Technical Sales Representatives
Official O*NET title: Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products (41-4011.00)
Also called: inside sales representative, marketing representative, sales representative
Do you do this at work?
Answer each card — it takes about a minute.
Do you do this at work?
Study documentation or other information for new scientific or technical products
Swipe right for yes, left for not me. On a keyboard: → yes, ← not me, Z undo. +2 XP per answer.
How AI is changing technical sales representatives work
11 of 21 measurable main tasks for this job show up in real AI-use data, so we rate it Red (lots of AI use) — 52%.
This shows where people already use AI, not whether the job will disappear. How we measure this.
Tasks in this job and recorded AI use
- Study documentation or other information for new scientific or technical products (main task) — a lot of recorded AI use
- Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, or credit terms (main task) — a lot of recorded AI use
- Prepare sales presentations or proposals to explain product specifications or applications (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Contact new or existing customers to discuss how specific products or services can meet their needs (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Maintain customer records, using automated systems (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Select or assist customers in selecting products based on customer needs, product specifications, and applicable regulations (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Compute customer's installation or production costs and estimate savings from new services, products, or equipment (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Negotiate prices or terms of sales or service agreements (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Prepare and submit sales contracts for orders (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Advise customers on product usage to improve production (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Collaborate with colleagues to exchange information (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Visit establishments to evaluate needs or to promote product or service sales (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Quote prices, credit terms, or other bid specifications (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Emphasize product features, based on analyses of customers' needs and on technical knowledge of product capabilities and limitations (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Complete expense reports, sales reports, or other paperwork (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Verify that delivery schedules meet project deadlines (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Identify prospective customers, using business directories, leads from existing clients, participation in organizations, or trade show or conference attendance (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Inform customers of estimated delivery schedules, service contracts, warranties, or other information pertaining to purchased products (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Provide customers with ongoing technical support (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Stock or distribute resources (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Attend sales or trade meetings or read related publications to obtain information about market conditions, business trends, environmental regulations, or industry developments (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Visit establishments — some recorded AI use
- Provide feedback to product design teams so that products can be tailored to clients' needs — some recorded AI use
- Sell service contracts for technical or scientific products — no recorded AI use
- Demonstrate the operation or use of technical or scientific products — no recorded AI use
- Arrange for installation and testing of products or machinery — no recorded AI use
- Start sales campaigns to meet sales and production expectations — no recorded AI use
- Verify accuracy of materials lists — no recorded AI use
- Verify customer credit ratings — no recorded AI use
- Consult with engineers regarding technical problems with products — no recorded AI use
- Sell technical and scientific products that are environmentally sound or designed for environmental remediation — no recorded AI use
- Present information to customers about the energy efficiency or environmental impact of scientific or technical products — no recorded AI use
- Inform customers about issues related to responsible use and disposal of products — no recorded AI use
Tasks: O*NET 31.0. AI use: Anthropic Economic Index (exact or close text match).
Your first steps (guidance)
- Week 1: Open a free AI assistant and say hello. Follow our “Getting started with AI” guide. Ask it one simple question about your work.
- Week 2: Use AI on one task you do often. Try the prompt for: “Study documentation or other information for new scientific or technical products”. Try the prompt for: “Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, or credit terms”.
Tick your own tasks above to get a plan based on what you really do. The first 2 weeks are free; Premium (coming soon) adds weeks 3–12. New to AI? Read our beginner’s guide.
Questions about AI and technical sales representatives
Will AI replace technical sales representatives?
Our data can’t predict job losses, and we don’t try to. What it does show: 11 of the 21 main tasks for this job match tasks people already use AI for (Anthropic Economic Index), giving a Red rating (lots of AI use). Using AI on a task is not the same as AI doing the whole job, and 20 of the 33 listed tasks show no recorded AI use yet.
Which technical sales representative tasks is AI used for most?
In the data, the most AI use among this job’s tasks is for: study documentation or other information for new scientific or technical products; answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, or credit terms; prepare sales presentations or proposals to explain product specifications or applications.
Which technical sales representative tasks show little or no AI use?
For example: visit establishments to evaluate needs or to promote product or service sales; quote prices, credit terms, or other bid specifications; emphasize product features, based on analyses of customers' needs and on technical knowledge of product capabilities and limitations. These are good places to keep building your own skills.
How does this job compare to others?
In Microsoft Research’s “Working with AI” study, this job’s AI applicability score is equal to or higher than 91% of the occupations they scored. That measures overlap with AI chat use, not risk of job loss.
How can a technical sales representative start learning AI?
Start small: open a free AI assistant, try it on one task you do often, and always check facts and numbers yourself. The plan on this page is guidance, not professional advice.
See how this job ranks
Technical Sales Representatives ranks #117 of 572 jobs for the share of main tasks with AI use (#1 = most), and #5 of 18 in Sales & Retail.
Related jobs
- Will AI change retail supervisors and store managers?
- Will AI change sales team supervisors?
- Will AI change cashiers?
- Will AI change counter and rental clerks?
- Will AI change parts salespersons?
- Will AI change retail sales assistants?
- Will AI change sales representatives?
- Will AI change sales engineers?
- Will AI change industrial production managers?
- Will AI change sales managers?
- See all jobs