Momentum Telecom’s core mission is to empower human connections and enable others to thrive. In the second post in this series, we look at how the shift to working remotely has changed how we approach the partner and customer relationships that are the foundation of our success.
Meet Kerri
As a regional sales manager for Momentum, Kerri Lytle is in his element when he’s on the road. In fact, he’s famous across the sales team for one particularly legendary feat of road-warrior endurance. Kerri was in the field in west Texas, where “we had back-to-back-to-back meetings, and we had just had lunch with a partner. Then we got a call about another opportunity two hours away. We must have filled up the car four times that day.”
For now, Kerri has traded in-person visits for exclusively working remotely from his home in the Dallas area. It might not be the open road, but there is still plenty of variety. “Every day is different,” says Kerri, and each day is packed with potential. “Partner development, customer meetings and quotes, or just prospecting” are all very much in play, even if face-to-face meetings aren’t possible due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Keeping the Conversation Going with Collaborate
Prior to joining Momentum three years ago, Kerri had never worked remotely. “This is my first work-from-home job,” he explains. “I had been in a sales director role where I was managing branches and employees, so I always had a branch office. But since going remote with Momentum and all the success I’ve had, I’ll probably never go back to an office.” His coworkers – two dogs and two cats – have also settled well into the routine. “They know when I’m going to work, because they’ll run upstairs and meet me in my office,” he jokes.
Technology, of course, is the linchpin. Just like when he’s out in the field, Kerri frequently meets with channel partners. Momentum Collaborate is his go-to solution. “Collaborate gives me the ability to demo other solutions like Momentum Mobility or Microsoft Teams from a third-party view,” he says. He also prefers it as the space to convene all stakeholders involved in a deal. The platform is intuitive to use for both attendees and presenters. Plus, Collaborate’s recording functionality makes it simple to capture meetings and share with other decision-makers.
Handshakes on Hold in a New Normal
Tools like Collaborate have long been a cornerstone for Kerri and the greater Momentum team. Regardless of where a colleague, partner or customer might be in the world, it’s easy to check in, continue a conversation, or share an idea through voice and video. Plus, as many businesses start to consider long-term policies for working remotely, cloud-based solutions like those in the Momentum Unified Communications Suite are quick to implement. Most implementations never even need a technician to visit on-site.
Still, in-person meetings will always have enormous value, says Kerri. Non-verbal cues and body language sometimes are tricky to fully convey through video, and “it’s hard to see emotion when you’re meeting via a webinar.” And don’t underestimate the make-or-break power of a handshake, even if this ritual is currently on hold. “That’s huge in Texas, especially in west Texas where the ‘cowboy’s handshake’ is a real thing,” he points out. “I’m still meeting with people there – and they understand why I’m not physically there – but it has been different.”
Catch up with other posts in this series!
- How Momentum Works #1: The Payoff of Less Time, More Focus While Working from Home
- How Momentum Works #3: Exceeding Expectations for Remote Support
The post How Momentum Works #2: Off the Road, but Still on a Roll appeared first on Momentum Telecom.