What is a sales representative?
A sales representative is responsible for bringing a company’s products or services to potential buyers and turning enquiries into paying customers. The role covers the sales process from initial contact and product discussions through pricing, order placement, and follow-up.
Sales reps. Sales representatives. Sales agents. Sales virtual assistants. Sales experts. There may be a few more semantically related phrases you know. And what this person, this specialist, is what their title puts out there:
Masters of the art of turning a stranger’s hesitation into a customer’s “I’ll go for it.”
Job ads for the role list down the usual: ideal candidates should be sociable, proactive, and motivated by the possibility of earning more through commission. The usual words or phrases that are generic enough for any other role.
And that’s where business can’t be any more wrong. Relationship-building. Authority. Reliability. Support. What skilled practice of those words leads to. With the right sales representatives.
When the world appears to be (and slyly, though probably unintentionally) encouraging SMBs to just automate everything, including sales, here’s why the smarter businesses are outsourcing the role.
And building fully remote or hybrid sales teams.
Here’s what the job asks of the specialist doing it.
In This Blog:
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- ➤What is a sales representative?
- ➤What Does a Sales Rep Do?
- ➤What Is a Sales Representative’s Job Description and Duties
- ➤What Are the Types of Sales Representatives in Australia?
- ➤What’s the Difference Between Inside Sales vs Outside Sales
- ➤What Tools Do Sales Reps Need?
- ➤What Skills Does a Sales Representative Need?
- ➤How Much Does a Sales Representative Earn in Australia?
- ➤Sales vs Business Development: Are They The Same Person?
- ➤What Rules Do Sales Representatives Have to Follow in Australia?
What Does a Sales Rep Do?
A sales representative is the person who sells a business’s products or services to other businesses or to the public on the company’s behalf. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) defines the occupation more tightly: sales representatives sell goods and business services to wholesale and retail establishments, while ICT and technical sales representatives are counted as separate occupations.
The definition explains why titles vary so much, with the daily work of sales reps in different industries looking nothing alike (reps in timber to trade stores won’t have the exact same responsibilities as those in, say, print ads).
The ABS rates the occupation at Skill Level 4, which corresponds to an AQF Certificate II or III or at least one year of relevant experience.
How many sales representatives are there in Australia?
Jobs and Skills Australia’s occupation profile counts 71,800 people working as sales representatives, 17% of them part-time and 37% women, with a median age of 43. Employment in the occupation fell by 400 over the year. Technical sales representatives, who are counted separately, add another 26,600 workers.
What Does Selling Hours Mean in Sales?
Selling hours refer to the time a sales representative spends directly engaging with prospects and customers, whether through visits, calls, emails, or meetings.
Territory reps (field sales representatives) spend much of the week driving between customers, and inside sales reps (remote sales representatives who don’t need to go out of the office) work the same sequence by phone, email, and video call.
Both negotiate. They record orders and keep watch on what competitors charge. After the sale, the ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) expects the rep to follow up with customers, confirming they’re satisfied, and resolving problems.
Where the Rest of a Sales Rep’s Hours Trickle Down To
Salesforce’s State of Sales research puts the average rep’s time spent selling at 28% of the week, with the remainder going to admin and data entry (if the work isn’t so much that it needs an outsourced data entry specialist. Then there’s deciding which leads to go after first.
Updating the CRM, writing sales reports, and submitting expense records, all of which the ABS also lists, fill the rest of the week.
Businesses describe full-time work as forty hours a week. On the ground (or online), forty hours of customer conversations will inevitably see the same rep doing 9, 10, 11, 12 hours of work a day.
Not overtime (there should be some compensation though, to avoid burnout and rep demotivation!); just a regular “extra” every day.
What Is a Sales Representative’s Job Description and Duties (Some Things to Include in a Job Post)
Going back to what we said about “generic” job descriptions or skills lists? Easy to do if you copy what everyone has under “sales representative”. This method also easily fails to attract serious applicants; expert sales reps who are, themselves, sifting good job openings from the not-so-good.
Want the right candidates? Do the ad right. Write it around tasks they’re expected to do once they’re on board. Each part of that task has details, so include those.
Sales Rep Job Ad Writing Template:
You’ll have to type in specifics such as the CRM and the target for an advertised role that’s checkable. Avoid hazy descriptions that, in turn, solicit just-as-nebulous answers.
What Are the Types of Sales Representatives in Australia?
There are at least five groups or types of sales reps. The Australian Bureau of Statistics classifies them according to the products or services they sell:
Building and plumbing supplies.
Business services.
Motor vehicle parts and accessories.
Personal and household goods
…and a Catch-all category covering everything else, from jewellery to musical instruments.
Did You Know?
Business services alone employ 15,900 workers according to Jobs and Skills Australia, and it covers reps who sell advertising, printing, and financial services.
Your business and your industry bump the rep to the type it’s under. On the flip side, job descriptions sometimes adapt to the demographic – your customers – instead of the given categories.
What’s the Difference Between Inside Sales vs Outside Sales
The difference is generally rooted in where the selling happens, since the “where” is a major factor that makes each type what it is.
What Is an Outside Sales Representative?
Outside reps visit customers in a “territory.” Sales speak for the geographical area assigned to a representative. The rep has to be there in person.
They suit businesses that sell to trade stores, builders, farms, and retailers, where a sample or a face-to-face meeting is key to closing deals.
Since this means a whole lot of travel, the role involves long stretches on the road between customer visits.
What Is an Inside Sales Representative?
Inside reps “sell from a desk” through phone calls, email, video meetings, and a CRM. They suit businesses whose customers can buy without a visit, such as subscriptions, services, software, products, and wholesale reorders.
Offshore inside reps can manage customers across different states or regions without leaving their desks, provided the business has the right systems in place.
Technical Sales Representatives
Technical sales reps are a separate group, counted under their own ABS code. Jobs and Skills Australia reported median weekly earnings of $2,596 for that group in its February 2026 profile, against $1,692 for general sales representatives.
Needless to say, they command a premium due to “technical” product knowledge such as specifications and equipment.
What Tools Do Sales Reps Need?
The day is anchored on a CRM, with HubSpot and Salesforce two of the best-known platforms. Dancing around these are a phone system that logs calls, email sequencing software, etc.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator is for finding decision makers, and quoting software (for documenting price lists and related blah blah customers can easily sign).
These are the usual tools of a sales rep:
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM): HubSpot, Salesforce
- Business phone systems: Call logging and tracking software
- Email sequencing tools: For automated sales emails and follow-ups
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator: For finding prospects and decision-makers
- Quoting software: For preparing and sending customer quotes
- Mobile CRM apps: For recording customer visits and updating sales records while on the road
Anything else to add to this list will depend on your unique business and the unique responsibilities your reps will be fulfilling.
What Skills Does a Sales Representative Need?
The ABS sets the occupation at Skill Level 4, equal to a Certificate II or III or at least one year of relevant experience. Evidence of quotas hit is also a good way to give you an idea of a candidate’s sales skills.
Certificates? Tool knowledge/stack? Good, too. For the first, not a requirement, but nice to have.
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Quoting
Quoting is a named task in the ABS definition. The rep needs enough product knowledge to give a price and credit terms in the same call, according to business SOPs and brand voice.
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Record-Keeping
With 72% of the working week going to tasks other than selling, expert reps are able to log calls in the CRM within their shift, or simultaneously with each call, so that the rest of their hours can be dedicated to other customer relationship-building tasks.
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Communication and Negotiation
The ability to explain product value, handle objections, and discuss prices without sounding pushy.
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CRM and Sales Tool Proficiency
Familiarity with platforms such as HubSpot or Salesforce, including updating customer records, tracking leads, and following through with follow-ups.
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Product Knowledge
Scripts are often baked into a sales call or sales conversation. But understanding what the business is and what it sells (whether product or service), plus pricing and other specifications, should never feel or sound like it’s scripted.
Even if they are.
The rep should know the offering well enough to answer questions without having to put the customer on hold every few minutes.
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Lead Qualification
Knowing which enquiries deserve attention, recognising serious buyers and avoiding hours spent chasing prospects with little intention to purchase.
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Persuasion
Presenting a product or service in a manner that convinces prospects of a reason to buy. Expert sales agents can address hesitation, respond to objections, even change minds, and help a potential customer feel confident about making a purchase.
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Resilience (and Confidence, and Cool-Headedness)
Resilience, too. More of a soft skill, and is the other daily requirement. Outbound contact brings plenty of refusals – this is a fact nobody can escape.
Still, the rep should be able to maintain brand voice and confidence, without losing their cool. Without passing on the previous call’s bad conversation onto the next one.
How Much Does a Sales Representative Earn in Australia?
A$60,741, according to PayScale’s 2026 Australian data. The middle 80% of base salaries run from A$45,000 to A$81,000.
Reports are higher if we peer at Jobs and Skills Australia’s reports: median weekly earnings are A$1,692 before tax. Annually, that totals to A$88,000.
Sales Rep Salary Comparison Table:
How Much Commission Should You Pay Sales Reps in Australia?
Commission is A$2,000 to A$27,000 on top of base pay in PayScale’s data, and bonuses reach A$15,000.
When it comes to reps’ salary based on location, it’s not that significant. PayScale’s Sydney average is A$60,223, within about A$500 of the national figure. That means city alone doesn’t make the base swell the way experience does.
What Else Does a Sales Rep Earn?
Superannuation’s counted on top of base. The guarantee has been 12% of ordinary time earnings since 1 July 2025. Payroll tax, leave and tools are separate.
A rep’s cost per selling hour is worth working out before the job ad goes up.
Take the A$60,741 base plus 12% super, which comes to A$68,030 a year or A$1,308 a week. Selling takes up 28% of a 38-hour full-time week, around 10.6 hours.
In essence, each hour a rep spends with customers costs about A$123 before payroll tax, leave and tools.
Do You Pay Superannuation on Sales Commission?
Yes. Australian employers generally have to pay superannuation on sales commissions. Commission is included in ordinary time earnings (OTE) when it relates to an employee’s ordinary hours of work – this is important (see note below).
Note to Remember: The main exception is commission that can be shown to relate entirely to overtime hours. This is unusual, but it can affect the calculation.
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Have questions? Drop our team a line anytime.
Sales vs Business Development: Are They The Same Person?
You’d think that they were, seeing and shaking our heads at many job ads that swap the two titles like it’s nobody’s business. Let’s define them.
Business development managers open relationships with companies that have never bought from you.
Sales representatives work leads that already exist and turn them into orders.
One other role that’s mixed in the milieu: an account manager looks after customers once they’ve signed.
If most of your new customers trace back to the owner’s own contacts, the hire you want is closer to a business development manager. We talk about the role in detail in What Is a Business Development Manager.
Related Read: Learn about CX Technologies That Bring Sales.
What Rules Do Sales Representatives Have to Follow in Australia?
Telemarketing Hours and the Do Not Call Register
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) sets the hours when telemarketing calls can be made: 9 am to 8 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 5 pm on Saturdays.
Sundays and national public holidays are off-limits.
Any number listed on the Do Not Call Register cannot be used for telemarketing unless the person has given consent or an exemption applies. Those exemptions cover government agencies and registered charities.
Email and SMS Marketing
The Spam Act 2003 covers commercial emails and SMS. Businesses need the recipient’s consent before sending them. They must identify the sender and include a working unsubscribe option.
Can a Sales Representative Work Remotely?
Yes, because Inside sales work happens in a CRM and on calls and video meetings, so it travels well. Territory work that needs a vehicle and a customer’s front door does not.
We, at Remote Staff, are privy to this. We have been pairing remote professionals with Australian businesses for 18 years. Every sales candidate is screened for hands-on experience with CRM platforms and outbound selling, and we handle payroll, onboarding, and HR support so that administration doesn’t take up your week.
More than their skills and experience, we make sure you’re matched with the “right” sales rep. The ones who’ll integrate into your team and join as if they’re right there with you and the rest of your workforce.
Just a few thousand miles away.
Sales Representative FAQs
What qualifications do you need to be a sales representative in Australia?
The ABS lists an AQF Certificate II or III, or at least one year of relevant experience, as the usual standard for the occupation. Sales roles in regulated fields such as real estate carry their own licensing rules.
Do sales representatives get paid commission?
Commission is common. PayScale’s 2026 Australian data shows commission of A$2,000 to A$27,000 and bonuses of up to A$15,000 on top of base pay, and the employment contract sets the split between fixed and variable pay.
Can a sales representative work from home?
Inside sales representatives can, because the work runs on phone, email, video and a CRM. Outside representatives need a vehicle and customer visits, though their admin hours can be done from home. The calling hours and Do Not Call rules apply wherever the rep is working.
Is a sales representative the same as a sales assistant?
No. The ABS classifies sales representatives as people who sell to wholesale and retail businesses, while retail sales assistants serve customers on the shop floor under a different occupation code.
What is the difference between a sales representative and a business development manager?
A business development manager finds new companies to approach, and a sales representative turns existing leads into orders. Account managers then look after those customers once the contract is signed.
Related Read: Four Strategies for Managing Remote Sales.
Choosing the Sales Representative Your Business Needs
Not all sales reps are the same. Neither do you need just any sales representative. The role is a wide title, wide enough to cover a territory manager driving between trade counters and an inside rep working a customer list from a spare room.
Sales figures tell an incomplete story. Reps carry the business’s name into conversations owners may never get to have, and over time, those conversations can turn into trust. Repeat orders into long-standing customer relationships.
Offshore the one who best fits your brand and vision in relationship-building. Request a Callback today.
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Vaune Everis Cura has always been a writer in the truest sense, drawn to the art both as a personal creative pursuit and as a profession. Her experience penning content across digital marketing spaces and collaborating with business owners and market shapers has broadened her craft to include strategic direction and SEO insight. Having spent years with the InterContinental Hotels Group before stepping boldly into freelancing, she understands that at the centre of it all are genuine, meaningful brand–customer relationships built on purposeful, human content.
