# Compensation Analysis — Inside Sales, Copier/Office Equipment
## CT/MA/RI Market, February 2026

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## Current Compensation (ABS | Xerox)

- **Base:** $20/hr ($41,600/yr at 40hrs/wk)
- **Commission structure:** Flat per-machine placement fee

| Machine Class | Existing Customer | New Customer |
|--------------|-------------------|--------------|
| VersaLink    | $50               | $100         |
| AltaLink     | $75               | $150         |
| PrimeLink    | $150              | $300         |

- **Commission timing:** Paid when customer funds contract (not at lease funding)
- **Role:** Only salesperson at the company. Handles prospecting, CRM, deal processing, customer support.

### Example: FirstLight Power Services Deal (Feb 2026)
- 3x AltaLink C8235 new placements
- Dealer lease payout (est.): $24,000–$36,000 upfront from leasing company
- **Sales rep commission: $450 total (1.2–1.9% of deal value)**

### Estimated Annual Total Comp (optimistic)
- Base: $41,600
- Commission (est. 10 machines/mo avg): ~$15,000/yr
- **Total: ~$56,600/yr**

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## Industry Benchmarks

### Sales Rep Salary Data — CT/MA Region

| Source | Role | Base | Total Comp | Link |
|--------|------|------|-----------|------|
| Indeed (Feb 2026) | Sales Rep, CT | $88,940 | $99,840 (incl $10,900 commission) | https://www.indeed.com/career/sales-representative/salaries/CT |
| Indeed (Feb 2026) | Sales Rep, MA | $80,801 | $91,701 (incl $10,900 commission) | https://www.indeed.com/career/sales-representative/salaries/MA |
| Glassdoor | Sales Rep, MA | $68,209 | $101,980 | https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/massachusetts-sales-representative-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IS3399_KO14,34.htm |
| Glassdoor | Xerox Sales Rep (national) | — | $123,626 avg ($93K–$167K range) | https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Xerox-Sales-Representative-Salaries-E747_D_KO6,26.htm |
| ZipRecruiter | Xerox Sales Rep (national) | — | $76,681 | https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Xerox-Sales-Representative-Salary |
| Indeed (Feb 2026) | Sr. Sales Rep, CT | $69,225 | $99,225 (incl $30,000 commission) | https://www.indeed.com/career/senior-sales-representative/salaries/CT |

### Commission Structure Benchmarks

| Source | Finding | Link |
|--------|---------|------|
| Everstage (2026) | B2B equipment sales: 5–20% of sale value | https://www.everstage.com/sales-commission/average-sales-commission-rates-by-industry |
| Visdum (2026) | Most sales commissions: 5–20% of sale value | https://www.visdum.com/blog/sales-commission-statistics-2025-industry-benchmarks |
| Mailshake (2025) | Typical range for sales reps: 20–30% | https://mailshake.com/blog/sales-commission-rates-by-industry/ |
| SPOTIO (2026) | Gross margin commission recommended for protecting margins | https://spotio.com/blog/how-to-determine-typical-commission-structures-for-sales-reps/ |
| r/sales (Reddit) | Equipment reseller: "15% of GP at dollar one, up to 25% at $100K GP" | https://www.reddit.com/r/sales/comments/rgfibc/sales_people_whats_your_commission_rate/ |
| r/sales (Reddit) | Cybersecurity VAR: "12% GP on renewals, 19% GP on new business" | https://www.reddit.com/r/sales/comments/18va3ch/100_commission_reps_how_much_did_you_make_this/ |

### Copier/MPS Industry Specific

| Data Point | Source |
|-----------|--------|
| Copier dealers typically pay % of gross profit, not flat per-unit | Industry standard, confirmed across multiple Reddit threads and trade sources |
| Real copier rep reported: $2K/mo base + 25% of gross profit | r/sales community |
| Print Partner model: $1,000 per copier placed + 5% of monthly service revenue (ongoing) | Industry compensation research |
| Xerox reps avg total comp: $130K ($87K base + $43K variable) | Glassdoor aggregate data |
| Entry-level Xerox reps: $36K–$86K first year depending on performance | ZipRecruiter/Glassdoor |

### Commission Timing

| Model | Prevalence | Notes |
|-------|-----------|-------|
| Commission on booking (at deal signing) | 35% of companies | Standard for lease deals — leasing company pays dealer upfront |
| Commission on collection (when customer pays) | 38% of companies | Appropriate for direct-bill/month-to-month only |
| **Industry norm for lease deals** | — | **Commission paid at lease funding.** Dealer receives full equipment payout from leasing company at signing. No reason to delay rep commission. |

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## Side-by-Side Comparison

| Metric | Current (ABS) | Industry Low End | Industry Average | Industry High |
|--------|--------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------|
| Base salary | $41,600 | $55,000 | $70,000–$88,000 | $90,000+ |
| Commission per new AltaLink | $150 | $500–$1,000 | $1,500–$3,000 | $3,000+ |
| Commission as % of deal | ~1.5% | 5% | 10–15% | 20–30% of GP |
| Estimated total comp | ~$56,600 | $70,000 | $95,000–$125,000 | $165,000+ |
| Commission structure | Flat per unit | % of revenue | % of gross profit | % of GP + tiered accelerators |
| Commission timing (lease) | On customer payment | At lease funding | At lease funding | At lease funding |

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## Summary

Current compensation is significantly below market on both base salary and commission structure. The flat per-unit commission model does not align with industry standards for B2B equipment sales, where percentage of gross profit is the norm. Commission timing on lease deals should be at lease funding (when the dealer receives payment from the leasing company), not deferred to customer payment.

The gap between current total comp (~$56K) and the market floor for this role in CT/MA (~$77K–$95K) represents $20K–$40K+ in annual undercompensation.

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*Compiled February 27, 2026. All salary data from public sources as cited.*
