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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Inside Sales Support

💰 $45,000 - $65,000

SalesInside SalesSales OperationsCustomer Support

🎯 Role Definition

The Inside Sales Support (also known as Sales Support Specialist or Inside Sales Coordinator) is a customer-focused, operationally driven role that accelerates revenue by qualifying leads, managing CRM data, preparing quotes and proposals, processing orders, and enabling field sellers. This position acts as the nexus between marketing, sales, operations, and finance to ensure a seamless buyer experience, accurate order fulfillment, and measurable pipeline growth. Ideal candidates are highly organized, technically comfortable with CRM and quoting tools, and excel at converting interest into validated opportunities.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Sales Development Representative (SDR) / Business Development Representative (BDR)
  • Customer Service Representative / Client Services Associate
  • Administrative Assistant with sales exposure

Advancement To:

  • Inside Sales Representative / Account Executive
  • Sales Operations Analyst / Sales Enablement Specialist
  • Key Account Manager / Territory Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Customer Success Manager
  • Marketing Coordinator (demand generation)
  • Order Management / Operations Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Respond promptly and professionally to inbound leads and customer inquiries via phone, email, and web chat, qualifying each contact against lead qualification criteria (BANT/MEDDIC/CHAMP) and ensuring a positive buyer experience.
  • Qualify and prioritize leads through structured discovery, documenting needs, budget, timeline, and decision-making stakeholders directly in the CRM to enable faster conversion by field sales.
  • Maintain, clean, and enrich CRM records (Salesforce, HubSpot, MS Dynamics) daily to ensure pipeline accuracy, remove duplicates, and standardize contact and opportunity data for reliable reporting.
  • Create, review, and deliver accurate sales quotes, proposals, and pricing estimates using CPQ or quoting tools, ensuring margins, discounts, and approvals comply with corporate policy.
  • Process sales orders end-to-end including order entry, order validation, status updates, and coordination with operations/fulfillment teams to guarantee on-time delivery and invoice accuracy.
  • Coordinate product/service demos and trial activations by scheduling resources, preparing demo accounts, and briefing sales engineers or account executives on prospect needs.
  • Route and escalate complex or high-value inquiries to the appropriate Sales, Solutions Engineering, or Customer Success partner while maintaining ownership of customer communication until resolution.
  • Support quota-carrying sellers by creating account briefs, compiling RFP responses, assembling pricing packages, and preparing customized proposals for strategic opportunities.
  • Track and report on sales metrics and KPIs (lead response time, conversion rate, quote-to-order ratio, average deal size) and deliver weekly pipeline summaries to sales leadership.
  • Execute and manage outbound nurture sequences and campaign follow-ups in collaboration with marketing to re-engage leads and move prospects further down the funnel.
  • Facilitate the contract and paperwork process, coordinate approvals, and manage electronic signature workflows while ensuring compliance with commercial terms.
  • Reconcile pricing exceptions, discounts, and promotions with Sales Operations and Finance teams, documenting approvals and maintaining audit-ready records.
  • Provide first-level technical and product clarification for prospects, escalating complex product/technical issues to product specialists and ensuring timely follow-up.
  • Conduct competitive intelligence calls and record competitor mentions in the CRM to inform sales strategy and objection handling playbooks.
  • Manage sample, trial, or equipment requests logistics: track shipments, coordinate returns, and update customers on fulfillment timelines.
  • Maintain a prioritized to-do list for assigned accounts, follow-up tasks, and callbacks to ensure consistent cadence and improved conversion rates.
  • Support renewals and cross-sell initiatives by identifying upsell opportunities within existing accounts and preparing renewals reminders, quotes, and renewal documentation.
  • Train and onboard new inside sales hires on CRM use, sales processes, quoting practices, and the lead-to-order lifecycle to sustain high team operational standards.
  • Monitor and improve response SLAs for incoming leads, escalating backlogs to leadership and continuously optimizing workflows to reduce time-to-contact.
  • Prepare and distribute daily/weekly sales reports, pipeline health dashboards, and performance summaries that enable data-driven coaching and forecasting.
  • Troubleshoot order discrepancies, liaise with logistics and billing teams, and coordinate with customers to resolve delivery, product, or invoicing issues quickly.
  • Implement and maintain sales collateral, product one-pagers, and competitive battlecards to ensure sellers have up-to-date enablement assets for customer conversations.
  • Participate in cross-functional process-improvement initiatives (CRM hygiene projects, quote-to-cash optimization) to streamline the sales operations lifecycle.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc sales data requests, assist with sales forecasting inputs, and produce ad-hoc reports to help leadership make fast, informed decisions.
  • Contribute ideas to the organization's sales playbook and roadmap, recommending process changes based on frontline customer feedback and sales outcomes.
  • Collaborate with marketing to refine lead scoring, nurture workflows, and campaign handoffs—ensuring high-quality leads and measurable campaign ROI.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies when working with sales operations, product, or IT teams to implement CRM and quoting tool enhancements.
  • Assist with special projects such as market expansion rollouts, pricing model pilots, or CRM implementation testing and user acceptance.
  • Act as a backup for other sales support functions during peak periods, including order entry, billing liaison, and inbound call coverage.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficient with CRM systems: Salesforce, HubSpot, or Microsoft Dynamics — expert at contact/opportunity management and reporting.
  • Experience with quoting and CPQ tools (Salesforce CPQ, Apttus, Configure Price Quote tools) and preparing complex multi-line quotes.
  • Strong Excel skills including VLOOKUP, pivot tables, conditional formatting, basic VBA or macros for automated tasks and reporting.
  • Familiarity with order management and ERP systems (NetSuite, SAP, Oracle) for order entry and fulfillment coordination.
  • Comfortable using sales engagement tools and cadences (SalesLoft, Outreach) to manage follow-up and nurture activities.
  • Ability to create and maintain dashboards and visual reports in BI tools such as Tableau, Power BI, or Google Data Studio.
  • Knowledge of contract lifecycle management and e-signature platforms like DocuSign or Adobe Sign.
  • Experience handling RFP/RFI responses and assembling pricing/commercial documentation.
  • Strong phone and email etiquette with ability to document conversations and next steps in CRM.
  • Basic understanding of sales metrics (pipeline velocity, conversion rates, average deal size) and how day-to-day activities impact revenue.

Soft Skills

  • Excellent verbal and written communication tailored to both internal stakeholders and external customers.
  • Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines.
  • Strong problem-solving ability, resourcefulness, and bias for action when resolving customer or order issues.
  • Customer-first mindset with a focus on responsiveness, empathy, and building trust.
  • Team player who can collaborate across Sales, Marketing, Operations, Finance, and Product teams.
  • Adaptability and comfort with evolving processes, tools, and scaling environments.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to ensure SLAs and follow-up commitments are met.
  • Coachable and open to feedback, capable of documenting and sharing best practices.
  • Analytical mindset to interpret sales data and identify trends or friction points.
  • Resilience and persistence in a target-driven, fast-paced environment.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED; equivalent experience in sales or customer-facing roles accepted.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Marketing
  • Sales & Customer Relationship Management
  • Communications
  • Operations Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–4 years in inside sales support, sales operations, customer service, or related roles.

Preferred: 2–5 years of progressive experience supporting B2B inside sales teams, demonstrated proficiency with CRM and quoting tools, and a track record of improving lead-to-order conversion metrics.

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