Peter Karlsson is working as a Key Account Manager at Transtema and is primarily responsible for the company’s largest client. Peter has been with the company in various leadership positions since 2008, and few possess such extensive knowledge and experience in the telecom industry as he does.
What qualities do you think are most important to be a successful salesperson?
– Honesty! Honesty on both sides creates trust and confidence. Honesty is an incredibly important part of a relationship, and I advocate for the customer’s issues internally, even if it’s not always in line with the general opinion within the company. My job is to represent the customer’s interests. Selling services are complex and requires a deep understanding of the customer’s business, operations, challenges and drivers. It is therefore vital that I am involved throughout the process, from negotiation to delivery. I spend a lot of time understanding the different parts of the delivery, resolving any issues that may arise and ensuring that it works as intended.
What is a typical day like for you?
– My days consist of a lot of customer contact in various forms. I meet with customers in person, have a lot of phone calls and some team meetings. After the pandemic, there aren’t as many face-to-face meetings as there used to be, but I really enjoy the phone calls. I often call the customer to check in and make sure there is not too much time between calls.
You have worked at Transtema for a long time, how do you see our company culture?
– Transtema has a typically “Swedish” corporate culture in the sense that it is not very hierarchical, and it is easy to reach managers at different levels within the organization. I have always felt well supported and have been able to clarify decisions and get answers to my questions quickly. I am incredibly proud to work at Transtema, as we are currently the largest service provider in Sweden within the telecom sector. I often use this fact when describing what we do, because it is quite impressive that we are such an important factor for a functioning society. Large parts of our organization, from technicians to project managers and executives, have been with us for a long time and have enormous competence, which is fantastic!
– We have also expanded and adapted our activities to the needs of the market, so we have a good mix of skills within the organization. We are a full-service provider and relevant to our customers in many areas, which is a huge advantage. Transtema has been on an impressive journey where one of the success factors has been the combination of the big company spirit with the entrepreneurial spirit of the smaller companies within the organization. An unbeatable combination that makes us agile, but with structure and order. Our flexibility creates dynamism and opportunity, while the structure gives us the conditions to grow. In short, it’s a fun and exciting place to work!
What drives you?
– I want to have fun; it must be fun to come to work, and being the type of person who loves change makes it easier. My motivation is to get the most out of working with clients and I like new ideas that no one has tried before.
What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
– Time is always a factor, or rather the lack of it. It is essential to prioritize because there is always more to do than there is time for, so it is crucial to prioritize correctly. Reorganizations at customers can be challenging as it requires getting to know new people and building trust again.
What are you most proud of in your career?
At one point, we had a fantastic opportunity to think innovatively together with one of our largest customers. We were brave and presented a proposal that changed the customer’s way of procuring services. It didn’t land immediately, but after a few quarters, the customer came back, and we were able to close our largest deal. We dared to think differently and came up with an idea that was long-term and beneficial for both us and our customer, which was one of the highlights of my career. It later resulted in a nice award from the customer for being attentive and having the ability to meet the customer’s needs. We helped develop a completely new business model that has been a success for both us and our customer. That is something I am proud of. As our organization grows, so does our sales team. This gives me the opportunity to pass on all the knowledge and experience I have gathered over the years to new talents within our company. Being a mentor is meaningful in many ways and makes us stronger as an organization!
