This week, we sat down with Account Executive, Rob Visnjak from Source Kelowna to learn more about his role and gain insight into commonly asked questions from our customers. Rob has been an employee 
with Source since November of 2012 and was excited to share his experiences with us. Continue reading to view the full interview.
Q: What are three words you would use to describe Source?
A: Family-friendly, Family-business and caring. The owner of the company puts us as people first, ahead of our contribution to the company. Meaning if my wife was sick, I would never be told, “Too bad, you have to be here.” The reason those words come into my mind is because its that important to me. The work environment is inspiring. Never in my time here have I felt like I don’t matter or I’m just another number. It’s a comforting feeling.
Q: Describe your role at Source.
A: My official title is Account Executive, which is another term for Outside Sales Representative. I seek and find new business, as well as manage existing customers. New business represents 25% of my job, and the rest is maintaining our current clients.
Q: What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most?
A: I really enjoy seeking and securing new business. It’s sort of a “hunter” mentality. It feels good to feel that I have conquered that business as opposed to it just came to me. I also really enjoy consulting with the clients and finding them what they want. I find it more satisfying than a customer who knows what they want and just gives me a list or an order. I’m happy to fulfill an order, but at the same time I prefer to collaborate with them and consider different products and design options. I enjoy finding ways to make the space something that I’ve put a bit of my thumb print on.
Q: What is the most challenging part of your position?
A: I would say time-management. It’s easy to get bogged down in administrative and data entry details. I find myself not able to seek new business as much as I would like to because I’m busy entering in an order, or taking care of a problem.
Q: What makes Source unique in the market?
A: From a competitive advantage standpoint, what makes us unique is our Performance laminate line. I think our price point of the Performance laminate products, combined with our relationships with other manufactures, makes us stand out. Additionally, Source acts as a dealer for other mid to higher-end products. I feel well positioned to offer that quality, lower priced option, or if I’m putting my thumb print on a project and getting more involved in the design, I’m able to offer some higher-end options.
Q: What do you see in the future in terms of up-coming trends?
A: More height-adjustable options, moving away from just your typical rectangle desk shape. I think there will be more unique combinations and unique products.
Q: Explain the customer experience at Source. How do we build and maintain positive relationships with our customers?
A: I feel it’s important to make customers aware that we have offerings beyond the standard Performance line that we showcase in our catalogue. I recall facing some comments in the beginning where people didn’t realize that we had those mid to higher-end offerings. I believe listening, communicating and understanding is important. Customers have needs and wants and we want to fulfill them.
Q: What are the most commonly asked questions from customers?
A: We get a lot of people asking how they can integrate sit to stand desk options into their existing work space or incorporate them into their new layout. There are a few different ways we can help them, whether it be an electric option, or a desktop unit. We have a lot of discussion with the customer about the pros and cons of each option. Especially if there’s an existing ergonomic issue, such as an injury, then we have to be a little bit more considerate on how we’re creating that sit-stand situation. The desktop option may raise their monitor to a certain level that’s not appropriate based on where their neck position needs to be. There are quite a few different details that result in certain products not working for their needs.
A: People also often ask, “Can you give me a discount?” However, unlike some dealers or industries, the advertised price or the MSRP isn’t so high that it’s designed for a 40% discount to be given. All that work has already been done for you, so the best price is already put forward. There are certain discounts we can give on large orders.
Q: Do customers ask how they can they can transition into an open-concept office layout?
A: It depends on the industry of course. It’s almost a trend that has passed already in some respects. I’ll ask people who want an open-concept office, “Are these people that you want to create an open concept for, do they collaborate consistently all day long?” Because if they don’t, we’re going to have some serious challenges providing them with enough privacy or semi-privacy. It’s often the case that people want that open concept, but when they’re presented with its challenges, they realize that maybe they need back-off on that idea.
There’s also the challenge of visual noise. If I’m working at a bench with seven other people, its one thing that they’re going to be distracting you with their normal human noises, like coughing or sniffling, but there’s also the visual distraction of noticing every time they move. There are definite considerations. However, we have a lot of different product options to help with that.
with Source since November of 2012 and was excited to share his experiences with us. Continue reading to view the full interview.
Q: What are three words you would use to describe Source?
A: Family-friendly, Family-business and caring. The owner of the company puts us as people first, ahead of our contribution to the company. Meaning if my wife was sick, I would never be told, “Too bad, you have to be here.” The reason those words come into my mind is because its that important to me. The work environment is inspiring. Never in my time here have I felt like I don’t matter or I’m just another number. It’s a comforting feeling.
Q: Describe your role at Source.
A: My official title is Account Executive, which is another term for Outside Sales Representative. I seek and find new business, as well as manage existing customers. New business represents 25% of my job, and the rest is maintaining our current clients.
Q: What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most?
A: I really enjoy seeking and securing new business. It’s sort of a “hunter” mentality. It feels good to feel that I have conquered that business as opposed to it just came to me. I also really enjoy consulting with the clients and finding them what they want. I find it more satisfying than a customer who knows what they want and just gives me a list or an order. I’m happy to fulfill an order, but at the same time I prefer to collaborate with them and consider different products and design options. I enjoy finding ways to make the space something that I’ve put a bit of my thumb print on.
Q: What is the most challenging part of your position?
A: I would say time-management. It’s easy to get bogged down in administrative and data entry details. I find myself not able to seek new business as much as I would like to because I’m busy entering in an order, or taking care of a problem.
Q: What makes Source unique in the market?
A: From a competitive advantage standpoint, what makes us unique is our Performance laminate line. I think our price point of the Performance laminate products, combined with our relationships with other manufactures, makes us stand out. Additionally, Source acts as a dealer for other mid to higher-end products. I feel well positioned to offer that quality, lower priced option, or if I’m putting my thumb print on a project and getting more involved in the design, I’m able to offer some higher-end options.
Q: What do you see in the future in terms of up-coming trends?
A: More height-adjustable options, moving away from just your typical rectangle desk shape. I think there will be more unique combinations and unique products.
Q: Explain the customer experience at Source. How do we build and maintain positive relationships with our customers?
A: I feel it’s important to make customers aware that we have offerings beyond the standard Performance line that we showcase in our catalogue. I recall facing some comments in the beginning where people didn’t realize that we had those mid to higher-end offerings. I believe listening, communicating and understanding is important. Customers have needs and wants and we want to fulfill them.
Q: What are the most commonly asked questions from customers?
A: We get a lot of people asking how they can integrate sit to stand desk options into their existing work space or incorporate them into their new layout. There are a few different ways we can help them, whether it be an electric option, or a desktop unit. We have a lot of discussion with the customer about the pros and cons of each option. Especially if there’s an existing ergonomic issue, such as an injury, then we have to be a little bit more considerate on how we’re creating that sit-stand situation. The desktop option may raise their monitor to a certain level that’s not appropriate based on where their neck position needs to be. There are quite a few different details that result in certain products not working for their needs.
A: People also often ask, “Can you give me a discount?” However, unlike some dealers or industries, the advertised price or the MSRP isn’t so high that it’s designed for a 40% discount to be given. All that work has already been done for you, so the best price is already put forward. There are certain discounts we can give on large orders.
Q: Do customers ask how they can they can transition into an open-concept office layout?
A: It depends on the industry of course. It’s almost a trend that has passed already in some respects. I’ll ask people who want an open-concept office, “Are these people that you want to create an open concept for, do they collaborate consistently all day long?” Because if they don’t, we’re going to have some serious challenges providing them with enough privacy or semi-privacy. It’s often the case that people want that open concept, but when they’re presented with its challenges, they realize that maybe they need back-off on that idea.
There’s also the challenge of visual noise. If I’m working at a bench with seven other people, its one thing that they’re going to be distracting you with their normal human noises, like coughing or sniffling, but there’s also the visual distraction of noticing every time they move. There are definite considerations. However, we have a lot of different product options to help with that.
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