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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Service Sales Executive

💰 $75,000 - $150,000+ OTE

SalesBusiness DevelopmentClient Relationship ManagementService Sales

🎯 Role Definition

The Service Sales Executive is a cornerstone of the commercial team, responsible for driving revenue growth by selling the company's portfolio of services to new and existing clients. This role is not just about transactions; it's about building strategic partnerships. You will act as a trusted advisor, deeply understanding client challenges and aligning our service offerings—such as maintenance contracts, managed services, professional consulting, or subscription-based solutions—to deliver tangible business value. Success in this position requires a sophisticated blend of proactive hunting, consultative selling, and meticulous account management to build a robust sales pipeline and consistently exceed targets.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Inside Sales Representative
  • Business Development Representative (BDR)
  • Account Coordinator or Junior Account Manager

Advancement To:

  • Senior Service Sales Executive
  • Key Account Manager / Strategic Account Manager
  • Regional Sales Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Business Development Manager
  • Channel Partner Manager
  • Customer Success Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Proactively identify, prospect, and cultivate new business opportunities within a designated territory or vertical through strategic outreach, networking, and lead-generation activities.
  • Drive the entire sales cycle from initial contact and needs assessment to solution presentation, proposal development, contract negotiation, and successful closing.
  • Develop and execute a comprehensive territory plan to achieve and exceed monthly, quarterly, and annual sales quotas and key performance indicators (KPIs).
  • Master and articulate the company's service portfolio, value proposition, and competitive differentiators to a diverse range of stakeholders, from technical staff to C-level executives.
  • Conduct in-depth discovery sessions with prospective clients to uncover their critical business challenges, pain points, and strategic objectives.
  • Architect and present compelling service solutions and customized proposals that directly address client needs and demonstrate a clear return on investment (ROI).
  • Build and maintain strong, long-lasting relationships with key client decision-makers, acting as their primary point of contact and trusted advisor.
  • Manage and expand relationships with existing accounts to identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities for additional services, ensuring high levels of client satisfaction and retention.
  • Lead complex contract negotiations, working closely with legal and finance teams to ensure favorable terms that align with company policies and profitability targets.
  • Maintain a robust and accurate sales pipeline, providing reliable forecasting and regular progress reports to sales leadership using the company's CRM system.
  • Collaborate effectively with internal teams, including pre-sales engineers, service delivery, and marketing, to create a seamless and positive customer experience.
  • Stay abreast of industry trends, market dynamics, and the competitive landscape to strategically position the company's services and identify emerging opportunities.
  • Prepare and deliver high-impact sales presentations and product demonstrations that effectively communicate the value of our service offerings.
  • Respond to and manage Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and Requests for Information (RFIs) with detailed, high-quality submissions.
  • Attend industry conferences, trade shows, and networking events to represent the company, generate leads, and build professional networks.
  • Diligently document all sales activities, customer interactions, and pipeline progression in the CRM (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) to ensure data integrity.
  • Develop a deep understanding of the client's business, industry, and organizational structure to position our services as an integral part of their success.
  • Negotiate pricing and service-level agreements (SLAs) to create win-win scenarios that secure business while maintaining profitability.
  • Onboard new clients by coordinating with the service delivery and implementation teams to ensure a smooth transition from sales to execution.
  • Actively seek out client feedback and testimonials to support marketing efforts and contribute to a culture of continuous service improvement.

Secondary Functions

  • Collaborate with the marketing department to provide market insights for the development of targeted campaigns, collateral, and sales enablement tools.
  • Provide regular, structured feedback from the field to product and service development teams regarding customer needs, competitive threats, and market opportunities.
  • Participate in regular sales training and professional development sessions to continuously sharpen sales skills and service knowledge.
  • Mentor junior sales team members, sharing best practices and contributing to a collaborative and high-performing team culture.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • CRM Proficiency: Advanced skills in using CRM platforms like Salesforce, HubSpot, or Microsoft Dynamics 365 for pipeline management, forecasting, and activity tracking.
  • Consultative Selling Methodologies: Proven expertise in applying structured sales methodologies such as Challenger, SPIN Selling, or Solution Selling.
  • Sales Forecasting & Pipeline Management: Ability to accurately forecast sales revenue and manage a complex pipeline through various stages.
  • Contract Negotiation & Redlining: Experience in negotiating commercial terms, pricing, and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with clients and their legal counsel.
  • Proposal & Presentation Development: Mastery of tools like Microsoft PowerPoint and Word to create compelling, professional proposals and presentations.
  • Technical Acumen: The ability to quickly learn and understand the technical aspects of the services being sold to engage in credible conversations with technical buyers.

Soft Skills

  • Relationship Building & Rapport: An innate ability to build genuine, trust-based relationships with clients and internal stakeholders at all levels.
  • Active Listening & Needs Discovery: Exceptional listening skills to probe for underlying needs and uncover critical information that informs the sales strategy.
  • Persuasion & Influence: The ability to articulate a compelling vision and influence decision-making processes in a complex B2B environment.
  • Resilience & Tenacity: A determined and persistent mindset to overcome objections, navigate long sales cycles, and handle rejection constructively.
  • Strategic & Critical Thinking: The capacity to analyze a client's business, identify opportunities, and formulate a strategic approach to winning the deal.
  • Exceptional Communication: Superior verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging to different audiences.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree or equivalent professional experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field. An MBA can be an asset.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Marketing & Communications
  • A technical field related to the services sold (e.g., Information Technology, Engineering)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3-7 years of progressive experience in B2B sales, with a demonstrable focus on selling intangible services, solutions, or software-as-a-service (SaaS).

Preferred:

  • A consistent and verifiable track record of meeting or exceeding sales quotas in a competitive, service-oriented sales environment. Experience selling to mid-market or enterprise-level clients is highly desirable.
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