospects.
Here are some key facts about Technical sales specialists – wholesale trade in Prince Edward Island:
- Approximately 250 people work in this occupation.
- Technical sales specialists – wholesale trade mainly work in the following sectors:
- Wholesale trade (NAICS 41): 67%
- Other manufacturing (NAICS 313-316, 323-324, 326-327, 331, 334-335, 337, 339): 17%
- Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): 15%
- The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
- Men: 88% compared to 51% for all occupations
- Women: 12% compared to 49% for all occupations
- The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
- no high school diploma: n/a
- high school diploma or equivalent: 28% compared to 28% for all occupations
- apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 12% compared to 11% for all occupations
- college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor’s: 12% compared to 25% for all occupations
- bachelor’s degree: 24% compared to 17% for all occupations
- university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 12% compared to 8% for all occupatio
Source: Job Bank
Prevailing Wages
| AREA | LOW | MEDIAN | HIGH |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEI | $16.00 | $24.04 | $38.46 |
| Canada | $18.75 | $33.65 | $60.10 |
Training
There are no known training programs for this occupation in PEI. If you are aware of a local training program, please contact us.
There are currently no job listings for this occupation on WorkPEI.