If you have sales experience, enjoy speaking to customers and are comfortable working towards targets, the Telesales Consultant opportunity at Discovery Connect in Sandton could be worth considering.
The position is part of Discovery’s Distribution business and is based within its sales call centre. The successful candidate will be responsible for selling Discovery products through inbound and outbound calls, responding to product enquiries and working with leads generated by the business.
While the role offers an opportunity to build on existing sales experience, it is important to understand that this is a target-driven position. Applicants should be comfortable with sales conversations, performance requirements, customer engagement and working within quality and compliance standards.
Here is what job seekers need to know about the opportunity. See section 8 below to apply.
Table of Contents
1. Overview of the Telesales Consultant Position
The Telesales Consultant position is based at Discovery Connect in Sandton and reports to a sales team leader.
The main purpose of the role is to conduct telesales activities and help grow Discovery Gap by engaging prospective and existing customers.
Unlike a general customer service position, the role has a strong sales focus. The successful candidate will need to identify opportunities, communicate product benefits, respond to enquiries and guide customers towards suitable products.
The position involves both inbound and outbound calls, meaning consultants may speak to customers who have already made an enquiry as well as contact leads generated through the business.
This makes communication particularly important.
A good Telesales Consultant needs to listen carefully to what a customer is looking for, understand their profile and explain relevant products clearly rather than simply trying to make a sale.
The role also requires consultants to work towards monthly sales and activation targets.
2. What Will the Telesales Consultant Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities combine sales, customer interaction, administration and compliance.
According to the vacancy, some of the key outputs include:
Achieving sales and activation targets
The consultant will be expected to consistently work towards monthly targets set by the business.
This means applicants should be comfortable working in an environment where performance is measured.
Being target-driven is therefore more than just a desirable quality for this position. It is an important part of succeeding in the role.
Managing customer enquiries
Consultants will respond to customers who have questions about products and services.
This requires the ability to explain information in a way that is easy for customers to understand.
Managing leads
The role involves handling different types of leads generated by the business.
The consultant’s responsibility is to engage with these potential customers and identify opportunities to convert suitable leads into sales.
Capturing information accurately
Customer application information needs to be captured correctly on the relevant system.
Attention to detail is therefore essential.
A small administrative mistake can potentially affect a customer’s application or the accuracy of information recorded on the system.
Matching products to customer profiles
The vacancy specifically states that consultants must ensure the correct products are sold based on the customer’s profile.
This highlights an important distinction between responsible sales and simply trying to close every conversation.
The consultant needs to understand the customer’s needs and apply their product knowledge appropriately.
Meeting quality and compliance standards
Sales performance is not the only measure of success.
The successful candidate will also need to meet the company’s productivity, quality and compliance requirements and complete ongoing assessments.
3. Why Sales Experience Matters for This Role
One of the most important things applicants should understand is that this is not positioned as a first-time sales role.
Discovery requires applicants to have at least one to two years of sales experience, preferably in an outbound telesales environment.
Previous telesales experience can be particularly valuable because it exposes candidates to the realities of selling over the telephone.
This can include:
- Starting conversations with customers.
- Asking effective questions.
- Understanding customer needs.
- Explaining products and benefits.
- Responding to objections.
- Maintaining confidence when customers say no.
- Following up on leads.
- Working towards sales targets.
- Recording customer information accurately.
For someone who has previously worked in a call centre or sales environment, these responsibilities may already be familiar.
However, candidates coming from other sales environments should also consider how their existing experience translates to telephone-based selling.
4. Qualifications and Requirements
There are several important requirements attached to the Telesales Consultant vacancy.
Matric
A Matric certificate is listed as an essential requirement.
Applicants should make sure their CV clearly reflects their school qualification.
One to two years of sales experience
Candidates need at least one to two years of sales experience.
Experience in an outbound telesales environment is preferred.
NQF5 and RE5
The vacancy also lists an NQF5 and RE5 qualification as an essential requirement.
Applicants who are unsure whether their qualifications meet these requirements should verify the exact qualification level and regulatory requirements before applying.
Tertiary qualification
A tertiary qualification is listed as an advantage rather than an essential requirement.
This means applicants should not assume that they will automatically be excluded if they do not have a university or college qualification, provided they meet the stated essential requirements.
Computer literacy
Candidates need to be comfortable using a computer and working with:
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- General computer systems
This is important because the role involves capturing customer information and working with business systems while engaging with clients.
5. Skills and Personal Qualities Discovery Is Looking For
Technical requirements are only one part of the vacancy.
Discovery is also looking for someone who can perform effectively in a demanding sales environment.
Target-driven
Sales consultants need to remain focused on their targets throughout the month.
Persuasive
The ability to communicate product value and influence a customer’s decision is important in telesales.
Persuasion, however, needs to be combined with good listening skills and an understanding of the customer’s requirements.
Resilient
Not every call will result in a sale.
A successful consultant needs to handle rejection without allowing one difficult conversation to affect the next customer interaction.
Self-motivated
Because sales environments are performance-focused, candidates need to take responsibility for their own productivity and progress.
Able to work under pressure
Telesales can involve targets, productivity expectations, customer interactions and administrative responsibilities happening throughout the same working day.
The ability to remain calm and organised is therefore valuable.
Adaptable
The vacancy also highlights the ability to adapt to change.
This could be important in a large business where products, processes, systems and customer requirements can change over time.
Strong communication skills
The successful candidate needs to speak fluent English and Afrikaans and communicate professionally with customers.
Telephone communication is particularly important because consultants need to create a positive customer experience without the benefit of face-to-face interaction.
6. What Makes This Opportunity Different?
One of the more interesting aspects of this position is that it combines sales with financial-services customer engagement.
The consultant is not simply making calls to sell a generic product.
They need to understand Discovery’s products and benefits and use that knowledge when engaging with customers.
The vacancy also refers to Discovery’s shared-value approach and its objective of encouraging healthier lifestyles.
For the right candidate, this can make the role more varied than simply following a basic sales script.
It also means product knowledge will matter.
A consultant who understands what they are selling is better positioned to answer questions, explain benefits accurately and have meaningful conversations with customers.
The ongoing assessments mentioned in the vacancy also suggest that learning does not stop after the initial training period.
Candidates should therefore be prepared to continue developing their knowledge while working.
7. How to Prepare Before Applying
If you are considering applying for the Telesales Consultant position, take some time to review your CV before submitting it.
Highlight relevant sales experience.
Do not simply write “sales experience” and leave it there.
Explain what you actually did.
For example, your CV could mention experience with outbound calls, lead generation, customer engagement, upselling, meeting sales targets or converting leads.
Make your achievements visible.
If you have previously exceeded sales targets, improved conversions or received recognition for performance, consider including those achievements.
Specific examples can help employers understand your experience.
Clearly list your qualifications.
Make sure your CV includes Matric, your NQF5 qualification and RE5 where applicable.
If you have a tertiary qualification, include that as well.
Show your computer skills.
Mention your experience with email, Microsoft Word, Excel and any customer relationship management or call-centre systems you have used.
Prepare for sales-focused interview questions.
Applicants should expect questions that explore how they handle rejection, difficult customers, sales targets and pressure.
Think about real examples from previous employment rather than relying entirely on general statements.
8. How to Apply for the Telesales Consultant Position
Applicants should use Discovery’s official recruitment/application process and ensure that they meet the essential requirements before submitting an application.
Official Application Portal: Apply Here
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Before applying, check that your CV includes:
- Matric.
- One to two years of sales experience.
- Relevant outbound telesales experience, where applicable.
- NQF5 and RE5.
- Computer literacy.
- Email, Word and Excel skills.
- Relevant sales achievements.
- Accurate contact details.
Because application links and vacancy availability can change, job seekers should verify the current listing through Discovery’s official careers platform rather than relying on an unofficial repost.
9. Final Thoughts
The Telesales Consultant opportunity at Discovery offers an interesting option for experienced sales professionals who enjoy customer interaction and are comfortable working towards measurable targets.
It is particularly suited to someone who already understands the demands of telephone-based sales and can combine persuasive communication with accuracy, resilience and responsible customer engagement.
The role also makes it clear that sales performance is only one part of the job. Quality, compliance, productivity, ongoing assessments and accurate customer information all form part of the consultant’s responsibilities.
For candidates who meet the Matric, experience, NQF5 and RE5 requirements, the Sandton opportunity could be a worthwhile career move to explore. As with any job application, make sure your CV accurately reflects your experience and qualifications, and verify the current vacancy details before applying
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