A Career in IT Sales
Working in IT sales is not like just any sales job – it requires technical knowledge, product familiarity and an ability to form the best solution for the client. As an IT salesperson, you may be involved in promoting software, hardware or both to provide a complete solution. There are many levels of IT sales, including retail, corporate or government, and as a part of an IT development organisation, promoting the products to on-sellers.
The work of an IT salesperson can be divided into three main phases:
- Pre-sales: supporting activities including analysing a client’s requirements, formulating a solution, providing detailed information about technical specifications and the ways in which the solution meets a customer’s needs, and often demonstrating those features.
- Sales: negotiating a commercial agreement to the benefit of both customer and supplier.
- Post-sales: technical support, which may include solving faults and problems, ongoing consulting for client specific enhancements or improvements, advising on appropriate user training.
Typical work activities
The role of an IT sale professional requires significant interaction with clients, which may be face-to-face, over the telephone, or via email and fax.
Typical work activities include:
- understanding customers' diverse, specific business needs and applying product knowledge to meet those needs;
- ensuring quality of service by developing a thorough and detailed knowledge of technical specifications and other features of employers' systems;
- identifying and developing new business through networking, and courtesy and follow-up calls;
- cold-calling in order to create interest in products and services and generate new business leads;
- reviewing progress and identifying opportunities for further sales and new areas for development;
- designing and delivering customer presentations articulately and confidently;
- marketing and promoting a portfolio of products by writing and designing sales literature;
- maintaining awareness and keeping abreast of constantly changing software, hardware systems and peripherals;
- developing effective sales plans utilising sales methodology;
- providing technical advice to customers on all aspects of the installation and use of computer systems and networks, both before and after the sale;
- advising on software features and how they can be applied to assist in a variety of contexts, such as accounting, health or other specialist areas;
- meeting sales targets set by managers and contributing to team targets;
- networking with existing customers in order to maintain links and promote products;
- providing support to customers, often on a helpline, offering clear advice and solutions wherever possible;
- handling hardware or software problems and faults and referring on to specialist technical colleagues;
- assisting customers to maximise their use of the hardware or software in order to support the success of their business;
- writing technical proposals, tenders, reports and supporting literature;
- managing your own diary in order to organise and prioritise daily and weekly goals; and
- contributing to team or progress meetings to update and inform colleagues.
Remuneration
Like most professional sales positions, the amount you can earn will be somewhat determined by the volume of sales you make, i.e. by commissions. Typically, IT sales professionals are employed on an average base wage similar to other sales professions, and commissions are then determined on a sliding scale, once a minimum sales turnover has been met. This arrangement makes a “skies the limit” opportunity for your earnings.
Recommended Courses
An IT sales person needs more than just good sales and people skills – they should have sound general knowledge of technology, including both hardware and software, and stay up-to-date on the latest innovations and products. When working for a technology development business, you will need to gain in depth knowledge on their products as well. ACS offer a range of general IT courses, all which can provide you will the broad skills needed by today’s IT professionals. Click here to see the list of IT courses we offer.