supply chain business Archives

Paramount Group, the global aerospace and technology company, announced today that it has appointed Steve Griessel as its Group Chief Executive Officer.

South African-born Griessel, a global business executive who served as CEO of several companies in South Africa and the United States, including two public companies, brings more than 30 years of business leadership and senior management experience to the group.

Griessel, who is well known for driving innovative management practices across various industries, will assume the new role with immediate effect. He will be responsible for providing strategic, financial and operational leadership and will work closely with the Board of Directors, shareholders and senior leadership team.

Ivor Ichikowitz, Founder of Paramount Group stated: “Paramount Group is a unique organization; its ethos is based on extreme agility and innovation. It is not a typical manufacturing or engineering company and therefore requires a very unique style of leadership and business acumen. We are fortunate to have someone of Steve’s caliber and experience coming in to lead Paramount Group globally.

“Steve is a proven leader with a strong business vision who has demonstrated his ability to bring people together and achieve results in highly competitive markets. The opportunity ahead for Paramount is vast, and to seize it we must continue to innovate and deliver world-leading technologies and solutions to our customers.”

Griessel who prior to his recent appointment held the position of CEO of Paramount USA, Paramount’s US-based subsidiary, stated:

“It is an honor to take on the role of Group CEO. We are at an important milestone in our evolution as we further globalize our operations and expand our network of strategic partnerships with Governments and major corporations around the world. This leadership role is critical as Paramount continues to evolve by entering new markets, and expanding its innovations and technologies, in order to take advantage of a substantially increasing global market for our products and services.”

“Over the last 27 years, Paramount Group has experienced exceptional growth and success. I had the distinct privilege in my previous role of working closely with the Paramount family; I know their passion and commitment to innovation, engineering excellence and customer-focused solutions.

“Together with my professional and experienced executive team, I will be focusing on setting up the business to meet Paramount’s global ambitions. I am confident that we will continue to build strong industrial partnerships around the world through our portable production model; supporting governments in meeting their economic development objectives. I’m looking forward to being part of a world-class team that delivers future-proof technologies and solutions to its customers, invests in its people by developing the most talented professionals into leaders, and plays its part to improve the communities in which it operates. ”

We talk about it all the time – “when things go back to normal.” But will they? Will sales ever be the same?

2020 forever changed us. Sales processes were turned upside down. In-person meetings – probably not happening for quite some time. Remote presentations – now the norm. Sales engagement software – a must. These changes are not temporary. If you aren’t yet, how do you adapt to the next normal?

Digital first

The pandemic accelerated the rate of change and digital transformation much faster than any of us anticipated. Now, B2B buyers and sellers doing business digitally is the norm. According to Mckinsey, more than three-quarters of buyers and sellers say they now prefer digital self-service and remote human engagement over face-to-face interactions. The path forward is clear: Digital is here to stay.

We might physically have to remain six feet apart, but digitally nothing is slowing down. In a digital selling environment, the speed of sale is increasing in importance. Gone are the days of sending a PDF attached to an email or getting on a plane and waiting days for the next step in the sales process. In our time of immediate gratification, inefficient, time-consuming sales processes will no longer be acceptable.

Digital first also transforms the traditional sales hire. Tech-savviness is now part of the job description. A high-level of familiarity with popular CRMs, sales enablement solutions, and contract automation are now a must-have. As we continue digitally, the technical requirements for sales hires will increase.

Humanize the digital experience

Today, buyers have more access to information and knowledge than ever before. They’ve read online reviews, seeked advice from peers, and compared features of multiple products before they even speak to you. If you want to remain competitive, you have to go beyond the basics. You must provide value that a buyer can only receive from an expert. By putting your prospect-first, you will stand out from the crowd.

In addition to putting your prospect-first, it’s important to keep the personal touch throughout the digital sales process. Without personal touches, trust issues can arise, and closing the deal becomes harder. You need digital tools to create engagement and human touch with prospects. Adding a personal video when presenting proposals and sending out agreements is an emerging way to humanize the digital experience. Live chat has also emerged as a top channel to create engagement and trust with prospects.

Empathy is key to the digital experience. The need for empathy for your prospects and yourself continues in the next normal. We wake up ready to slay each day, but inevitably something will humanize the day. You want to answer your prospect’s questions and provide a solution that will help them thrive, yet it won’t dominate every conversation. Connect human to human when dogs bark at the mailman or children need help with a virtual school. We’re all in the next normal together.

Technology is a co-worker

Digital first not only transforms the traditional sales hire, it transforms co-workers. With reliance on digital selling, so does the need for sales software solutions that helps sales reps humanize the digital experience and close more deals. It starts with a team of technology co-workers automating the sales process from proposal to eSignature. Combine that with the tools to connect with prospects through video, live-chat and real-time data tracking, your sales team will stand out from the crowd. Now, more than ever, it’s important to have a solid team of technology co-workers.

When it comes down to it, sales will never be the same. Legacy processes can’t keep pace with today’s buyers. Being digital first, humanizing the digital experience and building a team of technology co-workers will have you on your way to succeeding in the next normal.

___________________________________________________________________

Tara Pawlak is the Head of Marketing for Get Accept, the all-in-one sales platform where you design, send, track and market your proposal to get more deals digitally signed.

PARAMOUNT GROUP APPOINTS STEVE GRIESSEL AS GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

most viewed today