Sales administrator: Duties and Value

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When a sales rep closes a deal, it’s often their name that gets the spotlight but behind that win is someone who made sure the sales quote was accurate, the CRM was updated, and the paperwork was flawless. That someone is the sales administrator. Often working behind the scenes, sales administrators are the glue that holds sales operations together.

Let’s understand the role of a sales administrator in detail.

Who is a sales administrator?

Sales Administrator / noun / Sales

A sales administrator is a professional who provides comprehensive administrative and operational support, ensuring the smooth and efficient execution of the sales process.

What are the responsibilities of a sales administrator?

Processing sales orders and invoices

Accurately processing and verifying sales orders and invoices to ensure smooth and timely transactions.

Managing and updating CRM data

Keeping customer and sales records in the CRM system accurate, complete, and up to date.

Preparing sales documents and proposals

Developing well structured quotations, contracts, and proposals tailored to customer needs.

Coordinating with internal departments

Working closely with marketing, logistics and finance teams to streamline sales operations.

Generating sales reports and dashboards

Producing detailed reports and visual dashboards to track and evaluate sales performance.

Tracking inventory and product availability

Monitoring stock levels to ensure product availability and prevent fulfillment delays.

How to become a sales administrator?

Education

Although a formal degree isn’t mandatory, most employers look for candidates with at least a bachelor’s degree in fields like business administration, sales and marketing, management etc.

Certifications

Certifications like Salesforce Administrator Certification, Hubspot Sales Software Certification help you stand out from the crowd especially if you’re competing for roles in mid-sized or larger organizations.

Experience

Gain some experience by doing entry level roles such as sales support executive, customer service associate. Even part-time jobs where you have handled coordination or admin work can help demonstrate your skills.

How to network smartly

Once you are ready to apply, craft a resume that highlights your organizational abilities, CRM proficiency, and any relevant certifications or admin experience.Use keywords like CRM management, pipeline coordination, and order processing in your resume to pass filters. While job portals like LinkedIn, Naukri and Indeed are great places to start, networking can make a big difference too. Reach out to current sales administrators on LinkedIn, join professional forums or attend virtual industry events. Sometimes, a simple message asking for advice or insights can lead to job leads or referrals. For example,

Message: “Hey [Name], I’m exploring sales admin roles - would love to hear how you got started at [Company].”

What KPIs help measure success of a sales administrator?

Order processing accuracy

This measures the percentage of sales orders processed without errors. It’s essential to track this because errors in order entry can lead to customer dissatisfaction, delays and financial losses.

Order accuracy rate = (No. of error free orders/ Total orders processed) × 100

CRM data quality and maintenance

This measures the accuracy of data entered into the CRM. Clean and up-to-date data ensures that sales teams have accurate information to make strategic decisions.

Quote-to-Invoice turnaround time

This measures the time taken to move a sales quote through to invoice generation. It’s important to track this to reduce delays caused by administrative bottlenecks.

Sales team support response time

This measures how quickly sales administrators respond to internal sales team requests. Timely support allows sales teams to close deals faster.

Lead distribution efficiency

This measures the speed and accuracy with which inbound leads are routed to the correct sales reps. Delayed or misrouted leads can lead to missed opportunities.

Task completion rate

This measures the percentage of assigned tasks completed within a given time frame and reflects time management, prioritisation and productivity.

Task completion rate: (Tasks completed/ Tasks assigned)×100

What challenges do sales administrators face?

Challenge	Description	Solution
Managing high volumes of administrative tasks	Sales administrators often have to juggle multiple tasks under tight deadlines which can lead to burnout.	Use task management tools like Trello or Asana. Automate repetitive tasks like data entry and order confirmations using the CRM.
Inaccurate or incomplete CRM data	Inconsistent data on the CRM can lead sales reps to chase wrong leads, misreport performance or delay follow-ups.	Conduct regular data audits to remove duplicates and update outdated information. Train the sales team regarding CRM best practices and assign clear ownership for data hygiene.
Communication gap between teams	Sales administrators need to coordinate between sales, finance, logistics and sometimes customer service and miscommunication can delay orders, invoicing or contract approvals.	Use centralised communication platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams for faster collaboration. Maintain clear documentation and SOPs for cross-functional processes.
Handling last minute changes from sales reps	Sales reps might change order details, pricing, or delivery terms close to submission, requiring quick updates to documents and approvals.	Implement a change request protocol that outlines how and when changes can be made. Use version control systems for documents to track updates.
Errors in order entry or contract drafting	Small mistakes in order forms or legal documents can have large financial or reputational consequences.	Create checklists for critical tasks like order processing or proposal creation. Use pre-approved templates for contracts and quotes to reduce manual errors.

Sales admins often grow into sales ops, account coordinator, or sales analyst roles.

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What’s the difference between a sales administrator and a sales representative?

A sales representative is responsible for actively selling products or services to customers while a sales administrator focuses on back-end support like documentation, data management, and coordination to help the sales team succeed.

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Sales administrator salary

According to Glassdoor, The average salary for a sales administrator is ₹4,82000 per year in India.This can vary by company size, industry, and experience ranging from ₹3L to ₹7L for mid-level roles.

Source

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