In recent years, we have been regularly expanding our client portfolio in the Czech Republic. However, our ambitions and visions go beyond borders, so as we have been continuously developing our CRM system, our sales department, which Viktor Tancer joined at the beginning of March, has also been developing. His goal is clear: “To raise even more awareness of the MEDOR solution, which has proved to work in practice for many local and multinational companies, and to strengthen our starting positions for further expansion into foreign markets.”
Currently, our Medor CRM system is used mainly in Czech companies or Czech branches of multinational companies. In recent years, we have also managed to penetrate several foreign markets (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina), where our goal is to have at least the same market share as in the Czech Republic. Viktor Tancer has come to help with sales development.
It’s been a month since you joined Medor. Let’s start with how you found out about our brand?
I’ve been working in sales and services for several years. Although it was always in a little different segment, I was aware of CRM systems. This is how I noticed the Medor brand marginally, but I didn’t start to find out more until I was in contact with the agency and Bohumil Brandštýl (Medor Sales Director). At our first meeting, we immediately clicked and understood our mutual expectations. I realised that a personal approach to clients is not just a cry on the website to attract new customers but that it is really the approach the whole company is based on. That suits me perfectly, so we quickly agreed that we would do it together.
You’ve mentioned that you have enough experience with sales. What did you do before you came to our office at Palmovka?
Yes, exactly. I’ve been working in sales for 15 years and the last few years in hospitality. Before that I was in charge of sales in a software company focused on hospitality solutions. So I have enough experience with technology to be a competent partner for clients in negotiations, but I realise the need to focus on certain technical details that are part of Medor and make it a competitive CRM system.
Let’s move to Medor itself. You have taken on the position of sales representative. What exactly does your position involve?
My position has several roles, all of which are, of course, aimed at expanding our business in the local and foreign markets. One of the parts is market prospecting with the comprehensive MEDOR CRM solution for effective company management. It is about finding opportunities and establishing relationships with competent decision makers. This moves me to the second role, where the goal is to agree with potential clients on a critical analysis of the state of process organisation, data handling and access to data. These are two levels where, of course, it is about building a good brand reputation. And the last level involves standard activities: to acquaint clients with the system options and tools of the MEDOR solution, thanks to which the company can effectively respond to market conditions.
There are a lot of tasks and hard work ahead of you. What are your personal goals and what are the goals defined by management?
Both my personal goals and management’s ideas agree. Otherwise it probably wouldn’t make much sense for me to start this cooperation. From the first moment, we found a consensus that can be simply summarised as follows: to raise even more awareness of the MEDOR solution, which has proved to work in practice for many local and multinational companies, and to strengthen our starting positions for further expansion into foreign markets. This can be achieved through a lot of smaller targets that need to be fulfilled in gradual steps.
You’ve mentioned foreign markets. At the moment, we are already operating in several other markets. What is your experience with international trade?
In my previous job in the hospitality segment, as mentioned above, I dealt mainly with foreign clients. I believe that it prepared me well and that I will use this experience for our further expansion. This is also one of the expectations I came with. I want to see the impact of my efforts and work on the growth of the company throughout Europe and the related increase in market awareness of both the Medor brand and the products themselves.
However, right at the beginning you may have a minor disadvantage. Lockdown. How do you view this situation and how do you think this situation affects business in general and in your segment?
Of course, personal contact can’t be replaced, but there is nothing we can do, so we have to adapt. Another thing is that we offer technology, so we don’t have the slightest problem with the use of modern tools. Both our current and potential clients are also more than proficient in technology, so it is not a problem to solve everything online. But I’m looking forward to it all ending and to meeting my clients in person.
Contact with and care for clients are two of our corporate values. Are you used to this approach from previous companies or was it about business first and then relationships?
Of course, as a salesman, I see that the business itself is important, but I’m convinced that in order for it to work an individual approach is really crucial. It’s not just a cliché that sounds nice. I know from my experience that what decides whether a deal will be made is not only the offer, but also the way the offer is presented. So the salesman’s personal individual approach or the tailor-made system solution for the client’s needs is definitely key for me.
And finally a question for you as an experienced sales representative. What is the most difficult part of the salesman’s job and what do you enjoy most about this job?
Let’s start with the hardest part. As a sales representative, I constantly negotiate with someone, and sometimes it doesn’t work out. Then it is important not to be discouraged from continuing to find a business partner who needs our solution. You sometimes also come across a client in a non-communicative mood, which can affect the initial enthusiasm I go to the meeting with. At that moment it is necessary to realise that this mood can have various causes that I can’t influence. What is certain, however, is that this is not a constant state, which gives me strength to continue. And that brings us to the positive side, which is the actual dealing with people. But if I take it purely from a business point of view, it is the knowledge that there are many clients in the market who need our solution. So there is a lot of space to move the discovered opportunity to the implementation point, which is a win for both parties.
