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Difference between Sales and Services
Sales and services are one of the most critical features of any business. Although they sound similar, they are different from each other as the role, and purposes of each one differ from the others.
What is Sale?
A transaction between two or more parties in which the buyer receives goods, services, and assets in exchange for money is a sale. It is also known as selling goods and services to gain profit. It mainly involves sale agent.
For example, while selling a house, the sales representative provides the customer with all the details regarding the house and its benefits compared to the other places.
What is Service?
Service is support or assistance provided to the customer after buying the goods and services. A service can take place before or during the sale is going on to increase customer satisfaction. It mainly aims at preventing the customer’s challenges with the product, like guiding them, assisting the upsells, helping them create a bond with the product, and answering all their detailed questions.
For example, when a person purchases a new mobile phone, the customer care representatives provide the customer with a guarantee ensuring that the mobile phone has no defects when used until a specific period. If there are any defects in the mobile phone within the period, they will replace it with a non-defective one.
Difference between Sales and Services
The following table highlights the major differences between Sales and Services −
Characteristics | Sales | Services |
|---|---|---|
Purpose | The main aim of sales is to sell
the product and profit from it. | To enhance customer satisfaction by
supporting new and old customers
with a product they already have or
use. |
New customers | Profit maximization is one of
the main aims of sales. It
effectively achieves this
through massive sales. Hence
sales persons work at attracting
new customers. | It does not mainly aim at attracting
new customers. But it might attract
clients through customer will and
goodwill. |
The happiness
of the customer
and satisfaction | Sales do not precisely aim at
keeping the customer happy
when a deal is made. | Services aim to keep the customer
happy and address all of the
customer’s needs if any. |
Pre-interaction
with the
customer | There is a pre-interaction with
the customer before a sale is
made. | There is no pre-interaction, as the
interaction only takes place after the
sale. |
Target | The main target of the sales
agents is to strike a sale. | Its target is to help assist the
customers after the sale is made. It
mainly aims at customer satisfaction
with the product or services offered. |
Mode of
transaction | The transaction between the
customer and the salesperson is
monetary. | The transaction between the
customer and the service provider is
usually non-monetary. |
Different types | The different types of sales are −
| The different types of service are −
|
Scope | It relates to the flow of goods to
the ultimate customers. | It relates to all the activities that
motivate customers to purchase a
product. |
Goal | Sales have short-term goals,
which are to buy it now. | Services have long-term goals that
are returning customers, multi-purchase,
and loyalty. |
Different
methods | The different methods of sales are −
| The different methods of services are −
|
Opportunity | Once the customers' needs are
established, they are persuaded
to the market or service. | There is a wide range of exposure to
products and services. Many
processes are followed to ensure the
customer’s needs are met and
satisfied and provide them with
ongoing support. |
Strategy used | In sales, the push strategy is
used: promotion and
persuasion. | In services, the pull strategy is used,
that is, integrated marketing efforts. |
Emphasis | It emphasizes bending the
customer according to the given
product. | It emphasizes developing the
product according to the customer’s
needs. |
Start and end | It starts much before production
and continues even after the
sales. | It starts after production and ends
with the sale of the product. |
Conclusion
Sales and Services are two terms that can be distinguished easily by understanding their purposes. Although both benefit the business because they enhance smooth business continuity and bring indirect customers to support and use the various products and services, they still have notable differences. For any business to prosper, it needs sales and services to ensure the sales are made and the customers are assisted.
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