Episode #42 of the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast features an interview with Patricia Alvina, Sales Manager ASEAN at Siemens.
- Discover Patricia Alvina's extensive background in the energy industry and her transition to a sales manager role at Siemens
- Understand the importance of becoming a subject matter expert and consultant in the digital infrastructure space
- Learn strategies for aspiring professionals to pivot their careers and pivot into the data center industry
- Explore the value of leveraging LinkedIn for networking, research, and personal branding
- Recognize the challenges data center operators face in adopting sustainability and decarbonization initiatives
- Identify key stakeholders involved in data center sustainability decisions and how to address their concerns
- Anticipate the evolving role of sales professionals in the data center and digital infrastructure space
- Recognize the need for continuous learning and upskilling to stay relevant in a rapidly changing industry
Host:
Joshua Feinberg, CEO
DCSMI
Special Guest:
Patricia Alvina, Sales Manager ASEAN
Siemens
Patricia Alvina, Sales Manager of ASEAN at Siemens, discusses her career journey in the energy industry, emphasizing her role in promoting decarbonization and energy efficiency in data centers. She highlights the importance of understanding client needs beyond just technology, advocating for a consultative selling approach. Alvina stresses the significance of LinkedIn for networking and social selling, noting its role in enhancing the Social Selling Index (SSI). She addresses the challenges in the data center industry regarding sustainability and decarbonization, urging companies to adopt innovative technologies to reduce long-term energy costs. Alvina also underscores the evolving role of sales professionals, who must now act as consultants and orchestrators, guiding clients through complex decision-making processes.
Outline
Patricia Alvina's Introduction and Role at Siemens
- Patricia Alvina introduces herself as part of the energy performance and sustainability teams at Siemens, Singapore.
- Joshua Feinberg welcomes Patricia to the Data Center Go-to-Market podcast and highlights her role as a sales manager for ASEAN with Siemens.
- Patricia shares her extensive background in the energy industry, spanning 17 years, and her educational background in energy engineering and innovation.
- She describes her career journey, including her previous role as a project manager at ENGIE, where she worked on electrolyzer and fuel cell systems.
Patricia's Career Path and Transition to Siemens
- Patricia explains how her career has evolved from academia to consulting and now to applying her knowledge at Siemens to help clients reduce energy consumption and decarbonize their systems.
- Joshua notes the shift in sales professionals towards becoming consultants and subject matter experts, highlighting Patricia's advantage in this regard.
- Patricia discusses the changing client perspective, where clients are well-informed about technology but need help identifying their specific problems.
- She emphasizes the importance of understanding client challenges and addressing them in a consultative selling manner.
Advice for Aspiring Professionals in Digital Infrastructure
- Joshua asks Patricia for advice for aspiring professionals in the digital infrastructure and energy space who are not interested in technical careers.
- Patricia advises exploring different roles, being curious, having a positive attitude, and networking extensively.
- She stresses the importance of understanding stakeholders, including buyers, decision-makers, and managers, and their pain points.
- Patricia encourages young professionals, especially women, not to be intimidated by technical knowledge and to develop active listening skills.
The Role of LinkedIn in Career Development
- Joshua and Patricia discuss the importance of LinkedIn as a tool for networking, understanding company structures, and finding new job opportunities.
- Patricia shares her experience of using LinkedIn to connect with people, understand their concerns, and craft messages accordingly.
- She emphasizes the need for sales professionals to use LinkedIn to analyze market trends, understand buyer interests, and prepare for client meetings.
- Joshua highlights the parallels between LinkedIn for career development and LinkedIn for sales prospecting, noting the importance of keeping profiles up-to-date.
Challenges and Opportunities in Sustainability and Decarbonization
- Joshua asks Patricia about common mistakes in sustainability and decarbonization efforts and how they can be addressed.
- Patricia points out that the data center industry is traditionally structured and resistant to adopting new technologies due to procedural challenges.
- She discusses the importance of considering the long-term value of energy-saving actions and the potential increase in the cost of renewable energy credits.
- Patricia suggests that companies should adopt internal carbon pricing mechanisms to justify long-term business cases for energy-saving projects.
Stakeholders and Decision-Making in Data Center Sustainability
- Joshua inquires about the types of stakeholders most interested in sustainability and decarbonization conversations.
- Patricia explains that she speaks to various C-level executives and facility managers to understand their perspectives and challenges.
- She highlights the need to address both the overall company goals and the procedural constraints faced by facility managers.
- Patricia emphasizes the importance of ROI calculations to help decision-makers understand the benefits of energy-saving investments.
The Future of Sales in Data Center and Digital Infrastructure
- Joshua asks Patricia about the future direction of sales roles in the data center and digital infrastructure space.
- Patricia believes that the core function of sales will remain, but the focus will shift towards understanding client challenges and providing tailored solutions.
- She stresses the importance of active listening and understanding client needs before proposing solutions.
- Joshua and Patricia predict that the role of sales professionals will evolve towards consulting and orchestrating solutions rather than just selling products.
The Importance of Upskilling and Staying Updated
- Joshua and Patricia discuss the need for sales professionals to stay updated with industry trends and client needs through continuous learning.
- Patricia mentions that Siemens provides various training programs and tools, such as LinkedIn Premium and Sales Navigator, to help employees upskill.
- She emphasizes the importance of doing homework on clients before meetings to understand their concerns and challenges.
- Joshua highlights the role of CRM systems in providing detailed insights into client interactions and content consumption.
Patricia's Final Thoughts and Contact Information
- Joshua thanks Patricia for sharing her insights and experiences on the podcast.
- Patricia encourages listeners to connect with her on LinkedIn for further discussions and networking.
- She provides tips on using Google keywords to find information about Siemens' sustainability and energy performance offerings.
- Joshua concludes the podcast by thanking Patricia and promoting the Data Center Sales and Marketing newsletter on the DCSMI website.
Guest Resources
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