By Gregory Pings
“My work space doesn’t necessarily include a desk. ‘Work’ is where colleagues meet and work in a context that promotes creativity and interaction.”
Boris Fantini is an Offering Manager for Xerox Argentina. His responsibilities spill over time zones and national borders.
“I work with sales managers to define the marketing plan for the line of business, sales strategies, territories and accounts. I visit different customers in Argentina, Ecuador, Chile and Peru with our account executives. And I help managers develop offering strategies for our lines of business,” Fantini said. “And I speak at industry events as well as those sponsored by Xerox.”
He works in an open office in Buenos Aires, which allows him to interact with colleagues from other disciplines within the company. You’ll also find his “office” at home, which is ideal when he schedules several phone calls for the day. And, with responsibilities in four countries and three time zones, Fantini’s office is any place with an internet connection.
“Technology makes things happen easily with automation and speed,” Fantini pointed out. “Things like chat, webcams, WebEx meetings and mobile phones permit close contact with people, and the tech allows me to glean critical information from internal and external sources. All of this helps decision making tremendously, and is therefore a huge benefit for me and the business.”
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The role of technology
A job like this requires Fantini to integrate different sources of information. Reports, dashboards and presentations are created, shared and communicated. All of this is done quickly and effectively.
“Always with complete collaboration, and without consideration of physical location,” he pointed out.
No doubt, Fantini believes technology makes him more productive. That’s why he believes rules or processes – especially those created a long time ago—must be updated to account for the capabilities that technology affords.
Apart from the apps on his smartphone and laptop, Fantini is a heavy user of web-based platforms like Salesforce, which gives him quick access to information. He also makes social media part of his day.
“I use Linkedin and Linkedin Sales Navigator to discover more about potential customers and accounts,” he pointed out. “It also helps me understand what the competition is doing so that I can refine strategy or plans of action.”
The communication challenge
“The biggest challenge is being relevant,” Fantini said. “Our messages must be tailored to focus on customers’ pain points and needs. Without that, we could never build a pipeline of leads or close any deals.”
If knowledge is power, then listening makes you powerful.
“We must understand what people think about our company, their previous experiences, word of mouth, and more. Without a doubt, listening and adaptability give us a complete understanding in order to overcome all challenges. It works with colleagues, clients and partners.”
Link to more information
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Follow Boris Fantini on LinkedIn.
If technology can save time, help you interact with people in different locations, and reach clients through new medias and channels, then relevant messages can flow.
All these points of information and understanding bring us to the Xerox idea of Set the Page Free. The page is a Salesforce dashboard; a LinkedIn posting that discusses a pain point; the report that reveals an opportunity, and much more. To set the page free requires collaboration and interaction among and between people and machines.
After all of the messaging, emails, and video chats – the page is set free if the message has been successfully delivered. Despite all the technology at his disposal, Fantini says many interactions are better when held in person.
And don’t forget to log off.
“Set limits on your work time,” he stressed. “You should rest and recharge so you that you’re able to start a new, productive day.”
[…] (From the editor: This article was originally published on Xerox Connect) […]