Sales Operations exists to improve sales effectiveness. That is,
creating more and better commercial success. But acquiring new
clients isn't everything. In a SaaS business like Lumesse,
satisfying and retaining clients is the only way to grow. So sales
effectiveness is about creating the conditions in which clients
win, and win again. My job is about winning sustainable deals based
on creating fantastic outcomes for customers.
Customers need to see alignment between what they bought and
what they get, and to measure the promised business benefits that
justified the investment in the first place. When their own
evolution drives them to revise the way they consume our products,
we must be able to act as a business partner and adapt our offering
and pricing. Sales Operations contributes to creating this
experience through a constant effort towards clarity of the
offering, transparency of pricing and conditions, and proven
business benefits and ROI. I ensure that our customer-facing staff
have the appropriate material and training to present our products,
that our prices reflects the value that our technology delivers,
and that the whole organisation is working towards sustainable
win/win situations.
This job is also about sales excellence. Excellent sales people
create happy clients. So my job is to constantly question how we
support sales people, how we sell, when, where and how much, and
why, to enable the reproduction of what works, to remove
impediments and bottlenecks, to plan for growth and keep our
numbers growing. I spend a lot of time collecting facts and
providing analysis and forecasts. Together with the sales directors
we adjust the Lumesse way of selling to constantly changing markets
and circumstances to reflect our findings. A successful sales
organisation is a delicate equilibrium of many moving parts (Sales
profiles, sales incentives, product, pricing, content, practices,
processes, client data, sales leadership and coaching practices,
etc…) and my job is to make it clockwork. I just love this.
Sales Operations sits at the crossroads of many stakeholders
(Marketing, Sales, Finance, Product, Support, Professional
services) - something I have been very well prepared for. I joined
Lumesse with the acquisition of MrTed in 2010. Prior to this role I
held positions in consulting (2006-2008), pre-sales (2008-2010),
and product management (2010-2011). I have led six Lumesse
TalentLink product releases, and sold and implemented our software
for clients all over the world. I know what the end to end
experience of a Lumesse client looks like, and I use this knowledge
every day.
Thibaut brings 15 years of management and leadership
experience in challenging environments. Prior to Lumesse he held
various positions as an Officer in the French Navy, in surface
warships and submarines, as well as in the naval recruitment
service. Thibaut has a Masters in Maritime Engineering from the
French Ecole navale.