in-business YBL Program
Issue No. 51 - February/March 2010
Ben takes the measure of his salesforce
In the few years he has been a sales leader at Internode, YBL success story Ben Clark, 29, has managed to install his innovative measurement system at the heart of the national ISP’s progress benchmarking.
“While I did do a short stint in sales at SEnet, back when the only internet was dialup, it wasn’t until I started at Internode that I really started to enjoy and appreciate the ISP-IT environment,” he says.
“I started in 2005 as one of five Residential Sales Representatives. After about six months I was appointed Senior Sales Representative. By 2007 Internode was experiencing some major growth and I was lucky enough to be promoted to Residential Sales Team Leader and then to Inside Sales Manager in quick succession - I say ‘lucky’, but I hope that it was also a case of being the right person for the job. Today, Residential Sales consists of more than 40 front-line agents, reporting to four team leaders. As Internal Sales Manager, I manage the Residential Sales Team and the Business Sales Team - more than 50 staff.
“It was around the same time that I was also given the opportunity to participate in the YBL program. I was made aware of the YBL program by my manager, Daryl Knight.
“I remember coming into work and finding a note with a YBL booklet attached, suggesting it would be a good opportunity to think about. I remember being in two minds, because on one hand there was all this opportunity opening up for me in terms of training and promotions, but on the other hand I knew I was in store for a lot of hard word, and a steep learning curve. I decided to take the dive though, and in retrospect very glad that I did.
“YBL gives a very different experience. There is more pressure, more support, more networking and overall it gives a much more practical learning experience.
“It also gives rewards that conventional training cannot give. It puts you in touch with a mentor to help you through out the experience. ...
