The Satisfaction of a Deal Well Done
One thing I like about being a sales engineer is that there’s a very fixed marker of accomplishment: the close of the sale.
Even though I know I can’t take credit for the whole process (since the typical sale involves the sales person negotiating, me providing technical services and often a dev or two supporting things), it’s still satisfying to hear that a sale I was involved with has been closed.
Another source of satisfaction is when the sales person declares that we have the technical win: when the customer confirms that from a technical standpoint the product appears satisfactory and all that remains is the price negotiation. It lets me know my part is done and done satisfactorily.
Not every project goes perfectly, and I still have to bring in others to help from time to time, but it still gives a real feeling of contributing to the success of a team.
