Gregory, can you tell us about your professional background before joining Technology Partner?
I completed my BTS in Sales Force at Nancy in 2010 and then joined the Verisure sales team.
For nearly 9 years, I progressed quite rapidly, moving from salesperson to team leader, then department manager with the creation of the Verisure agency in Nancy. Finally, I had the opportunity to be an agency director in Metz for nearly 6 years, where I managed over 17 people.
I continued my development within the Verisure group to become Regional Director (interim) of the Metz, Nancy, and Strasbourg agencies for approximately 1 year.
After so many years working in the same market, I wanted to see something different and take on new challenges. Therefore, I left the French market, specifically the security sector, to conquer the Luxembourgish market, which has always been a professional goal.
In 2019, I joined the Linc SA group as a salesperson to sell digital solutions.
And in 2020, I decided to further my experience by turning towards the IT world with the company Technology Partner, which was previously part of the Linc SA group.
Anecdote: You shouldn't be afraid to go back if it's to jump further ahead.
Here are 5 essential qualities for a good technical salesperson: 1. **Technical Expertise:** A solid understanding of the products or services being sold is crucial. This allows them to explain technical details accurately, answer complex questions, and offer solutions that truly meet client needs. 2. **Sales Acumen:** Beyond technical knowledge, they need strong sales skills. This includes the ability to identify customer needs, build rapport, present compelling arguments, negotiate effectively, and close deals. 3. **Communication Skills:** Clear, concise, and persuasive communication is vital. They must be able to explain technical concepts in an understandable way to non-technical audiences, actively listen to clients, and provide timely and professional responses. 4. **Problem-Solving Ability:** Technical salespeople often encounter unique challenges and specific client problems. They need to be adept at analyzing situations, thinking critically, and devising innovative solutions using their technical knowledge and sales experience. 5. **Customer Focus:** A genuine desire to help customers succeed is paramount. This means understanding their business goals, providing excellent post-sale support, and building long-term relationships based on trust and mutual benefit.
In my opinion, a sales engineer must:
- Being able to actively listen to your client
Listening to your client is one thing, but understanding their needs is another. Active listening allows you to gain perspective, put words to your client's emotions, and formalize their true needs without preconceived notions.
- To be a good communicator
Being understood is very important, whether with clients or colleagues. To get a message across, whatever it may be, you must choose the right moment, the right words, and the right tone. Each client is different; we must have the ability to adapt very quickly to each profile. Sometimes, a client's "no" today could have been a "yes" tomorrow. So, in my opinion, thinking before acting is the key to good communication.
- To be a challenger
Being a challenger is a lifestyle for me, both in my professional and personal life. It requires constant self-questioning, pushing beyond limits, and always striving for more. A challenger is also someone curious, passionate, and versatile who isn't afraid to take risks and step outside their comfort zone.
- To be a hunter
The sales engineer must also be a good hunter (laughs), a hunter who doesn't give up at the first failure; tenacity must be part of their mindset. They need to master their subject as much as possible, believe in their product or service, and remember that every action will pay off sooner or later.
The hunter must also love adrenaline because the emotional rollercoaster is huge, sometimes from one day to the next (salary, commission, project, client, closing...).
- To be autonomous
A good sales engineer must know how to organize themselves and also how to work alone. Autonomy ensures personal progress towards set objectives, although teamwork and mutual support are very important. One must know how to combine autonomy and teamwork to grow in strength.
Anecdote:
In 2019, I had under my family Work-study student Lucas de Crick who was supposed to take the exam desk Nsocializing at his school ESNA Business School)**.*
I trained him in the field for 1 year and on the terrain + School, il won the contest for Négociales France 2019. What a pride, really!! Share my expertise, mon Expertise and see success my teams sfor me my best memories so far
What world knowledge of IT did you have before joining Technology Partner?
Honestly, none. I had some basics in Digital Marketing thanks to my job at Linc SA, and also because the subject interests me a lot. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my two former colleagues, Laura and Nicolas from Marketing, who taught me a lot. But in the world of IT development, it was very limited. (laugh) It is for this reason that I wished to take on this challenge.
I like to challenge myself, it allows me to stay focused, to have goals, and above all, to always learn more about the world around us.
Today, what are your missions at Technology Partner?
Today I need to grow and maintain Technology Partner's client portfolio and find opportunities. Currently, my responsibilities cover several areas:
- Client prospecting for internal project development
- Customer prospecting for RPA (Robotic Process Automation)
- Placing Developers for Consulting Assignments
What actions are you taking to insert yourself into the IT market?
To better understand this market, I'm integrating myself into some projects to get a real view of customer expectations. Exchanging with my colleagues is also very important to understand their day-to-day jobs.
I also attend technical meetings and workshops, and I'm starting to respond to requests for proposals with my manager.
All of these actions will enable me to move forward and gain momentum in this market.
Finally, a few words about Technology Partner?
My pleasure. Technology Partner is a young company where, in my opinion, everything is well-organized and roles are clearly defined—it feels good. (laugh).
The company is moving forward and isn’t afraid to think outside the box to tackle technical challenges—like this competition organized by the Luxembourg government that we won last week. The atmosphere is great, and I really like it. I’m lucky to have the support of my colleague in Marketing, Charline—we help each other out a lot.
The company cares about its employees and takes their opinions into account; the concept of “transparency” is truly upheld, which is why everyone gets along well and you quickly feel like part of the team.
So, thank you, and may the adventure continue!
Written by Gregory Millot & Charline Pennisi
