Sales Associate Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a sales associate. Feel free to use our job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a sales associate.
Who is a Sales Associate?
A sales associate is a Business-to-Customer sales personnel who sells services or goods (ranging from accessories, decor, electronics, media, clothes, and more) in a retail store to customers and suggests goods that are suitable for their needs. Sales associates normally sit behind the counter.
Sales associates are typically different from other personnel in different sales positions. This is so because they majorly focus on the shopping experience and consultation for customers, while other sales positions have the duty of pipeline management and projecting needs to prospective clients. As a sales associate, having up-to-date information about the prices and state of goods, services, and policies is important.
Sales associates commendably provide high-quality customer service. They are the primary officers of the organization. However, they work with other employees to ensure the sales goals are achieved within the specified period. Also, they assist the management with store maintenance, sales, and customer inquiries.
Sometimes, they even go as far as putting on items to effectively describe them to the customers. Usually, sales associates are trained by the department that employs them. They are the public face and representatives of their company and have the task of making refunds and returns, as well as attending to customers’ complaints. Related titles for this role include retail sales personnel, sales floor associate, and retail sales associate.
Sales Associate Job Description
Below are the sales associate job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
- Engaging and highlighting promotional offers to customers
- Attending to customer’s complaints and inquiries
- Managing sales inventory
- Undertaking transactions
- Assisting customers through their buying process
- Carrying out visual merchandise and directing customers to the merchandise within the store
- Taking charge of maintenance of products and displays on the sales floor
- Greeting and welcoming customers on arrival
- Providing excellent customer service
- Analyzing financial transactions, resolving money-back issues, and balancing and cash registers
- Having knowledge of sales and the correct prices of products
- Notifying customers of promotions of special offers
- Cross-selling goods to add up purchase sales amounts
- Ensuring orderliness on the floor, and maintaining a positive attitude
- Giving information on product features, uses, and benefits to customers
- Assisting customers in locating certain products, and showing them how they are used
- Recommending to customers the best products that suit their needs
- Showing customers similar products to increase the number of products purchased and give them the best shopping experience
- Putting all efforts into driving sales
- Ensuring total customers’ satisfaction through high-quality sales service
- Achieving the sales goals of the company
- Crosschecking and maintaining stock
- Processing payments using POS (Point of Sale)
- Communicating with customers to identify what exactly they need
- Helping in creating store displays
- Packing and unpacking new product arrivals
- Building productive and long-term relationships with customers
- Giving suggestions on how to increase sales by organizing marketing activities, changing product layout, and more.
Qualifications and Requirements
- Education
Most persons looking to hire sales associates expect them to have acquired a General Education Degree (GED) or a High School Diploma. Some upscale retail store owners may prefer their potential sales associates to possess a Bachelor’s or Associate’s Degree in Business, Sales, or any similar role, before hiring them.
- Training
Most times, sales associates are trained by the company that hires them. This helps them to be knowledgeable about the company’s product prices, details, Point of Sale system, and rules and regulations of the store. Before beginning work as a sales associate, you will undergo training under the tutelage of an already experienced sales associate of the company.
Usually, this training lasts for as long as two to six days, depending on the demand of the business. Employers selling specialty products like electronics will ensure that the trainee knows all the complex details of the product even if it takes a long period.
Aside from the on-board training, having proven work experience as a sales associate, customer service personnel, sales representative, or similar role can place you on a higher ladder for opportunities.
- Certifications
Licenses and certificates are not necessities for a sales associate. However, owning a valid Class-A driver’s license is necessary since you may be required to take shifts between stores and travel with clients. In addition, you must pass the written driving test administered by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Essential Skills
Every good sales associate should possess the following skills:
- Interpersonal and Communication Skills
A sales associate had the duty of conversing with customers to help sort their needs. As a salesperson, they do this throughout the whole day. Good communication skills are the necessities of a successful sales associate since you will be required to give feedback to customers, assist customers with their purchases and take directions from your employer.
Also, you need to be articulate in sharing details about the product you sell. Knowing the price of products and how to persuade customers will help you improve your communication skills. It is with the help of your interpersonal skills that you will be able to dictate the nonverbal inactions and verbal actions of your customers.
As the public face of a company, you will get in contact with numerous people with different backgrounds, belief systems, and languages, to offer assistance to them in solving their problems.
If you have issues with communication, try getting opinions from your colleagues on how well you listen and communicate, as you will also need to maintain both verbal and written interactions with fellow employees in your workplace. Good communication skills are also needed when making reports on customers feedback and maintenance issues to the management of the retail store.
- POS or CRM Software Experience
The ability to use Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to execute deals and contracts as a sales personnel is important. CRM is mostly relied upon since it is a thorough way of maintaining all contact information. It is more reliable than a spreadsheet because there are options for segments and automated guides which helps reach out to people at the right time very easily, as you won’t have to sort files.
In addition to knowing how to maintain Customer Relationship Management, you need to be able to work with a Point of Sale (POS) system. The POS system has become a usual practice for selling as most transactions are processed there.
- Problem-solving skills
The main objective of every business is to offer products or services that solve a problem. As the first person customers meet when he or she arrives at the company, you need to know how to help suggest the best products that will solve their needs. Your opinion matters a lot.
As a good sales associate, you need to offer excellent customer service and place your customer’s needs as a priority to develop and build trust to encourage the sales process. You also need to dedicate some time to engage with your customers, asking them for their opinions to make better decisions that will satisfy them.
- Knowledge of Sales
Understanding the basics of sales is a necessity. Apart from just knowing your company’s inventory and products, you will have to answer some questions from customers. If you don’t know the best answers to provide, you will most likely lose your customers.
For you to promote continued patronage, you need to serve your customers well, so they are impressed and preach the good news of your company to others. Don’t just jump on any sales associate opportunity you see, make findings to know the product features and how they are to be used.
You can do this by asking other members (staff) of your company, and researching the nitty-gritty of the art of selling. Your ability to close your customers is what will differentiate you from competitors.
Also, you have to learn to be optimistic and persistent. Start the sales for a new day with a confident attitude.
- Genuine Enthusiasm to Sell
To be able to efficiently achieve your company’s goals, you need to be able to go the extra mile. If you don’t have enthusiasm about the offers and products of the company, then, you definitely will not be able to crush the goals. Selling with excitement and beams of smiles gets customers more interested in buying the products.
In addition to your values, you could go as far as asking regular customers what they love about your company. This will make you aware of the likes of customers and encourage your selling style to keep more customers coming.
- Decision Making Skills
To be a successful sales associate, you need to possess apt decision-making skills. Your ability to assist customers in suggesting great choices for them when they are faced with making difficult choices is necessary.
Also, if you notice recurrent issues, consider making a positive decision and communicating the same with the management for improvement.
- Empathy
Being empathetic with customers will help you relate well with them and understand their needs better. Your attitude towards your prospect goes a long way in determining sales. Whenever a customer comes to buy a product and shares his or her problems with you, first put yourself in his or her shoes before making recommendations and suggestions.
- Adaptation and Ability to Prioritize
Working with customers from different backgrounds can be quite demanding. But, you need to adapt and prioritize your Clients’ needs every time, if you must succeed in sales.
Even when faced with rude, overly inquisitive, or hostile clients, stay calm. Try out new methods and take up new responsibilities if the need arises.
- Trust Building and Listening Skills
To be able to effectively understand the problems of your customers, you need to pay rapt attention. The main purpose of your listening should be to understand, and not necessarily to respond.
Also, if you must improve through feedback, you need to be an active listener.
In building trust, you must be able to ask necessary questions to confirm that you understand the problems of your clients, and have the right solution.
- Money Handling Skills
As a sales associate, you must be knowledgeable about basic mathematics skills and how to handle money. Be well versed with the basics of subtraction and addition. This will help you to properly and efficiently carry out financial transactions using POS systems or any other payment medium. Also, be careful when handling money (counting and giving an amount of balance to customers).
- Time Management
As a sales associate, it is normal to have so much work to attend to. You may need to attend to about three clients who might have worked at the same time and still have to stock inventory. That is why you need to be able to manage your time effectively. Since you may be trying to focus on a particular client, normalize prioritizing many tasks at the same time while giving equal attention to each.
In addition to managing multiple tasks, also know when to assign tasks to other members of your time to make sure deadlines are met.
- Willingness to Learn
As a sales associate, you’ll be required to learn emerging new techniques on sales and product information. Your willingness to learn and master these new skills is important for customer satisfaction and the overall growth of the company.
Accept corrections and feedback as given.
- Ability to Persuade Prospects
Persuading prospective customers and making them see reasons why they should buy your products is important.
Learn to persuade prospects genuinely without sounding commanding or harsh. Frame your words and counter their objections in a way that they see your product as the perfect solution to their problem.
- Respect and Kindness
To offer excellent professional customer service, you need to show respect to your customers. Answer their questions cheerfully and honestly.
Also, you need to always compose yourself and be kind during difficult and confusing situations at work. No matter how challenging the situation is, maintain a kind voice tone and attend to your customers without wearing a gloomy, angry or sad look.
How to Become a Sales Associate
- Acquire education
Acquire a diploma from high school or a General Education Degree. You can go further to take a Bachelor’s Degree program in Sales or Business.
- Search for employment opportunities
Search for available employment positions for a sales associate both online and physically. Apply with your strong resume, get interviewed, and secure yourself a job as a sales associate.
Where to Work
Sales associates normally work in retail stores either full-time, half-time, or on a shift basis.
Sales Associate Salary Scale
Sales associates are paid between $7.00 to $23.80 per hour.
However, their pay could vary depending on their educational qualification, experience, and geographical location.