Interview with Nelson Wu, Senior Sales Engineer, Hong Kong
– Hello Nelson, can you share a little about yourself, and what you do at work?
I am a Senior Sales Engineer for Façade Access the division in Hong Kong, mainly handling new BMUs (Building Maintenance Unit) for new-build projects.
Amongst other things I prepare tender submissions and negotiate with developers, consultants, architects and quantity surveyors.
I also communicate with various factory production lines for engineering issues and meet with external parties to get information on new opportunities.
– How long have you been with the company?
I have been with Alimak Group for 4 months now, I joined the company on May 2nd this year (2024).
– What is it that you like the most – or the least – with your job?
I really like learning engineering technology around new product types and meeting with new customer groups.
– Before you joined us, what did you do?
For almost 20 years I have been working for several global lift and escalator engineering companies, such as: OTIS, Schindler, KONE, Toshiba and ANLEV.
I’ve had many different roles, from assistant engineer, service engineer, sales engineer, senior engineer, deputy project manager, assistant sales manager to sales manager.
The last position I held was as Sales & Marketing Manager which involved leading a team with 9 colleagues in ANLEV for the global market segment.
– If someone is in their beginning of their career, just finishing school and thinking of becoming a Sales Engineer, what would you recommend? Can they learn everything at work or what would be a suitable educational background?
Sales Engineers are different from traditional sales people because they sell more technical products, and they need to have technical expertise to explain these products in detail to customers. They often work with clients on a more consultative basis, helping them find the best solution for their needs. They also work closely with other members of the sales and marketing teams to develop product sales information and with clients to clarify technical requirements and provide suitable solutions.
My view is that Sales Engineers also act as the link between the customer and the company, playing an essential role in ensuring product to market fit and that other sales professionals have the tools and knowledge they need to carry out their sales duties.
Sales Engineers can gain lots of knowledge and skills that they would not necessarily get from college and university, but they still need the right educational training, skills, and qualifications. It would be helpful to have a background in engineering to understand the products they will sell, or a major in sales and business.
Some of the skills that I believe are very important for a Sales Engineer are for example Communication and interpersonal skills, Relationship building to understand client needs, Negotiation abilities to prepare contracts and close deals, and of course a strong technical background, so they can understand complex products and systems.
– What makes you proud?
I am proud of having the chance to join Alimak Group from a different engineering industry, as Alimak Group is the premium choice of BMU provider in the world.
I am proud to sell products which are comparatively higher price to competitors, but it is so worth the price tag in product design, quality and customer solution orientation.
– Do you have a life motto?
I like the quote from the movie Forrest Gump, “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you gonna get”. I also have another good motto to live by; “When one door closes, another one opens.”