In the latest installment of the Meet the Team series, we spoke to one of the key members of the Hicomply team, senior vice president of sales, Adam Dixon.
He discusses his favourite parts of the job, how the tech sales industry is evolving, and his advice for anyone wanting to get their start selling technology.
How did you get your start in the industry?
I first started in tech sales when I worked for a global tech giant back in 2010.
I quickly moved into a B2B role, and their ethos has been part of my approach when talking to any new prospect: ask the right questions to find the best solution for the person in front of you.
Every client will see value in a different way, so a key part of any tech sale is to understand where your client will see the most value and match your solution to fill that need.
How has the industry changed since you started out?
Technology changes so quickly these days so staying ahead of the curve is always important.
When you’re selling technology, there will always be a new product on the block that you may or may not compete with. Understanding the key players in your space is crucial to how you navigate every conversation.
When it comes to sales, you could argue that the basic principles remain the same, but as always, if you can’t adapt with the times then you may see yourself left behind on the shelf. We are always looking for new ways to innovate our sales process, from the channels we use to prospect to the type of information we share with customers and what format that could take.
Pushing a pen and an order form over the desk is no longer the way we do business - we’re all remote now, for a start!
What is your favourite part of your job?
There are so many favourites to choose from - we love to see our customers achieve their goals and reduce the time spent on manual tasks through the power our of technology. It’s the proof point we all get some much from in this journey.
Personally, I love it when I see that lightbulb moment in our own people. When you work so closely as a team striving towards the same goal, seeing your colleagues achieve success is often the most fulfilling thing you can get as a leader.
Where do you see the industry in the next five years?
It’s going to be interesting to see how the landscape develops. AI seems to be the buzz word of the times with a lot of the large tech organisations having a hand in this in one form or another. Will AI replace salespeople? I’d like to think absolutely not, but who knows what the tech space will look like in the next five years.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to join the technology sales industry?
Be hungry. Every sales job is hard and that’s no different when it comes to selling technology or software. Don’t be afraid of hard work - if you put in the work with the right blueprint for success, you can achieve your goals.
What mistakes do you often see businesses make with their tech sales?
The biggest mistake I see in technology sales is assuming that everyone has the same need and sees the same value in your solution, this isn’t always the case. Every sale is the same when you know the right approach, but if you believe everyone will buy your product for the same reason that’s where you’ll run into trouble.
