A day in the life of a Business Development Manager

13 Jul

Over the last five years, OX IT Solutions has built a reputation on being a one stop shop for IT that makes customer service a priority. We believe supporting the development of passionate, hardworking, sales driven individuals across all departments helps us achieve this.

Our Business Development Managers are the first point of contact for potential clients. They are responsible for generating leads, driving sales and promoting our products and services. Our BDMs work in close partnership with the Account Managers to support our clients.

Cameron Stewart-Smith joined the team as a Business Development Manager in January this year. In the fast-paced world of IT no two days are the same, we spoke to Cameron to give us an insight into what a typical day could look like.

8:30am – 1pm

The day begins for Cameron by catching up on emails, checking his calendar, and planning his calls for the day.

Cameron explained: “I start the day by identifying and prioritising which clients to contact. Whether I am following up on a conversation I have had in the past or reaching out to new clients, it is important to identify what OX IT can help with.

“If we know that a business is in the process of reviewing a specific security or software solution, I will be in touch to explain what OX IT can do to improve their existing infrastructure.”

A key part of the BDM role is building a profile on potential clients to give the team a strong understanding of how they can best service them.

Cameron added: “Getting as much information out of the first point of contact is vital – so being engaging and knowledgeable is key in this job.”

Lunch

Since the beginning of the year, OX IT Solutions has trialed a four-and-a-half day working week so by 1pm on Friday it is time to kickstart the weekend. From Monday to Thursday though, during his lunch break, Cameron takes advantage of the OX Gym.

“I love working out so having an onsite gym is amazing – it makes it really easy to fit exercise into my day,” said Cameron. “I can use the gym in the evenings and weekends too which allows me to be flexible.”

2pm – 5pm

After lunch it’s time to make more calls. The main focus for our Business Development Managers is reaching out to new prospects through phone calls and emails. This involves pitching products or services to individuals, businesses or organisations.

Cameron said: “We aim to identify specific needs and then figure out how we can meet them in a unique way. We work with a wide selection of partner vendors so we can offer products and services that are personally tailored to meet the individual needs of our clients – this really sets us apart.”

He added: “I love the business development role because it gives me a chance to speak to different people every day. I enjoy working with the client to find solutions that can genuinely help them and their business.”

Career development

When Cameron left school, he qualified as a personal trainer and spent 10 years working in the health and fitness industry. He later spent several years working for family run Heyfordian Travel before making the switch to IT.

Cameron explained: “Handling sales, bookings, quotations and brand awareness for the travel company was great preparation for what I do now. I’ve always been passionate about building relationships with people, so a position where I could combine sales with customer relations is an ideal fit for me.

“The IT industry seemed fast paced and exciting, so I wanted to get involved. The position of Business Development Manager at OX IT Solutions represented the perfect fit for me.”

New challenges

Cameron joined the team in January 2022 and quickly developed his realised his aptitude for IT sales.

He said: “I didn’t have a background in IT before joining OX IT Solutions but the training I have received has been second to none.

“Working closely with my colleagues allowed me to develop my knowledge of the industry quickly. From the Directors to the Account Managers, we are a close-knit, supportive team.”

Cameron hopes to continue to build his knowledge of the industry and make the leap to Account Manager in the future.

“Our Account Managers have an incredible in-depth working knowledge of all aspects of the products and services we provide to our clients. My goal is to continue my training so I can make that step up in the future.”