In the face of coming change, give yourself an opportunity to try something new. Today, we interviewed two account executives or AEs who have taken over consumer product accounts. As their new role requires them to get closer to consumers, let’s find out how they are dealing with challenges.
“FEEDBACK IS POWER. LISTENING TO EVERY VOICE.”
“My old accounts were of B to B (Business to Business) type. I sold industrial products to manufacturers by dealing with entrepreneurs or purchasing department. This way, if a product did not suit customers, we could directly discuss with customers and plan improvements. A B to C (Business to Consumer) account is different. It is quite difficult to interact with end-consumers. Marketing communications, therefore, are both important and challenging. I had to change my mindset and many things.
“First of all, I became very open-minded as I was stepping out of my comfort zone. When collaborating with other units, we have to focus on common goal which is customers’ needs. We have to listen to others to find the best solutions for customers. After product launch, we get all kinds of feedback. Praise is taken as inspiration. Comments, meanwhile, are used to improve our products further.
“I pursue outside in product development through collaboration with other internal units. In my view, a product is like my kid. If I want it to grow well and prosper, I must build solid foundation for it, groom it and provide support as it grows.
“Each day, I mainly do two things. Firstly, I collaborate with other units to facilitate workflow for maximum efficiency and speed with minimum mistakes. I have used the catch ball approach. Secondly, I deal with multitasking. On some days, I may face disappointment. But I look for small wins in each day so as to motivate myself and do my best every day.”
Parinyaporn Ssangsuk (Pla)
Account Executive – Consumer Product, SCGP
“COLLABORATE WITH SENSE OF OWNERSHIP & SPEED.”
“Just like Pla, I used to handle B to B accounts. When I was assigned to B to C accounts, work became very different. To get close to consumers, we need to do much more than walking into their door.
“We need to find ways to communicate with consumers and study promotions. We must learn more and acquire more information so as to make our products more relevant. In challenging work environment, sense of ownership and flexibility mean a lot. Consumers can today buy products anytime. Consumer-behavior study reveals purchases are now mostly made during the night. So, we must be ready to service them and close deals during those hours. If we have a sense of ownership, we will be ready to serve anytime.
“Speed is also very important. Consumer behaviors are changing fast. We need to keep pace and have the courage to make a decision based on accurate information. Marketing activities must be catered to impress consumers at the right time.
“My goal is to deliver a product in response to consumers’ needs within a proper timeframe. To achieve this goal, I serve as a key mechanism to foster the collaboration of various units. As I cannot do everything alone, I seek to nudge all relevant units to work towards the same shared goals.
“My work principle is mainly passion. If we have passion for our job, we will be ready for any challenges. We will explore various means to get things done. We will wake up and head to work happily every day.”
Surapat Sawaengsak (Deaw)
Account Executive – Consumer Product, SCGP