I am in my third month of work as a Key Account Manager at Up Hellas. If someone two years ago had told me what my current role would be, I would probably smile with surprise. Coming from studies in Political Science and always having my horizons open for discussion and exchange of views, early on I had come up with the following reasoning that is constantly confirmed in my career: in the complex but comfortable world we live in, there is no science that will "close the ears" to the guarantees of another science. On the contrary, when science and knowledge "marry", not only everyone's career but also society go one step forward.

The first steps

My role as Administrative Assistant in a company with a large clientele, shaped the ground before I took the next step – or more correctly before climbing the next step. My daily contact with clients, combined with my tendency to observe and analyze behaviors, allowed me to acquire skills in managing situations both in the field of sales and in the field of human resources of the company. One day a very dissatisfied customer will come to complain about the purchase he made, and the next an employee will complain about the leave he didn’t take. The company trusted me to manage such situations because with my dedication I had managed to convince them of something very important: if the lowest paid employee is not happy, neither will be the number one customer.

Human Resource Management

As a culmination of this effort, came the studies in the field of Human Resources. A sector that not only interested me, but also linked to the needs of the company. Needs that a few years ago were not even visible. Attention was simply focused on "selling", and factors such as mitigating friction within the organization, preventing lost working hours due to poor management, or "reading" the customer, seemed secondary. With a lot of effort but also always open to ideas and comments, I managed to organize the team of which the company was composed. Through this process I felt that I could, to a certain extent, put myself in the shoes of 40 people individually. What needs, what rights and obligations they have and how these will be met to the optimum.

The customer and I

Being essentially the intermediate link between employees and the company, without standing still, my gaze did not take long to look at the behavior of the customer. Because in this chain, he rightfully has his own special link. Nowadays the internet has given the customer the power to judge everything. He will avoid the bad product, and if he does not avoid it, he will condemn it so that others can avoid it. The customer is no longer a foreigner, and every company must approach him in a humanistic way.

In collaboration with the sales department and listening to customer needs, without haste and superficial approaches, we managed to see spectacular results in customer behavior. This gradually translated into improved sales levels as well as a positive outward image of the business.

Today

Going through that period and having achieved several personal – and non-personal – goals, came the proposal of Up Hellas. From the first moment I combined in my mind my experience, HR and the attractive sales challenges for the next step I would climb. Indeed, so far, I have not been refuted. Although until then the "counter" of my career had not written many hours purely in the field of sales, I saw the guarantees of HR quickly bridge my distance with the customer. The dedication to what he is looking for, what will satisfy him and how I will mentally put myself in the shoes of his staff, offer me the opportunity to give an anthropocentric character to my relationships with my clientele. Opposite me is not just a possible contract or a deal. There is a group of people who will only accept my offer if I have truly understood their needs and adapted to them.

This is how I continue my journey in the world of sales. Always having ears and eyes open to what an article, a science, a colleague can offer me. So, I conclude that my purpose is to give another meaning to the word clientele; people with such needs, that if I satisfy them, I will contribute to the smiles of the employees. Both theirs and Up Hellas's!

By Stefania Farsati, Key Account Manager of our team! 🎉