Hi, Esben! Describe your role at Greencarrier Liner Agency?
I’m currently working with sales for Greencarrier Liner Agency in Norway, which I find very interesting and motivating. On a daily basis, I get to work with the things I enjoy the most; people and sales. I also participate in several internal projects for sales and IT, and I am also one of the social media ambassadors for Greencarrier Liner Agency. These projects altogether keep my day diversified, and I am having lots of fun.
You are also a social media ambassador, what does that mean?
Being a social media ambassador means being active to help strengthen our brand across our social media platforms. What makes this a very motivating task, is that I believe we have a great opportunity to involve both colleagues and customers to get to know each other even better. In the end, it is the relationships, both across our offices and with our customers, that make our day. A good product will only take you so far. It is the people behind the brand that will make us the preferred partner. Another thing I enjoy about being a social media ambassador is the opportunity to inspire my colleagues to be positive and spread humour and joy in a different way than previously.
What in your job makes your heart skip a beat?
Working at Greencarrier Liner Agency, there are a lot of exciting projects to participate in, and I have first-hand experience with some of these projects. I am able to be a part of a project team that gets to affect our daily work practices as well as the future of our company. Having that responsibility is very exciting! As a salesperson, visiting customers and mapping out what it takes to secure more business are the most interesting. I believe that the goal should always be to come out of a meeting, knowing that the customers put their trust in you and want to grow their business together with you. It is so important to listen and show your interest in customers. This helps you figure out the customers’ needs and how you can provide the best transport solutions. It is essential to act both professionally and positively – most business is founded on relationships based on trust. But I would also like to shine some light on my colleagues who make me enjoy every day at the office. I can truly say that Greencarrier provides a workplace filled with companionship and the feeling that we are in this together.
I get the feeling you are a team player. What did you do previously?
That is right! I grew up at Nesodden, just outside of Oslo, where I am currently building a house with my girlfriend and three-year-old son. Before joining Greencarrier, I worked at Agasti Holding as a stockbroker for almost two years. That was actually where I figured out that sales was something close to my heart that I wanted to continue working with. The daily challenge of delivering and securing business is very motivating. But I have always been into sports and consider myself a pretty active guy. I have done everything from cross-country skiing and alpine skiing to hockey, football, and swimming. Both before and during school (The Norwegian University of Life Sciences, School of Economics & Business), I played professional football. I played mainly in the second league in Norway, but I have also been at a tryout for the Norwegian association football club Vålerenga and was offered the opportunity to travel to Sweden and play in Superettan and a tryout in the Allsvenskan. However, I ended up prioritising my family and school.
Have you had any use for your teamwork and communication skills from playing football in your role as a salesperson?
Yes, definitely. I believe that, both in football and in life, there will always be a great deal of teamwork. We are forced to communicate and act as one team everyday. We can’t go through life thinking that we can manage everything on our own. To be able to follow the path we set out and reach our goals, we need to perform together. Knowing which strings to pull in order to push your fellow teammates to give that little extra, in the end, is very valuable for the team. Football gives you the opportunity to both challenge yourself individually and as part of a team and hopefully grow through experience. Knowing that if I do my part, we as a team have a better chance of succeeding together.
When it comes to sales in the shipping industry, do you recognise any increase in customer demand or any other market changes?
Since I joined Greencarrier Liner Agency in January 2016, the market has changed a lot. The number of global carriers that serve Europe have decreased due to bankruptcies, one big merger and several take-overs. We now have three ocean alliances instead of four. There is no doubt that even though the total capacity isn’t decreasing, the number of carriers from which the customers can choose, are. Hopefully, this will result in a more stable market in the long term. We have recently experienced an increase in customer demand, and many customers feel the need to “place more eggs in one basket” or even “place their eggs in another basket”. I would say that these recent changes have led to a more sustainable level and suitable shipping service for our customers, which hopefully will benefit all parties.
Thank you for your thoughts and insights, Esben! Do you want to know other employees at Greencarrier Liner Agency? Visit our Knowledge Center! Also, learn more about our shipping services on our website.
