Day Two Cloud 186: A Day In The Life Of A Sales Engineer With Pete Robertson
Mar 15, 2023
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Sales engineer Pete Robertson shares his journey from software developer to sales engineer, highlighting the importance of understanding business needs, work-life balance, and technical knowledge. He discusses the challenges of transitioning to pre-sales, aligning technical solutions with organizational goals, and the significance of listening in sales engineering. Pete also emphasizes the similarities between engineering and sales, advocating for hands-on experience in the data center.
Sales engineering involves solving problems and delivering solutions by understanding and designing tailored technology solutions based on customer needs.
Active listening is a crucial skill in sales engineering, enabling sales engineers to adapt proposed solutions to meet customer requirements and build trust.
Deep dives
Sales and engineering are closely related
According to the guest, Pete Robertson, sales and engineering are closely related because engineering is about solving problems and a portion of sales is about solving a problem that someone has. Robertson believes that sales engineers have the task of both understanding and delivering a solution, as well as designing the solution on the front end for the customer.
The importance of understanding business needs
Pete Robertson, a sales engineer, emphasizes the importance of understanding business needs and outcomes when selling technology solutions. He believes that customers buy technology not just for the sake of technology, but because it enables them to do something. With a focus on bridging the gap between technology and non-technical business needs, Robertson highlights the value of explaining how technology can address those needs.
The challenge of work-life balance
Pete Robertson discusses the work-life balance aspect of being in sales engineering. While acknowledging that there may be instances of working nights and weekends, he prefers the more traditional working week compared to his previous roles on the implementation side. Robertson values having time for personal commitments, such as his role as a parent, and appreciates the balance that being in pre-sales provides.
The importance of listening and adapting
Listening is considered a crucial skill in sales engineering. Pete Robertson emphasizes the importance of active listening and not jumping to conclusions or preconceived solutions. He highlights the need to listen to customers, ask relevant questions, and adapt the proposed solution based on their specific needs and goals. By understanding customer requirements and offering tailored solutions, sales engineers can build trust and create successful outcomes.
Today's Day Two Cloud episode gets into sales engineering. IT pros may look down on sales for not being a strictly technical discipline, but it turns out there's more overlap between an engineer and a sales engineer than you might think. Both have to solve problems, understand requirements, and design and deliver outcomes. Our guest is Pete Robertson, a sales engineer for a value-added reseller.
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