Meet the Team:
Lola, Account Manager

“Meet the Team” is a blog series that features the different roles at Antidot/Fluid Topics. 

Today, we’re sitting down with Lola, our Account Manager, to discuss her role within our company.

Hi Lola, can you describe what you do on a day-to-day basis?

I’m not your typical account manager. Account management is usually a post-sales function. In my case, I’m both a business development manager and an account manager.

My role is to be the primary point of contact between our clients or prospective clients and our business. I’m tasked with listening closely to them and offering the best solution to meet their needs.

In that regard, my day-to-day activities vary quite a lot. It ranges from meeting with prospective clients, to reviewing tenders and pricing, developing strategies and proposals, following up my network of contacts for new opportunities and attending team meetings. It really depends on which stage of the buyer’s journey my customer is at.

Obviously, there are tasks that are repetitive but it’s always about a different company, a different industry.

How did you become an Account Manager for a Software company?

Inadvertently!

I actually graduated from a top French business school and acquired expertise in retail merchandising. My first job was at Feu Vert as an Assistant Merchandising. I oversaw the design of the new car repair shop layout.

I started my second job at NMB Minebea, a Japanese multinational corporation and a major producer of machinery components and electronics devices, as a sales administration supervisor. After more than 10 years in the same role, I got the opportunity to become a sales manager. I even received an achievement award a little over a year after I started the job.

I turned to the software world in 2019 when I worked as a Senior Key Account Manager at Cosmo Tech, a global software vendor of Simulation Digital Twin solutions.

I joined Antidot/Fluid Topics this past summer!

What are the most challenging aspects of your job?

Patience has to be one of the most challenging aspects of my job. It can take a few months between my first conversation with a client and the day they finally start getting value from Fluid Topics.

I’m a very enthusiastic person so I’d love to shorten this time but changing processes and tools in a company requires time to ensure every stakeholder is adopting the new solution.

What are your favorite aspects of your job?

As an international company, I get to meet people from all over the world! They all have different cultures, and business approaches. This diversity allows me to apply a range of perspectives to the challenges they need to solve.

What do you feel is the key skill/attribute needed to succeed in your role?

Most people see salespeople as having good communication skills. And it’s true! You’re deeply convinced that your product can help your customer with their pain points. You’re always eager to show your product.

But experience has taught me that the real key skill of a salesperson is the ability to listen, to connect with them and to understand what they’re really saying.

Any hobbies outside of work?

Nature, running and dogs… or running in nature with my dog!

Thank you Lola! It was great chatting with you!