Sales Officer vs. Sales Rep: Role, Duties & Key Differences

Who is a sales officer?

A sales officer is responsible for specific administrative tasks related to the company’s sales operations. That’s why companies often refer to this position as a sales assistant.

You’ll most often encounter sales officers in large companies with many clients or suppliers. They are also valuable in companies where large volumes of documents flow in and out. The more administrative responsibilities that arise from sales processes, the more work there is for a sales officer.

Not every sales department needs a sales officer. Their responsibilities are often shared among:

• sales representatives,
• administrative staff,
• purchasing agents,
• logistics personnel,
• or accountants.
  
  

A large part of the sales officer’s tasks can be handled—or at least simplified—by a CRM system, a business tool for managing client relationships.

What does a sales officer do?

The job description of a sales officer typically includes:

• preparing materials for sales meetings,
• drafting contracts,
• receiving and processing inquiries,
• managing clients and orders,
• communicating with authorities,
• creating quotes,
• preparing invoices,
• communicating with business partners,
• liaising with the marketing or product department,
• analyzing competitors,
• preparing data for sales meetings,
• preparing documents for accountants,
• handling logistics administration.
  
  

In some companies, the sales officer also gets involved in active sales. In that case, they may additionally:

• develop relationships with existing customers,
• provide customer support,
• engage in customer acquisition,
• make cold calls and send cold emails.

Sales Representative vs. Sales Officer

The main difference between a sales representative (or simply a salesperson) and a sales officer lies in their core responsibilities. A sales representative’s primary role is active selling. They are expected to spend the majority of their working time offering the company’s products and services.

In contrast, a sales officer oversees all sales-related administration. Thanks to the sales officer’s work, sales representatives have more time for client meetings and active selling.

There is also a difference in compensation. The more a sales representative sells, the higher the company’s profit—and the more the salesperson earns through commissions. On the other hand, a sales officer usually has a fixed salary, as they typically do not engage in active selling.

Qualities of a Good Sales Officer

Compared to sales representatives, a sales officer has the advantage of not typically needing to master sales tactics and negotiation. However, to perform their role well, they still need to:

• be independent and meticulous – a sales officer handles hundreds of important documents each month,
• have strong time management skills – meeting deadlines is crucial in sales, and tasks must not stall,
• be stress-resistant – they must handle client rejections and problem-solving,
• communicate effectively – much of the role involves communication with salespeople, colleagues from other departments, and clients,
• have a desire for continuous learning – just like a salesperson, a sales officer must have a deep understanding of their company, products, market, and competition.
  
  

Need help as a salesperson or sales officer with planning your work? Read our article full of proven tips.

Sales Officer and CRM

In the past decade, the popularity of CRM systems has skyrocketed, simplifying and automating sales processes—and with them, the work of sales officers. This allows companies to manage all sales operations clearly in one place. That’s why every sales officer should be proficient in using a CRM system.

CRM systems speed up tasks such as:

• creating and managing client records,
• tracking orders,
• scheduling meetings in the sales calendar,
• monitoring sales performance,
• generating quotes, contracts, and other documents.
  
  

As a result, sales officers today, for example:

• don’t create quotes from scratch—CRM pre-fills the client’s header and selected products,
• don’t manually fill in all details when adding a new client—CRM completes them automatically using the ARES register
• automatically sync all created records with the client profile, sales deal, and other CRM modules—eliminating the need to retype or copy data,
• can filter and export sales figures for specific time frames or clients to PDF with just a few clicks.
  
  

Before diving fully into CRM, try a free trial. For instance, the popular Czech CRM Raynet offers 30 days free with no commitment.