Solution roadmaps are key for customers

The “Together with VIAVI” blog series features some of the many talented, diverse, and often spirited people across the company, bringing their best to you – our customers and partners – every day. Your success is our success and we are delighted to be on this journey with you!

Name: Takayuki Tanaka

Job Title: Senior Sales Account Manager

Country: Japan

How long have you been with VIAVI, and what do you do here?

My story began when I joined Aeroflex in 2012 which is now VIAVI. I currently work as a Sales Manager of Wireless Products (TME500). My role at VIAVI depends on building strong relationships, keeping a positive attitude and providing clear solution roadmaps for our customers.

Describe the best part about how your role positively impacts customers and/or partners?

One example is knowing what you worked on for a customer is driving results when you see a customer’s press release of new service launch that features a customer tested product with the VIAVI TME500.

My five steps to being an effective sales manager in the wireless products space:

1. Deeply learn your customer’s needs as well as their issues (such as new service launch plan)
2. Propose clear solutions
3. Sell and deliver the solutions “on time”
4. Help customers use and test solutions in the customer’s lab
5. Always follow up, be a positive support for the customer, stay engaged the whole process through to the customer launching the new service successfully as planned and beyond!

What do you think sets VIAVI apart from other global solutions companies?

This is a great question! I really like the recent campaigns undertaken in the last year, “Work Together, Win Together” internally and the “Together with VIAVI” employee highlight series. VIAVI’s “Together”- ness culture makes VIAVI different from many other companies and goes a long way to encouraging all employees to know that they are working on the same overall business goals and positive culture together.

This positive, inclusive work culture helps me a lot when I tackle difficult deals that require support from colleagues not only from the region I belong, but from other regions as well. People of VIAVI are always supportive and cooperative and I think this spirit is inherited from this company culture.

You can read more about VIAVI Customer and Partner Champions on the “Together with VIAVI” website.