Sales. It isn’t the most fun word to hear when talking about business. Often associated with words such as quotas and cold calls, it’s understandable if people cringe when they hear from salespeople. Every company needs to make sales to stay in business, but for InterWorks, it’s not how we make the sale; it’s why we make the sale that makes us stand out from the rest of corporate America.
A People-First Sales Approach
When interviewing account executives on the InterWorks sales team, it was easy to see some patterns of why they believe Interworks and its approach to sales is different. Below are five ways that InterWorks’ sales approach is unconventional:
1. We don’t hire salespeople. We hire client-focused people.
Our sales team is a bit of mixed bag when it comes to background experience. Some past work industry experiences include financial banking, agriculture, supply chain management, app development, telecommunications, energy, retail sales and even professional baseball. Needless to say, we don’t always look at past sales experience when looking for new members on our team. It’s this diversity that makes our team fun and unique.
“We have so many people from so many different backgrounds. It’s cool to see all those different walks of life put together and make a strong team that performs at a very high level for the best clients.” – Talon Alexander, Account Executive
2. We aren’t bound by tradition.
That’s right … no quotas, no cold calls. Our team is fueled by the energy of helping clients and their businesses succeed. We don’t just sell to sell: we communicate with clients to understand where we can help fill a need, and if the need isn’t there then neither is the sale.
“I think InterWorks sales has more of an advisory feel to it, in that we are with the client from start to finish, we plan goals and help clients achieve those goals, and clients are looking to InterWorks and our partners to advise them on how to best deploy Tableau throughout their company.” – Karlee Bittle, Account Executive
3. Collaboration is key.
Sit, work, leave, repeat. This is far from the normal day on the sales team. Although the job still involves paperwork, calls and emails galore, there is always fun to be had at work. Whether it be daily internal meetings, personal one-on-ones or that last-moment sync-up, the sales team is constantly collaborating. This collaboration doesn’t just happen within the sales team either. Communication is constantly needed among consultants, clients and industry reps to make sure we are doing everything possible in giving clients the tools they need to succeed.
“In my past life, I felt like I was in my chair, doing my work, maybe not talking to anyone all day. There really wasn’t much of a bond with my team, and I felt like I didn’t really know what their backgrounds were or what they did for fun. Also, every day looks a bit different here. Even though the processes are still the same, the relationships and conversations are always different. The clients I work with even feel more like friends.”
– Summer Batten, Account Executive
4. We motivate each other.
One thing that excites the sales team to come to work is the people we work with. Because of this much-needed collaboration, the InterWorks’ sales team is kind of a small family. For example, it’s not uncommon for the sales team to know the names of family pets or favorite drinks at Starbucks. We are all centered around a unified mission to deliver the best work to the best clients, and it’s that mission that brings us closer together.
“I get to work with a good group of people who are smart and fun. These people challenge me to do my very best every day. That makes me want to never leave InterWorks.” – Lauren Roberson, Regional Sales Lead
5. Our leadership team collectively leads us toward authenticity.
We wouldn’t have the team we have today if it weren’t for the collective leadership that continues to move InterWorks forward. Being unconventional is part of our DNA and our overall company culture. We’ve worked hard to maintain our culture; many InterWorks employees have previously worked in corporate settings and can attest to the difference in—and success of—our approach. When operating in this way, we can do more work at a higher quality and have a good time in the process.
“The sales culture at InterWorks is definitely unique. It only works because the entire leadership team is bought into the idea that the right behavior will lead to the right outcomes. Building trust, having transparent communication and placing the team’s focus more on what’s best for the client and less on their personal performance … those are the keys to our uniqueness.” – Aaron Confer, Director of Sales
Committed to the Client, Not the Close
Sales doesn’t have to be a boring job, and the InterWorks Business Intelligence Sales team doesn’t want it to be. We want to remain focused solely on the client throughout the sales process, while also enjoying the ride that is working here. As a team, when we set aside our own desires to make our work more impactful and support one another and our clients, that’s when we find the greatest satisfaction each day.
If this sounds like the kind of team you’d like to be a part of—or the kind of people you want fighting for you and supporting you—reach out to us! We’re always looking for talented individuals to join our team, and we’d love to support you in meeting your IT and data needs.
