For the past 8 years, I’ve served various roles at Quickparts. My current role is as a Business Development Manager, focusing on identifying and cultivating new business opportunities, forming meaningful partnerships, and providing tailored manufacturing solutions to meet clients’ unique needs.
I love tackling tricky business stuff, trying to make things run smoother and faster for our clients’ product development. It’s all about building great connections that help Quickparts and our clients grow and succeed together.
My days are made all the more exciting by engaging with potential customers from some of the world’s most innovative companies. I love learning about new individuals, advanced projects, and exciting ventures that I have the privilege of being a part of. As a development rep, nurturing relationships and showcasing the value Quickparts brings to the table is a crucial part of the process.
The Morning Grind
Each morning I play a thrilling game of “Beat the Alarm”. I can usually win by a slim 5-10 minutes. The first victory sip? A tall glass of water, obviously. Then, I hit my porch for a dramatic sniff of fresh air before turning my workspace into a virtual battleground – firing off emails, quotes, and meeting requests. It’s a caffeination-free adrenaline rush!
As a Business Development Manager at Quickparts, I thrive on tackling challenges head-on, weaving through intricate problem-solving scenarios to ensure seamless project pursuit. Building robust customer relations is not just a goal but a commitment, as I navigate the manufacturing landscape to provide tailored solutions that propel our clients toward success.
My control station, AKA my office, boasts a dynamic setup featuring a standing and sitting desk, accompanied by four monitors for optimal multitasking. With a portable headset in tow, I have the freedom to stroll around my office and house during calls – sessions to enhance my focus while attentively listening to customer needs. Perhaps even indulging in some drills to enhance my golf game.
Hitting the ground running
At 9 am, I kick off the core task of my day – a meeting with my indispensable partner in spreading the Quickparts gospel, Raj. Together, we strategize on targeting customers whose experiences we aim to enrich through on-demand manufacturing. Assigning responsibilities, we dive into the first hour responding to emails. Around 10:30 am, the phone comes alive with customer calls – a series of engagements aimed not only at bringing new clients through our doors but also nurturing existing relationships. Balancing acquisition with meticulous attention to ongoing projects ensures that our hard-earned clients remain not just satisfied, but delighted with Quickparts.
Each call or meeting presents a unique challenge. The solution must precisely align with the customer’s current goals. Engineers make purchases for varying reasons from project to project, and it’s my responsibility, supported by the Quickparts team, to deliver a service that precisely meets their needs. Whether it’s addressing lead time, complexity, fit, form, or functional testing, the best solution depends on the specific stage in the product life cycle. This tailored approach ensures that customers swiftly progress to the next stage, breathing life into their product.
In a pivotal sales interaction today, after confirming that our solution met all his needs and the lead time aligned with his delivery date, I sensed some hesitation from the customer. With a playful tone, I asked, “What’s the holdup? We’ve got the perfect match here, like peanut butter and jelly – time to make your team and boss high-five you for your stellar decision-making skills!” This lighthearted comment broke the tension, and he chuckled, finally feeling confident that Quickparts was indeed the answer he had been searching for. An hour later, I received a kind email from him stating the prototype parts we’d sent previously were great, the team was impressed and he wanted to setup an in person meeting with me and his team in their California office to move to low volume manufacturing.
I believe I have the ability to articulate complex ideas with clarity, ensuring understanding among team members and clients alike. I thrive on problem-solving, approaching challenges with innovative solutions that not only resolve immediate issues but also contribute to long-term success. Not to be too boastful, but resilience is ingrained in my work ethic, evident in my unwavering determination to navigate obstacles and consistently deliver optimal results, regardless of the challenges faced. It has to be, or we won’t win the deal and create enduring relationships with our partners.
The lunchtime hustle
Lunchtime, and right now, the hustle I most want to engage in is negotiating a decent amount of time for some food and a few moments away from my desk. When I’m not on the road, I make an effort to meal prep on Sundays, ensuring convenient access to ready-to-go meals.
If I am on the road, I try and get a few contacts to join me. In sales, I place immense value on the social aspect because forging meaningful relationships is not just about transactions but establishing trust and understanding. Connecting on a personal level fosters a sense of partnership, making it more likely for clients to view us as allies rather than mere service providers. These relationships go beyond the immediate sale, creating a foundation for long-term collaboration and mutual success. The social aspect is the cornerstone of lasting partnerships in the dynamic world of sales.
Afternoon pursuit
As the afternoon unfolds, I’ve attended to customer inquiries, conducted productive calls, and defined next steps in various meetings. Now, I’m delving into a significant prospect: a high-value SLA project. We’re committed to every project, regardless of its dollar amount. Anticipating the customer’s move to production – and injection molding – in the coming months, our proactive approach to adding value shone through during the SLA project discussion. Involving my tooling engineer, Ashish, proved invaluable as he offered constructive feedback, proposing minor design modifications to align with their specs. This not only streamlines the transition from prototype to production but also saves crucial time to market, preempting potential serious issues. The customer was genuinely delighted with the support, and currently, we are actively engaged working with them to review the PEG (Parting-line Ejection Gate) report that we provide before cutting any new tool.
At the end of the day
As I wrap up my day, I ensure that all the goals and tasks outlined for the day are completed. Looking ahead, I set myself up for success tomorrow by planning the tasks and goals, ensuring I come in ready to hit the ground running.
Every day is a new opportunity to rewrite the story. Whether it’s a victory or a loss, approach each day with the mindset that you’re starting fresh. As the saying goes, ‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.’ So, act as if you took a loss yesterday, and let it fuel your determination for success today.
Want to learn more about what Quickparts can do for you? Schedule a meeting with Mike here.