The link between retail and market intelligence: Nico's experience and insights as an account executive at oraya

Today we are pleased to introduce Nicolas (Nico) Klockow, a talented Account Executive at oraya. In his role as an Account Executive, Nico's focus is on demonstrating the benefits of Market Intelligence technology to potential customers and how they can use these solutions to optimize their business processes and strategies.

Nico has a unique perspective and valuable experience that will help him best support his clients. Prior to joining oraya, he was an e-commerce business owner and merchant himself. This experience has given him valuable insight into the needs and requirements of merchants and manufacturers and allows him to put himself well into the perspective of his target group.

In the following interview, we will go into more detail about Nico's role as an Account Executive at oraya. We will learn how he convinces potential customers of the benefits of market intelligence technology and helps them optimize their business processes and strategies. In addition, we will talk about his previous experience as a business owner and merchant in e-commerce and how it influences him in his current position.

How would you describe your tasks and responsibilities as an Account Executive at oraya and what challenges do you face in your daily work?

Nicolas Klockow: As an Account Executive at oraya, my main responsibility is to identify and contact potential customers. As part of the sales team, it is my job to evaluate, analyze and approach candidates from our target group. My goal is to make our products and solutions relevant to our customers' needs.

Overall, I am responsible for the entire sales funnel and involved in all aspects of the sales process. In doing so, it is my job to ensure that we provide the best possible solutions for our customers while achieving our own goals.

A key part of my role is to get to know companies and their contacts. I want to understand how we can contribute to their business success and what challenges they face. To do this, it's important to build a solid foundation for communication and develop an understanding of how to identify and solve problems. Communication skills are critical to building and successfully managing customer relationships.

What role do customer relationships play in your position as an Account Executive? How do you manage to build strong relationships with customers and understand their needs?

Nicolas Klockow: Customer relationships play a central role in my position as an Account Executive. Building a strong relationship with my customers is of great importance, as this forms the basis for a successful collaboration.

The relationship building process often starts from scratch when I get in touch with a potential customer and nothing concrete has happened yet. At this stage, it is critical to convey my own expertise and understanding of their challenges and needs. I want to show them that I understand them and their concerns, and that they can trust me.

To better understand my clients' needs, I ask specific questions and actively engage with feedback. I want to make sure we fully understand their needs and if we are able to meet those needs. It is important to have an open conversation where they can express themselves freely and we can work out solutions together.

By building a foundation of trust and regularly interacting with my clients, I am able to build a strong client relationship. I strive to be a reliable contact person and to support them with any concerns or questions they may have. My goal is to make them feel that their needs are in good hands with me and that I am committed to addressing their concerns in a solution-oriented manner.

Ultimately, a strong client relationship is the key to a long-term and successful working relationship. It allows me to better understand the sometimes very specific needs of my potential clients and provide tailored solutions that meet their expectations and support their goals.

How has your passion for fishing influenced your skills and perspectives as an Account Executive? Are there any similarities or lessons you've been able to transfer from your hobby to your professional life?

Nicolas Klockow: There are some similarities between my hobby and my professional role that have helped me be more effective and take on new perspectives.

One of the similarities is the perseverance and patience required in both fishing and sales. In fly fishing, for example, it often requires investing a significant amount of time to catch the fish you want. Similarly, in sales, it sometimes takes patient and sustained effort to attract new customers and close deals.

Another aspect is the ability to set the pace and use time efficiently. In fishing, I have to strategically plan my time to have the best chance of catching a fish. In sales, it's similar, carefully focusing my time and resources on the most promising leads and prospects.

In fly fishing, it's important to understand the specific fish and where they are. It's similar to sales, where it's about identifying the target audience and preparing thoroughly for conversations. I analyze the congestion quo and current challenges of my potential customers in order to better address their needs and offer tailored solutions.

Another important skill is to convince and support different people to ultimately convince the key decision maker of the benefits of our technologies for their business activities. In fishing, I have to use different strategies and try different baits to attract the desired fish. It is similar in sales, as I have different contacts in different positions who have different requirements and perspectives, and sometimes different agendas or levels of knowledge. It often requires a change of perspective to understand their concerns and provide them with the right arguments and support.

Can you tell us more about your time owning a specialty fly fishing store? What valuable lessons did you learn from this experience and how have they influenced your professional career?

Nicolas Klockow: During my time as a specialty store owner, I was able to learn valuable lessons that continue to influence my career at oraya today. The experience in brick-and-mortar retail and e-commerce gave me a deep understanding of customer needs.

As a store owner, it was my job to understand customer needs and provide customized solutions. I learned the importance of building a relationship with customers and helping them with their individual challenges in the best way possible. By interacting directly with customers, I was able to better understand their concerns and requests and support them with my expertise.

Being self-employed has also shown me how important it is to be flexible and adapt quickly to changing market conditions. Retail is a dynamic field, and I had to continually identify new products and trends to stay competitive. This ability to adapt and innovate has also proven invaluable in my current role at oraya as an Account Executive.

In addition, I have learned the importance of putting the customer first and providing excellent customer service. Satisfied customers are the best ambassadors for a company, and their positive experience helps build long-term relationships and create new business opportunities.

What's coming up in the near future in Sales at oraya and what goals would you like to achieve in the next 1 to 5 years? Are there any new strategies, initiatives or projects we can look forward to that should contribute to the further development and growth of the company?

Nicolas Klockow: The future of Sales at oraya looks promising and we have defined clear goals for the next 1 to 5 years. 

Our goal is to acquire new, quality customers. To achieve this goal, we plan to further expand our presence at trade shows and industry events. This will enable us to identify new potential customers and hold direct discussions. In addition, we strive for continuous cooperation with other departments, such as Marketing and Product Management. This interdisciplinary cooperation enables us to further develop our offerings and adapt them to the needs of our customers.

In terms of the future of Sales, we see an increased use of technology and data-driven approaches. The automation of certain processes and the use of AI and machine learning will play an increasingly important role. Nevertheless, the interpersonal component and the personal support of prospects remain of great importance to me and are also my daily drivers in Sales.

oraya will continue to innovate and help shape the future of the IT industry. This interview is a reflection of our shared experiences and the remarkable journey of the team members. We hope this personal insight into the oraya team has given you a better understanding of our company's values, ambitions and commitment.