Paragon built an incredibly good foundation for further work with sales development and customer care.

Using a common method, Paragon and Mindit gathered input from the internal organization and built a new sales method

Sales Manager of the Month February 2022: Pernilla Molander, Head of Sales and Key Account Manager at Paragon Nordic

Paragon Nordic has grown steadily over the last 10 years, tell us!

– Yes, a success factor is that we have had a very clear direction and strategy for how we will grow with both existing and new customers.

In addition, we have a broad range of expertise, including our own development departments and all the support services needed internally. Our customer assignments often span several years, so it is important for us to build and nurture long-term relationships that are beneficial to all parties.

Working long-term to broaden the business with existing customers

– We work long-term and not least by broadening the business in existing collaborations. We have several different product areas with different legislation. Here we can create value by helping our customers enter completely new areas.

We also need to be extremely responsive to market developments and future needs, not least with globalization as a major driving force. We need to be able to act globally, but with local roots and production.

We are of course working hard to get our most important messages out there; we have a tradition in aerosol manufacturing, but we already do so much more and want to expand into these other areas.

Clearer common thread for complex assignments

– We are currently involved in a large project together with Mindit – Paragon Sales Academy. The goal is to create consensus and common tools between our departments, with the aim of creating an even clearer common thread for the customer.

The first training session was in December and is now in full swing.

An important parameter is the complexity of the assignments. Our account managers are primarily responsible for the client, but there are always many people involved in the project, such as coordinators, development managers and other departments.

How does the collaboration with Mindit around Paragon Sales Academy work?

– Incredibly positive so far! We have a method where we contribute together internally and with Mindit. We get input from all sides, so we get a good overall picture with all the best perspectives.

We will have an incredibly good foundation to continue working on our sales development and customer care. Ultimately, we need to be extremely responsive internally to make it work optimally for the customer.

What's the most fun thing about being a sales manager at Paragon?

– To be involved all the way through these projects; from the customer having an idea and then seeing it a year later when it is finished, launched and packaged on the store shelf. And knowing how much collaboration is behind all of that at Paragon Nordic. There is so much expertise and commitment among my colleagues here, so I feel privileged.

Do you have any tips for other managers in a similar role to yours?

• I think it's good to have an accurate picture of the current situation and be able to analyze it. To clearly define the goal and where you want to be as a sales manager.

• For my part, I actively work to understand how my colleagues perceive changes and new ideas – to take others' perspectives.

• I think it's important to see reality as it is and dare to lift rocks, even when you find difficulties and problem areas.

• Keep in mind that education is one thing, but then the big work begins to get everyone to reflect and start implementing new knowledge and ideas.