Good customer service is an important factor in developing a satisfied clientele and can give a company an advantage in competing for future business. Services sales work varies with the kind of service sold. Selling highly technical services, such as communications systems or computer consulting services, involves complex and lengthy sales negotiations. In addition, sales of such complex services may require extensive after-sale support. In these situations, sales reps may operate as part of a team of sales representatives and experts from other departments.
Sales representatives can receive valuable technical assistance from their other team members.
For example, those who sell computer and data processing services might work with a systems engineer. Teams enhance customer service and build strong long-term relationships with customers, resulting in increased sales. The entire sales process can be lengthy. Sometimes a sales rep may periodically contact a potential customer for years before they make a sale. Because of the amount of time between the initial contact with a customer and the actual sale, representatives are in contact with numerous existing and potential clients at the same time.