Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products

Sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses or groups of individuals. Work requires substantial knowledge of items sold.

The occupation "Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products" currently faces a notable automation risk, assessed at 64.3%, which closely aligns with its base risk of 65.3%. This occupation involves a range of tasks related to selling products to businesses and organizations, many of which are increasingly susceptible to automation due to advances in artificial intelligence, chatbots, and enterprise software. The prevalence of structured information flow and routine decision-making within the role makes it particularly vulnerable, as these can often be streamlined or performed more efficiently by algorithms or automated systems. Moreover, the proliferation of e-commerce platforms has diminished some of the human-centric elements traditionally embedded in wholesale and manufacturing sales. As such, employers may find it economically viable to automate several core functions of this occupation over time. The top three tasks most likely to be automated in this field are "Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms," "Recommend products to customers, based on customers' needs and interests," and "Estimate or quote prices, credit or contract terms, warranties, and delivery dates." These tasks are highly routine and data-driven, making them suitable for automation by digital assistants or customer relationship management (CRM) systems powered by artificial intelligence. Chatbots, for example, can handle a high volume of product inquiries and even provide tailored recommendations based on customer profiles and purchasing data. Automated pricing tools and online portals can quickly generate quotes and provide contract information with minimal human oversight. As these technologies become more sophisticated, the need for human intervention in these aspects of the sales process continues to decline. Conversely, the most automation-resistant responsibilities in this occupation include "Arrange and direct delivery and installation of products and equipment," "Forward orders to manufacturers," and "Obtain credit information about prospective customers." These processes often require a higher degree of logistical coordination and individual judgment, such as customizing delivery schedules or resolving installation challenges on-site. Human oversight remains critical to manage exceptions, address unexpected issues, and maintain client relationships through the complexities of fulfillment and credit vetting processes. The occupation also relies on bottleneck skills such as originality, though only at a moderate level (3.0%), indicating that while creative problem-solving is a component, it is not heavily emphasized in this role. The limited reliance on originality implies that as automation tools become even more capable, the occupation may see further erosion of its more routine and predictable tasks.