Talking to customers and helping them to grow and supporting co-workers in their development are the key motivators for Christina Mavromatis, sales director – SMB at TD SYNNEX, and that keeps her extremely busy – but she can still find time for a song.
As SMB sales director at TD SYNNEX, UK and Ireland, Christina Mavromatis, spends as much quality time with customers as she can. But she also manages to find time to think ahead and move on with business planning.
‘I like to spend time with customers to understand their business drivers & what trends they're seeing in the market. I also try to carve out time to be pro-active on strategic initiatives, such as growth opportunities and emerging technologies, and to drive those plans forward. There is a balance to be struck between being reactive and responding to customers and having that strategic focus.’
People & relationships
While she will confess to 'enjoying a good spreadsheet’ – it is the personal interaction that she enjoys most about her job.
I try to surround myself with good people
‘People and relationships are what motivates me. Being able to work with a diverse set of partners and co-workers is very important. I love the variety of the SMB channel and TD SYNNEX is such a diverse organisation too. I am always learning something new about our partners and about our own business and its capabilities.’
Christina’s own business philosophy is, unsurprisingly, people-centric. ‘I try to surround myself with good people. I firmly believe you should bring your whole self to work to be honest and allow yourself to be your whole self.’
Nurturing talent
Due to the excellent support they are given by the board and the management team, she says, people at TD SYNNEX are able to do just that – and consequently develop to their potential as individuals. ‘In my part of the business, we have a lot of talented people who are in the early stages of their careers, and I am passionate about supporting them on their journey. It is really satisfying to see them develop and grow as individuals and as part of a team.’
Building stronger customer relationships is also something she’s enthusiastic about. ‘I really get a kick out of bringing value to partners – especially where we might perhaps have not always had the closest of relationships – and working with them on their strategy and helping their business to grow.’
I am very optimistic about the year ahead
Christina revels in the fast-paced nature of the tech industry. ‘As the last couple of years have shown, tech’ can really change people’s work and personal life. Technologies like AI and big data can have a direct impact and we are starting to see that coming through with increased personalisation of services.’
Indeed, personalisation is something TD SYNNEX is focusing on strongly with its customer engagements. Through more in-depth profiling it is ensuring that the right information reaches the right partner, at the right time.
Constant change
Another aspect of working in the channel Christina finds stimulating is the constant change and evolution of SMB partners. Over the past two years she has seen partners accelerating their transformation into subscription- and services-focused businesses. It is this adaptability that gives her cause to be positive and optimistic about the future – both for TD SYNNEX and its SMB partners.
‘There are a lot of projects that have been on hold and now that things are beginning to settle down, and become more stable, I think we will see the pace accelerating, so yes, I am very optimistic about the year ahead.’
In terms of the key themes that are developing, one that all partners want to talk about is sustainability. ‘It’s a topic that’s cutting across everything. It’s on everyone’s agenda and we are seeing partners winning business based on their stance in this area now. People are seeing it as a differentiator.’
I think that bringing people together is another part of the value we provide
This is an evolving subject and many channel companies – TD SYNNEX included – are advancing their posture as quickly as possible. TD SYNNEX recently appointed its first dedicated director for environment and quality compliance, and more developments are on their way. It’s something the channel will need to work together on, said Christina.
‘Everyone’s approach is still being formed. We had a fascinating round table recently and it was amazing to see how partners were sharing stories and asking each other about what they had done in this area. It was really interesting. We have a massive network of partners and organisations we work with, and I think that bringing people together is another part of the value we provide.’
Finding the right balance
Hybrid working is another area generating high levels of interest and activity right now – as both partners and their customers strive to work out the right balance for their own businesses. ‘The reality with hybrid working is that everyone is trying to figure it out and doing something slightly different’, she said. ‘Partners are having to be very flexible in their approach and the guidance they provide to end user customers, because it’s very clear there is no one-size-fits-all.
The reality with hybrid working is that everyone is trying to figure it out
Other hot topics include security, cloud, and IoT and analytics. While these have been prominent for a while, these subjects continue to generate interest, discussion and curiosity amongst SMBs and she sees significant opportunities in all these areas. TD SYNNEX – with established practices and enablement and support programmes in all of these areas – is ideally-placed to help partners build their own capabilities and address the potential.
Getting together
Outside of work, Christina likes to spend time with her friends & family. She also enjoys singing. And whilst the choir of which she is a member has not been able to convene during the pandemic, last year she took matters into her own hands and formed a smaller group with some singing friends.
‘I hugely missed singing during the lockdowns and how much that helped me to relax. Having a virtual choir on your laptop is OK, but doesn’t quite cut it, so I formed a little garden choir with five of my singing friends and we have kept that up. We’ve even got a little following amongst the neighbours now, who listen out for us when we get together.’
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