Company: Marshall Fleet Solutions
Role: Business Development Manager
Sam works for Marshall Fleet Solutions as a Business Development Manager.
It’s a sales role, so there’s a lot of contact with customers – which could mean explaining our product portfolio to potential new customers, checking in with existing ones, or anything in between.
There weren’t any specific qualifications for a role like Sam’s, but there are certain kinds of people who will do well. First, you do need good communication skills, but he doesn’t think you have to be a “smooth talker” in particular. You need to have in-depth knowledge of your product portfolio. You also need to understand your customer’s business and know what’s important to them.
Sam’s initial role with Marshall Fleet Solutions was as a trainee installation engineer, and then he progressed through to Service and Repair. Along the way, he realised that he loved being able to talk to customers about our product portfolio, and that he had a lot of knowledge he could share from spending so much time on the tools.
“Looking back, I think it’s great that people at Marshall Fleet Solutions were able to sit down with me and have that discussion to help me change from one area to another. Not all businesses are that flexible, but I think it’s been a win-win for all involved!”
As luck would have it, Sam had a family friend who still works for Marshall, who got him an interview to join the newly formed Install division. The rest is history…
Bringing a new customer on board is particularly satisfying, as you can really see the difference you’ve made and be proud of owning that relationship.
Sam doesn’t think he’ll ever forget my first win in sales. The customer was already working with one of our competitors, but Sam’s knowledge and experience as an engineer supported their decision to become a Marshall and Thermo King customer.