A commercial agent is an independent specialist in prospecting and negotiation, most often in a traditional sector of activity (e.g. tourism, construction). He listens to his customers to find the most effective commercial strategy against his competitors.
In a commercial team, the commercial agent is responsible for negotiating and concluding contracts to develop sales. He often contributes to the optimization of this part of the sales cycle, and sales techniques And of Closing They no longer have any secrets for him or her. He can work for several companies.
Commercial agent: definition, missions & role
What is the role of a commercial agent?
The commercial agent is a middleman, commissioned by a company, to carry out commercial actions with customers. A true businessman, he generally offers goods and services and takes care of the negotiation and conclusion of contracts.
Where does a sales agent work?
The profession of commercial agent is present in many sectors of activity. He is very often required to physically visit customers. That is why the way of working and the location vary depending on the field. Thus, he can work within a store or by going directly to contact the customer by traveling, or by working within e-commerce companies.
What is the status of a commercial agent?
The commercial agent does not have the status of merchant. He is not bound by any relationship of subordination to his principal (s). In other words, most of the time he has a Self-employed status. To obtain this status, the commercial agent must complete some legal formalities by declaring his activity.
What are the tasks and missions of a commercial agent?
The commercial agent is mainly responsible for sell products and services of a company. He is very often on the road during his career to meet customers, or companies that mandate him. Its main missions are:
- reach out to and retain customers,
- prospecting potential future customers,
- present the products and services that he should sell,
- negotiating prices,
- transmitting orders to principals
- draw up reports on his activity and results, in particular to the company that hired him.
To do so, he must have a good knowledge of the rules of law that apply, an appetite for relationships and a strong creativity.
What is an independent sales agent? Summary
An independent commercial agent is a mandated professional in charge of negotiating and closing contracts on behalf of its clients. In general, the commercial agent creates his business alone, either in his own name or in the form of a single-member company (EURL or SASU).
The independent commercial agent is called upon by companies or groups (called principals) on an ad hoc basis to offer and sell specific products and services to potential customers.
Fully autonomous, the remuneration of the independent commercial agent depends on the number of sales he makes, or in rare cases, on the sum indicated when signing a short contract with a principal and often works on a commission basis. The salary may also depend on the area of expertise of the independent commercial agent.
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What are the qualities of a good Commercial Agent?
What is a good sales agent?
A good commercial agent knows how to respond effectively and rigorously to requests made to him. Whether it is to answer customer questions or the requirements of principals, he must To listen. To do this, it must necessarily have a perfect product knowledge and services that it offers and be fully versatile. He will then be able to respond precisely to customer expectations thanks in particular to his legal and technical knowledge.
Beyond this reactivity, the commercial agent must be equipped with a large ability to adapt And of synthesis who will be of great help to him during negotiations with customers or even when writing reports requested by clients. He must also enjoy traveling. So, a good sales agent must first and foremost Know how to communicate quickly and effectively provide information and be quick and responsive. Whether it is to customers or to the teams of the agent company, the smooth commercial process depends largely on its work.
How to be a good Sales Agent?
To be a good commercial agent, vivacity, autonomy and mobility are therefore assets. To make decisions quickly and to achieve clear goals, good stress resistance is necessary. Likewise, a good commercial spirit and speaking skills will also be useful when meeting with customers or drawing up quotes and contracts. The good commercial agent must also be ready to train continuously to face legislative changes, the arrival of new tools or even the numerous changes in services and products that he must sell.
Finally, a good sense of relationships is necessary, since the commercial agent is in direct contact with customers and service providers.
How do I become a Commercial Agent?
Skills required
To become a commercial agent, it is important to know how to master office tools in order to meet the expectations of the company (spreadsheets, Office pack, internet, email, commercial software, etc.). He must master sales, prospecting and negotiation techniques. Very mobile, a driver's license and a vehicle will be essential for him.
Degrees, training and studies required
The profiles of commercial agents most sought after by employers are a technical sales diploma, a BTS NDRC (Negotiation and Digitization of Customer Relations), a DUT in Marketing Technology or a professional license.
In some cases, the company employing the commercial agent may offer specific in-house training on the products or services for sale. To become more comfortable as a commercial agent and to become an expert in customer relationships.
Akimbo offers training courses to complete this course and optimize the chances of success in this type of career. You will have the chance to choose between various part-time and customizable training and support programs.
Adapted conversion profiles
Different professional profiles have the possibility of retraining into commercial agents. A career as a customer advisor, store salesperson, or professional buyer could quite satisfy the requirements of this profession. In general, experience in the commercial field, in contact with customers or service providers, will be sought and welcomed.
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What is the salary of a Commercial Agent?
How much does a Commercial Agent earn?
As a freelancer, it is difficult to define the Commercial agent salary. The monthly gross salary for a beginner is based on commissions. The remuneration is proportional to the amount of sales made.
With time, experience and a good knowledge of the market, an experienced sales agent can earn more than €100,000 per year. A Bac+5 diploma enhances the profile of a junior candidate. Professional development is faster and the base salary is higher.
Junior Sales Agent Salary
At the beginning of their career, the commercial agent, as a freelancer, is given products and services that are less important or easier to promote. He then has the status of junior commercial agent. He thus receives between €18K and €24K per year.
Always independent, thanks to his mandate, he makes sales with fewer risks. Sometimes the employer company offers the junior sales agent to observe the most experienced ones in order to learn the tricks of the trade. For example, he will accompany seniors during appointments, he will be in charge of one or more customer presentations under the supervision of the senior sales agent.
Little by little, he is led to take on responsibilities. However, this proposal is not systematic and it is not uncommon for commercial agents to face their weapons alone, without support. Autonomy is then complete from the start of the career and the agent learns in the field by practicing.
Senior Sales Agent Salary
The commercial agent is considered to be senior after 4 or 5 years of experience. Having full responsibility for his profession, he fully and controversially exercises the mandates assigned to him. Whether in connection with the client or with the company that employs him, he is the guarantor of his own work and the results he obtains.
More experienced, he meets clients and establishes contracts with confidence and negotiation skills. Travel is no longer a constraint. And, it is not uncommon for him to then be assigned the follow-up of important customers, or even significant responsibilities.
A senior sales agent will therefore earn more than €70,000 per year.
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The different labels of the Commercial Agent
Some titles you should know
The profession of commercial agent as described here is particularly broad and encompasses many aspects. However, certain specificities need to be added.
Some job titles repeat the basic functions of a commercial agent but work in specific areas. Thus, some titles deserve to be known in order to fully prepare for the profession of commercial agent. For example, we can highlight the real estate sales agent, the independent commercial agent or the industrial commercial agent
What is a commercial real estate agent
The real estate sales agent takes care of a real estate transaction. He offers his advice to both the buyer and the seller thanks to his commercial skills, so that everyone gets the most out of this sale.
The real estate sales agent is present from the valuation of the property, until the signing of the sales agreement. He advises the owner on the price to be fixed, based on the real estate market, the situation, and his objective qualities and legal knowledge.
Once the estimate has been made, he writes and publishes the real estate ad. Its aim is then to disseminate it as widely as possible within its network, but also to target customers who could potentially be attracted by this type of property.
Then, the real estate sales agent organizes visits to the property and answers questions from potential buyers. He must then find the right words to succeed in convincing future buyers, by presenting the assets of the property.
When a client is interested, his role is to support him in putting together his file. He then uses his technical and legal knowledge to advise him. Finally, the agent is available until the sale is concluded. It thus plays the role of an intermediary, and sometimes a mediator, between seller and potential purchaser.
Our advice for finding a job as a Sales Agent
The commercial agent is independent. He must therefore declare himself as a company and then, once these formalities have been settled and registered, he is free to approach clients and start doing business.
The offers of products and services for commercial agents are numerous but to succeed in obtaining exclusivity in terms of negotiation and commercial action, it is necessary to highlight the qualities required for this position and to highlight yourself. Adapt your resume by highlighting the characteristics of the services and products you want to sell and highlight your previous experiences in the commercial field.
Numerous commercial agent job offers are posted every day on sites such as Welcometothejungle or Jobteaser. Do not hesitate to browse through them!
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How do you recruit a good Sales Agent?
You are looking for a commercial agent and you have many candidates. Here are some tips to make sure you're hiring the right person.
To recruit a good sales agent, you must ensure that he has the skills corresponding to the job. A key person in the commercial process, negotiations and contract conclusions will be carried out by him.
- Autonomy, rigor and organization.
He must be able to work independently and in an organized manner. Indeed, it will be the only intermediary between customers and the product to be sold. He will have to ensure the smooth running of negotiations and the commercial process.
- A good relationship
The first speaker of customers, the commercial agent must therefore have a very good relationship.
Also, make sure you're asking the right questions. The answers you receive should help you better identify who is the best fit for your business. In addition to the introductory questions, incorporate more in-depth questions like:
- What makes you an excellent sales agent?
- What skills do you think are essential to succeed with us?
- How will you communicate with your customers?
- How do you explain what our company does to someone who doesn't know our company?
Skills and experience are not everything. To find out what a candidate can bring to your company, it is possible to challenge him with a practical case or a Business Game.
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