But Can You Sell IT?

I can’t remember the last time I asked a tech salesperson to recommend something.  Sure, I’ll ask if they have something in stock or what something costs, but nothing more.  And inevitably while I’m standing there, I’ll hear someone given the wrong specifications for a product or told that it is compatible with something it isn’t.

Unfortunately, under-qualified salespeople are at work selling products and services from all levels of all industries.  The result too is universal – no one is happy.  But the system failed long before the sale or the customer was lost.  The process of finding, creating or becoming a competent IT salesperson is subject to “inherent systemic weaknesses” as we heard said in a more serious context a lot this week.

CompTIA knows a thing or two about training and identifying qualified IT professionals and created CompTIA Strata - IT Technology for Sales to address just this issue.

“A sales person with the right mix of technical knowledge and customer service skills is worth their weight in commissions and spiffs,” said Terry Erdle, senior vice president, skills certifications, CompTIA. “But this combination of skills has too often been in short supply for tech companies. We’ve developed this exam specifically to address this shortage.”

The 70-question exam covers technology and computer hardware basics, compatibility issues and software compliance, preventative maintenance and green IT and sales and communication skills.  Exams are delivered at Pearson VUE and Prometric testing centers.  To earn the CompTIA Strata - IT Technology for Sales certificate of completion, individuals must complete the test in 60 minutes and achieve a score of 70 percent.

Good, qualified IT salespeople may still be hard to find, but at least they will now be easy to identify!  For more information, click here.