Good team and humour take you far
Iida Vakkuri is a living example of the fact that L&T stays true to its promises to offer opportunities for career advancement. Iida was hired as a salesperson toward the end of 2007, but she now holds the position of Sales Manager for Environmental Products, overseeing a team of six, and managing, among other things, the domestic sales of rubbish bins, composting products and technical equipment for waste management.
The transition to Sales Manager reduced Iida’s travel days, practical sales work and customer visits, but that work was replaced with annual contract negotiations with chain customers and managerial responsibilities which include encouraging those working under her to reach ever better sales figures. One additional challenge of the job is the fact that the sales region that Iida manages covers all of Finland, and the most distant employee on her team is situated in Oulu, in northern Finland. The command of this entire palette is a demanding task, and the working pace is rapid.
“This is a very multifaceted job and I am always learning something new. Salespeople must know how to handle unfinished business and have the ability to independently manage their own schedules. In sales work, the most important characteristics to possess are the desire to help the customers and a genuine enthusiasm for the job; the practical work teaches you the rest. One must be able to visualise things from the customer’s point of view, because we often have to reach an understanding about the customer’s business operations and needs on the basis of only a short discussion. The sales personnel must also believe in the products and services they are selling. At L&T, this is an easy task, since the brand name is well-known and the products and services are in continual development,” Iida sums up.
Iida was drawn in by the company’s size and internationality. She is constantly met with new challenges throughout the process of overseeing the management of products from purchase to installation.
“That’s what I call a broad concept of business. Fortunately, I also have the broad authority to implement my own ideas and the right people working with me. My supervisor is extremely encouraging, but the best commendation still always comes from a satisfied customer. With the assistance of my team of experts, we are able to ensure that no problem remains unsolved. The humour of my colleagues has also been my saving grace on days when I get up on the wrong side of the bed,” Iida states with a laugh.