I am one of six trainees who started the EMEA Sales Graduate Program at Dell EMC in Halle (Saale) in October 2017. I would like to share my experiences so far and show which challenges we have met.

The trainee program started with a two-week induction. During this time we were shown many different facets of the Dell EMC world. From the products and tools to practical sales training, everything was there. If the information comes out pretty much and unstructured at the beginning, it results in an ever clearer picture from day to day. In addition, we had the opportunity to get to know many colleagues from different areas right from the start, who are still happy to support us. Afterward we trainees came to our teams in our sections. It quickly became clear that not all sales are the same…..

After the induction, we were split into our teams and got to know them. It has often been emphasized how important it is to have a team behind you. What this will mean, I learned in the following weeks and months. It is clear that after two weeks you don’t know every procedure and only know about the roughest things, but my team always stood by my side with an open ear and listened to my questions and answered them. Also, my buddy was very helpful in this situation.

A buddy is the first point of contact in the team and your person of trust. My team is the Team Bayern in the MidMarket. The MidMarket serves business customers who are already existing customers. Here I support the German middle class in the above-mentioned area of Bavaria. The MidMarket area is divided into regions, which makes working much easier. My team consists of 14 members. Before I got my own customers in February, the team provided me with tasks and so I was well trained and it was a good preparation for my own customers at the same time.

Then in February it really started. The first weeks looked very similar. I called the customer and introduced myself and sent out contact emails. In the beginning, customers are often a bit reluctant and perhaps even annoyed that they are being looked after by a new contact person, but over time this atmosphere has passed and the cooperation works better and better. Meanwhile, I process the inquiries and orders of my customers, but a large part is also the consultation for the right products. Customers often do not know which product is suitable for their challenge. This is where induction comes into its own again because with my knowledge I can advise the customer well. In between, there are trainings regularly. Because we work in an IT company, news and new products are constantly coming onto the market. But that’s what marks up my work here at Dell EMC. It is interesting that there is always something new to discover and tell to my customer.

At this point, I’ve been with Dell EMC for just over six months. Meanwhile, I can say that I have arrived well in the company and in my team. It feels good to be surrounded by an experienced team that listens to my many questions. I think it`s exciting how quickly everything in the IT world can change and that I can also advise this to my customers.

If you want to find out more about a sales position here in the company, here is the link to Gregors post about his position in the acquisition. This post will be published on 2^nd of May.