Call Sales: +1 (833) 437-3835
Call Sales: +1 (833) 437-3835
Revel Systems | June 24, 2021 |
Our “People POS'' series is back with another spotlight on a team member who helps bring Revel’s client-first mission to life. Our previous post featured Cathy, a seasoned product manager who holds the coveted title of Revel’s most tenured employee, and we’re thrilled to continue sharing more of the stories and people backing our technology.
While Cathy works behind the scenes to develop the features and functionality Revel clients appreciate today, Asia-Pacific (APAC) Sales Lead Tim focuses on getting new clients up-and-running on the leading cloud-based POS platform on the market.
Tim was born and raised in South Holland, close to the Belgium border. While studying business administration at university in Rotterdam, he had the opportunity to spend a year in China and really appreciated the change of pace and chance to expand himself culturally. Upon finishing his degree, Tim made the natural move back to Holland and started a corporate job in sales. However, he soon found himself missing his travels to China and was hungry for a bigger adventure.
“I decided to pack my bags and ended up in Malaysia. Within two weeks, I had a really interesting job in sports marketing, which included marketing and scheduling for various events,” Tim explains.
Tim immediately felt at home in Malaysia, and went on to pursue other ventures, which included starting his own business as a technology reseller. Although he found some early success, he eventually decided it was time to move on and was appreciative of what he learned. While walking around Kuala Lumpur one day, he noticed a point of sale (POS) installation taking place at a burger chain he had worked with previously.
“It caught my eye immediately because it was an iPad-based system. While developing my business, I heard merchants often complain about their POS, so I already knew there was a market for a great product. I made sure to ask what the name of the system was, and it turns out it was Revel.”
When Tim reached out to Revel in pursuit of a position, his timing happened to be just right. In 2014, the Revel team was considering opening an office in Singapore, and was in need of support to help build out their operations and clientele. Tim’s experience was the perfect compliment to the sales role Revel needed to fill, and having visited Singapore often, he felt like he could easily make it home. After a few video interviews, he landed the job.
This year Tim will celebrate his seven-year anniversary with Revel, making him one of Revel’s longest-tenured employees. When he’s not making a name for himself in the POS market in APAC, Tim likes to take advantage of Singapore’s sunny weather and splurge on the occasional fine dining meal.
Upon joining the team in 2014, Tim explains that there were really only two companies selling a cloud-based iPad POS platform in APAC. As a result, he quickly noticed that merchants were eager to get their hands on a more durable, digital-first solution. Early on he was able to win multiple deals from cold calling, going door to door, and “simply letting the system speak for itself,” according to Tim.
Since then, he has continued to scale Revel’s presence in APAC and has seen tremendous results. Tim credits the technology behind Revel as a big driver of his success.
“When speaking with a potential client, I start by explaining that we’re a mature player in the POS space. We also have the right infrastructure and processes in place, and you can see it when you use the solution. I find that sales are a lot easier in this role because I know I’m not selling a mediocre product—it’s nice to work for an industry leader,” Tim says.
Today, Revel has on-the-ground sales executives across major international markets, including the United Kingdom, APAC, and Australia. Together, these teams have helped make a name for Revel globally, and are the reason Revel has thousands of happy clients internationally.
When Tim started his role, Revel was still extremely new to the APAC market. Seven years later, Tim’s dedication to his role and market expansion efforts are paying off in dividends.
“At this point, I’m fortunate that many people in the market for a POS often find me by a referral from friends in the industry, or existing Revel clients. I often get calls out of the blue, which is never a bad thing,” Tim explains. “Once you stick with a job and have the opportunity to really build your own book of business, it feels great to see the results.”
When asked about Tim’s proudest accomplishment over the past seven years at Revel, he recalls one of his first—and most complex—deals that he won, which included a 40-page request for information (RFI). Tim explains that the win is especially memorable because it helped him break into the market in Hong Kong. Today, the client is still with Revel and has expanded to 40 additional locations.
As Revel’s only on-the-ground sales executive in APAC, Tim notes that his role offers a lot of autonomy and freedom to divide up his work and conquer it at his own pace.
“I know no one is going to walk over to my desk, so I really try to take initiative, gather what I need to help my clients succeed, and also take responsibility when things go wrong. I’m able to see tangible results from my efforts, and the process I have in place works really well for me,” Tim says.
Despite being separated geographically, Tim appreciates the relationships he’s developed over time with other Revel sales executives based internationally. Prior to the pandemic, he always tried to fit in a visit to see his teammates in the United Kingdom and Australia during the summer months.
“It’s always nice to be with colleagues and talk about business and life. I think our team is really good about keeping each other entertained through Slack and calls, despite not living close to each other,” Tim says. “Most of them have been with Revel about as long as me. Not a lot of people leave, and I think one of the reasons is that we have a lot of freedom and still deliver results.”
When pandemic-related closures swept Singapore alongside the rest of the world in 2020, Tim admitted that working from home without access to his co-working space and colleagues proved to be difficult at times. When normal operating conditions return, he’s excited to resume in-person meetings and occasionally work from a coffee shop.
Having tried to start his own business prior to joining Revel, Tim knows a thing or two about relentless persistence. It’s that same passion and drive that has guided his success over the years, and he continues to be a top performer year over year.
As Revel continues to expand, we look forward to watching Tim and his fellow international sales executive colleagues make even more waves in the markets we serve.
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