We’re all familiar with the different positions in sales, such as a sales team member and their direct manager or leader. A less commonly used term is a sales engineer. As the name suggests, this position requires advanced knowledge both of company and client side needs. If your company makes a technical product or offers a technical service, a sales engineer can be a very beneficial addition to your company. 

Let’s look at a few common scenarios which would indicate you need a sales engineer on your staff.

1. Your sales team is having difficulties with the pre-sale process.

One of the most common problems sales team members have when selling a technical product is a failure to understand the product, how it works and how beneficial it can be. If they lack this understanding, they simply aren’t going to be able to effectively market it. A sales engineer can be used both for company side and consumer side pre-sales processes.

For example, your sales engineer can highlight the benefits of the product and help your team create a sales process that includes these items. In addition, they can also be used to help increase customer understanding and drive home the need that this product can fill.  

2. Your customers are having problems with the implementation of your product.

Once your sales team makes the sale, the job doesn’t end there. Many customers may have difficulties implementing your product once they’ve made their purchase. You don’t want to send this business somewhere else by having them seek technical help elsewhere. This is where a sales engineer really comes in handy. They can walk the customer through the set-up process and help ensure that they get everything up and running smoothly.

This creates a better sales chain that leaves your customers with a more positive feeling about your products. This tells them that not only do you believe in your product, but you’re also willing to help them get everything off the ground. This means a lot to consumers, particularly if they know they don’t have to pay any extra for this service. 

3. You need help with following-up with existing customers and upselling your products.

Your sales team is going to have their work cut out for them when it comes to doing follow-ups with existing customers. The customer may have questions about further implementation that they simply cannot answer fully. A sales engineer can help do the follow-ups so that they can offer guidance to the customers if necessary.

In addition, your sales engineer can also be utilized to help in the process of upselling and add-ons for your existing customers. This can be a very lucrative addition to your current sales stream and ensures that you can create a lucrative sales process that will keep producing for your company, even years after the sale.