From engineering and product development to customer support and sales - the jobs (and people!) in the energy transition are as diverse as you can imagine. The sector is full of opportunities for personal growth and for making a positive impact on our living environment. For anyone considering making this transition their job, we regularly speak to one of our 900+ team members to share a day-in-the-life view of their work.
This time, we looked for colleagues who spend most of their time directly in contact with customers to help them make good, sustainable choices. And we’ve landed on a conversation with Leenass & Thomas to hear more about their daily work, challenges, and ambitions as sales and customer advisors at Koolen Industries group company BonGo Solar.
Leenass, would you like to introduce yourself and your team?
Leenass: I work as a sales advisor at BonGo Solar and we’re with about 14 colleagues here on this team. We’re supporting the full sales process for solar installations for private customers. To identify their wishes and requirements, and make them a compelling offer, we’re really having a lot of contact with them. Nice! And what does a typical workday on your team look like?
Leenass: We often start the day with a short chat about the latest football match or Formula 1 race. We’re also checking our email inboxes to spot any urgent matters and act on them right away.
We’re receiving new customer requests every day that we then review, reach out to, and turn into personalized quotes. We run the full process remotely from our office. Our customers do however often share photos of their building so we can scope out the work and put together an estimate. Topics like work preparation and project management are things we’re discussing together with other teams. So a real team effort!
Thomas: Yes, 100%! But at the same time, each colleague also has individual tasks. We have our own leads that we manage independently. Quite close to running your own business, which also means that you have a direct impact on your extra pay. Closing a deal is something that we always celebrate as a team, with weekly goals and light-hearted, fun rewards. All for the team spirit!
How do you experience the employment benefits of working for the Koolen Industries group?
Thomas: Since BonGo Solar has become a part of Koolen Industries, the employee has been moved to the center a lot more. That’s why we have better amenities and an entirely new pension scheme now. Our workplace is fantastic. It is a nice building with a lot of space and light. There is a good bonus plan and the growth opportunities at BonGo and in the wider organization are countless. You’re currently looking to grow the team, right?
Leenass: Yes, that’s right! We see that a lot of people are looking for more sustainable ways of living to lower their impact on the environment. But also for their own wallet. That’s the beauty of the energy transition, both often go hand in hand! With the rising energy costs, the demand for our solutions has exploded and we’re receiving more requests than ever. That’s why we’re looking for a couple of extra colleagues to help us deliver on these.
Good to note as well is that technical knowledge about solar panels is not a prerequisite for starting here at BonGo Solar. We all get proper training on our product offering and the energy transition overall. On the other hand, being a good listener, translating client wishes into detailed offers, and winning their trust is very important.
Thanks so much for letting us in on the details of your jobs! To wrap things up, what is one of your favorite projects you worked on?
Thomas: My personal favorite was the installation at my own home. I really enjoyed the full process, starting with the initial design and later seeing the solar panels being installed. I can now monitor my own green energy generation and it’s great to see everything working exactly as planned!