Sales engineering is a field that requires a combination of thorough knowledge of the engineering field and sales so as to provide a detailed information to its clients regarding the company's products. Field sales engineer responsibilities primarily include positioning the company's products and services wherever appropriate to ensure better sales and thus help in achieving the sales mission of the organization.
Key Responsibilities of a Field Sales Engineer
The field sales engineer is a key professional involved in showcasing the products and services of the organization and making them available to the right customers, thus assisting in broadening the horizons of the organization. To get a better view, here is a list of key responsibilities that need to be handled by a field sales engineer:
The field sales engineer also recommends ways to improve the quality and services of the organization that will further assist in increasing the sales of the organization. He conducts his sales work in such a way so as to arouse the clients' interest in the products and services of the company. To better convince the client, he may be involved in giving presentations to the clients, explaining the core details of the product, and how it will benefit the client. Eventually, he makes sure that the client buys his product, and thus helps in enhancing the sales figures of the company. While doing so, he may try to negotiate the prices of the products. He is also responsible for maintaining his sales records, the inventory of the products, etc. Thus, a field sales engineer is responsible for boosting the sales activity of the organization by promoting its products, and thus achieving the targeted sales goals.
Essential Skills
The best field sales engineer should enjoy working on the field, should be comfortable to travel long distances, and should have a passion for interacting with the right people. He should possess excellent negotiation and convincing skills. He should be able to gain confidence of the clients, right from the start and leave a lasting impression on his mind. He should have a good business acumen, and should be able to design innovative strategies that will work in improving the sales figures of the company. He should be a self starter, possess good persuasive and excellent communication skills, backed with tremendous self confidence. He should be comfortable to work under tremendous pressure and should be flexible to work at any given point of time.
Educational Background
A typical field sales engineer should possess a bachelor's degree in engineering most commonly mechanical, electrical, biomedical, computer hardware etc., or relevant field like science, math, and should demonstrate strong computer skills. An additional training, internship, or work experience would be helpful in getting the job.
Work Schedule
The job of a field sales engineer requires him to be constantly on the field and requires frequent traveling to promote the products and also the sales activities for the company. He may require to work away from his home for several days together. He usually may plan his work according to the schedule of the clients, taking into account the client's suitability and availability.
Salary Details
The annual average salary that is offered to the field sales engineer is $88,000. Those with practically no sales experience can get a salary in the range of $53,000 to $56,000, while the experienced field sales engineers can earn a salary in the range of $148,000 to $150,000. It is also dependent on the type and size of the organization he is working in. Some may prefer to work individually on a commission basis. A sales engineer working on the field is liable to receive travel, meals, and accommodation expenses. If he is able to meet or exceed the sales targets, he receives incentives in the form of gifts, vacation trips, or paid vacations.
Career Prospects
The job opportunities for field sales engineers are expected to grow by almost 15 percent in the coming years. The job prospects are really lucrative for those interested in the sales of computer software and hardware.
Thus, if you are planning to become a field sales engineer, you should be well aware of the field sales engineer responsibilities, skills, and educational background that is required to take your career to new heights.