Leading the pack

Sales is one of a customer’s most frequent touchpoint with any organisation, making it a critical element of the customer journey. As Jamaicans, our knack for sales comes naturally, from the vendor at Coronation Market endearing you to “taste and buy” to the shopkeeper that has a jingle for you to take a look in his store, the art of selling is part of our culture. Today, we highlight two Jamaicans at C&W Business Jamaica who the ICT provider has recognised as the top sales professionals across the 16 countries in the Caribbean.

David Lewis, account manager – C&W Business Jamaica

Trust, credibility and reliability are the foundations of any strong business relationship. For David Lewis, account manager at C&W Business Jamaica, adherence to these principles have been key to him winning the C&W Business Sales Excellence Award and being named the top account manager in the Caribbean region.

To win the coveted award and bragging rights, David competed against 69 account managers from across the region. When asked how he did it, he simply stated, “Customers buy at the speed of trust – for clients to trust me, I must build a strong relationship which is predicated on me keeping my word, having their best interest at heart, and always being accessible.”

He continued, “Being a good listener is essential. A sales professional can only bring a client’s vision to life if he/she listens to their pain points, growth objectives and things that they hope to achieve. It is only with that knowledge that I am able to supply the right ICT solutions to support a business.”

David is quick to add the importance of building strong relationships with internal stakeholders in order to be successful. “The sales function sits within an organisation and it is important to work well with internal teams. For me, the service delivery and support team, presales and technology teams have been critical to keeping my commitments to clients.”

His advice to people looking to enter the sales profession is to start with a mentor and learn to bounce back from hearing clients say ‘no’. “As early as possible, try to build a relationship with a successful sales professional who can be your mentor – encouraging and advising you on your journey. Some days you will feel discouraged by the rejection and may want to quit – those are the days when self-motivation, the support of family and having a mentor to call are essential to getting you back on track.”

Andrew Fazio, director – business process outsourcing and hospitality

A quick chat with Andrew Fazio, director, business process outsourcing (BPO) and hospitality at C&W Business Jamaica, will reveal a keen interest in technology and future-proof ICT solutions. However, his real passion is building sales teams utilising training and mentorship principles. His winning the C&W business sales excellence award and being named the top sales manager in the Caribbean serves as a testament to what can be achieved when you make a job out of doing what you love.

“Building an effective sales team requires you to become a teacher, adviser, mentor, and a friend. My team has to know that I want them to succeed personally and professionally. Therefore, the onus is on me to create camaraderie in the team, support them in closing deals, and ensure that they put the customer first in all that they do,” stated Fazio.

He is known among his team for his amazing cooking skills, which he showcases each month when he hosts all-day team meetings at his house. He stated, “With my team being located in different parts of the island, it is important that we meet monthly in a relaxed and productive environment. At these meetings, we align on plans for the coming month, discuss customer updates, and shared learnings. The meetings also allow team members an opportunity to seek advice about professional challenges.”

Asked about his advice for leaders of sales teams, Andrew stated, “Leading a sales team is about creating the right environment for your team to do well – the aim is to help them see skills and talents that they did not know that they had, in order to make the sale and to feel pride in what they are doing. Creating a framework for sales, assisting with lead generation and advising on developing partnerships are the easy parts.”