Sales assistants play a crucial role in supporting sales teams and ensuring the smooth daily operations of a business. If you’re considering a career in retail, corporate sales, or any other industry, you may be wondering, what does a sales assistant do?
Becoming a sales assistant is an excellent entry point into the business world. In this post, we’ll explore the key responsibilities of a sales assistant and how administrative assistant training can give you the skills needed to succeed in this role.
What Does a Sales Assistant Do?
A sales assistant is responsible for supporting the sales team, helping to ensure that customer interactions are seamless, and providing administrative support behind the scenes. This role can vary depending on the company and industry, but the core tasks remain consistent. Here’s a breakdown of the main duties:
1. Customer Interaction and Support: Sales assistants often serve as the first point of contact for customers. They answer inquiries, provide information about products and services, and address customer concerns. In retail, sales assistants help customers find items, make recommendations, and process transactions. In corporate settings, they manage client communications and schedule meetings for the sales team.
2. Administrative Support: Beyond customer interaction, sales assistants take on various administrative tasks to keep the sales team organized. These tasks include maintaining records, managing schedules, preparing reports, and handling correspondence. SBC’s Administrative Assistant Training equips students with skills in Applied Administrative Techniques, preparing them for these responsibilities.
3. Assisting with Sales Processes: Sales assistants play an important role in the sales process by preparing documents, tracking sales performance, and managing customer databases. They may also assist in generating leads and following up on potential clients.
4. Inventory and Stock Management: In retail environments, sales assistants are often involved in managing inventory and restocking shelves. They ensure that the store is well-organized, products are properly displayed, and stock levels are maintained.
5. Processing Orders and Payments: A key aspect of a sales assistant’s role is processing customer orders and payments. Whether handling cash in a retail store or processing online orders in an office setting, accuracy, and attention to detail are crucial. Sales assistants are responsible for ensuring that all transactions are processed correctly and that customer information is handled securely.
How Administrative Assistant Training Prepares You for a Career as a Sales Assistant
Now that we’ve answered the question, what does a sales assistant do, it’s important to understand how the right training can set you up for success in this role. The Administrative Assistant Training program at SBC gives you the skills to excel as a sales assistant and other office support positions.
Key courses include
- Document Preparation and Keyboarding
- Communications series to build professional communication skills.
- Mathematics and Personal Finance for financial literacy.
- Accounting/Bookkeeping fundamentals.
- Career Strategies and Applied Administrative Procedures for workplace readiness.
- Human Relations and Records Information Management for handling relationships and documentation.
- Windows 11, PowerPoint 2019, Excel 2021 (Level 1 & 2), Access 2019, and Outlook 2019.
- QuickBooks 2021 and Business Project Integration for financial and project management.
- Word 2021 (Level 1 & 2) for document processing.
Optional classes include:
- Voice Transcription, Publisher 2019, and Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.
The Accelerated Administrative Assistant program is available for bachelor’s degree holders, offering a fast-track route.
Get set for success with SBC just as recent graduate Tanya Kirtzinger did, she shares
“I am happy to announce that I received a permanent position at my job. This position is exactly what I envisioned as the first step toward my career in business/office administration. The skills I gained at Saskatoon Business College made it clear that SBC was the best choice in broadening my career options.”
With SBC’s support, you too can turn your education into a rewarding career. Take the first step
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Contact SBC for more information.
