Call Sales: +1 (833) 437-3835
Call Sales: +1 (833) 437-3835
Julie Standridge | December 5, 2022 |
Get to know some of the best and brightest at Revel Systems in our recurring “People POS” question-and-answer series. Our more recent spotlight featured Seth Kessel, a scrum master with a passion for helping his team solve complex problems.
In this blog post, Revel’s Marketing Communications Manager Julie Standridge sits down with Crystal Deaderick, regional account executive for emerging enterprise brands, for a Q&A session to learn more about how her psychology background and people-first mentality inform her approach to the sales process. Continue reading for a chance to better understand how account executives like Crystal drive new business for Revel.
(Q): To get us started, can you share more about the early stages of your career, and share what ultimately led you to an emerging enterprise sales role Revel?
(A): I graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in psychology. I’ve always been fascinated by how people think, and how that, along with their experiences, drives future behavior. It ended up being a great education for a career in sales.
I fell into sales naturally through someone I knew. I started my career in a technical sales role in the emergency communications sector. Our offering was highly technical and pretty complex, but we were serving critical industries such as police and fire fighting, forest services, as well as hospitality. It was really challenging work—and I think I was one of the only women in that industry—so getting to earn the trust of these extremely technical buyers was a great challenge for me.
My family eventually made a move to Georgia and I was lucky to land at Revel.
(Q): I’m sure you’ve experienced some career growth since starting at Revel in 2019. Can you tell us how your career has evolved since joining the Revel team?
(A): I started at Revel in 2019 and have held a few different roles, all of which have been within the sales organization. I started on the small to medium sized business (SMB) team selling to business owners with one to 10 locations. Later, I moved into a sales director role, overseeing the three different teams within the SMB department.
Most recently, I transitioned to managing direct sales for what we consider emerging enterprise brands, or those that have anywhere from 20 to 50 locations and are aggressively growing or franchising. There was really a need within our organization as we’re strategically shifting to partner with those emerging enterprise brands more heavily, and it’s been exciting to help chart the course in this new role.
(Q): While I’m sure winning new business is often an account executive’s favorite part of their role, what would you say is your favorite part of the sales cycle?
(A): I think my favorite part of the sales cycle really comes down to figuring out what people care about. I think it’s the most essential question in the sales process, and from there, I focus on figuring out how my goals can align with theirs. The final step is getting on the same page.
In my role today, I often think back to a charity I worked with in high school that I was really passionate about. The organization helped families with chronically ill children and as students, our mission was to put fundraisers together to help them. I remember being with a friend and telling her all about my fundraising ideas, and her response was “this is all really great, but how are you going to get people to care?” It was a moment where I realized that not everyone sees things the same as I do. I have these goals, passions, or beliefs, but if I’m going to accomplish anything of real impact, I’m going to need people that care about them, and it starts with understanding and aligning to what they care about.
I think if you can really tap into why anyone would care about what you’re selling, then you’re going to be a much more successful seller and business partner. And not even just in a sales role; I think it translates to business as a whole. Knowing how much I depend on my cross-functional teams at Revel, like your team in marketing, for example, I’m constantly staying curious about how your goals can align with mine because I think it’s the magic of making us all more successful.
(Q): Speaking of other teams at Revel, I know that no one is able to close a deal alone. What are some of the other teams at Revel that you work closely with to win new business?
(A): Absolutely. I’ve never won a deal alone. And I think prospective clients want to know that we’re more than just any one person. They want to know there’s an entire team behind them. There is strength in numbers!
Our professional services team plays a major role at the emerging enterprise level—they partner with us from the very beginning to help take the complexities out of rollouts and implementations. Our account management team is also critical. Clients want to know that once everything is installed, they’ll be supported down the road. Our account managers do a fantastic job providing that ongoing support.
(Q): What Revel features and solutions really stand out to you when selling to emerging enterprise brands?
(A): I think it comes down to three things. The first being the quality of the product. In my opinion, we’re the best out there just from a flexibility standpoint. Our open API allows clients to partner with best-in-breed solutions for any add-on they may need—from payroll, to loyalty, and more—and they build on Revel’s platform to create one cohesive solution.
Building on that point, we still very much have our finger on the pulse of building out native features that are necessary for the rapidly changing restaurant environment we’re in today. I think that’s something we can be really proud of. Whether that’s QR code ordering via Revel SmartOrder™ or the evolution of self-service kiosks, we haven’t slowed in our commitment to innovation.
Another thing that makes us stand out are the people here at Revel. We have a really curated team here and we truly partner with the brands we work with. We’re invested in their success, and in my opinion, we’re a quality over quantity type of company.
And the third part of Revel that stands out to me is our business model and structure, and the values of our executive team. We're here to empower and enable these successful and ambitious business owners. And of course we’ve all encountered some extreme difficulties with the pandemic, but I’m constantly impressed with how our business is run and that our leadership team is constantly striving to put the customer experience first.
(Q): Can you recall a sales win that you’re really proud of?
(A): I really believe in the power of meeting face-to-face to connect with customers. There was one opportunity that came through and I could just tell that there were so many other people behind this one person I was talking with on the phone. So I basically just said “I’m coming out there,” and I hopped in the car and met with the client in-person. A colleague and I shared a full demo onsite to what ended up being an entire board of directors.
They liked what they saw, and I was able to put together a proposal for them that night, present it and gain a commitment for the business the next morning. So I guess the moral of the story is that sometimes you just have to get in the car and go!
(Q): Outside of selling to exciting brands here at Revel, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
(A): I have two daughters and most of my time is spent with them, enjoying life. They bring me the most joy. We like to ski and travel, to enjoy art and the outdoors—I think Atlanta offers a lot of that. One of my daughters got into acting and there are oddly a lot of parallels there with what I do. I’ve been helping her with her ability to read the room, present with confidence, and close her own business deals, which has been super fun, obviously!
As a mom of two young ladies, I’m always looking to set a good example of what they can do and achieve. Even today, you see fewer women leading on the revenue side of the tech and business world, and I’ve always been a bit fueled and excited by the challenge of shattering norms.
We’re always appreciative when colleagues take time out of their busy days to share more about their past and present career journeys. A big thanks goes to Crystal for offering us a glimpse into what it takes to be a successful account executive at Revel Systems.
If you’re interested in a role within Revel’s sales department—one that may even cross paths with Crystal—don’t hesitate to browse our careers page and apply if you think you might be a great fit.
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