Tell me about your background and why you joined Trustmarque?

I joined Trustmarque almost three years ago (May 2017) as part of a grad programme. Out of 30 potential candidates, myself and 6 others got through the assessment. I am so thankful to have been selected.

The programme was a crash course in Trustmarque sales, quickly learning what we do, our propositions and understanding our customers. Initially, the role was mainly hitting the phones and doing calls to prospects. I think this is the right of passage in sales.

After a few months, we were assigned teams and I moved into the Government team.  I’ve been on a journey of constant learning since.

How was it joining as a graduate?

It was great to join with a cohort of other people. There was a good structure and framework of learning and I was keen to absorb as much as possible. The IT world was completely new and abstract to me. I studied Criminal Justice and Criminology. I’d never thought about how Microsoft licensing would support a whole IT estate. There was a lot to learn but Trustmarque has been highly supportive and the graduate scheme was really well structured.

Tell me about your current role

I mainly work with local government, as well as some fire and rescue authorities and public sector organisations helping them to manage their Microsoft estate. That includes guidance and advice on licensing but also helping them to get the most out of their tech investment, which is often a large proportion of their spend. Recently, we’ve shifted to supporting deployment and adoption of software and the services that are included. A lot of public sector organisations are moving to Windows 10 and Office 365. We help them to understand what they get from their investment.

What other trends are you seeing with your customers?

There is a big push to use solutions like Microsoft Teams and improve collaboration internally within organisations. They are also looking to improve the way they interact with customers. The general public are used to modern ways of dealing with queries. People expect organisations to be digitally minded and not have to turn up for face to face interactions. Now, local councils are trying to meet that demand through online services. They’re thinking of how they can make the experience quicker and more efficient.

We’re also seeing a lot of focus on how organisations can use data more efficiently. For example, helping users or workers out in the field to be better connected and more easily integrated. They are also looking at seamless sharing of data between organisations, which is particularly useful for areas like social care. It’s about intelligent use of data.

Do you have any real world examples?

I’ve recently been talking to a customer leading an initiative to identify at risk children and families. They have been trying to establish a central data depository where teams can collaborate and intervene before it gets to crisis point. This of course will reduce demand on public services. There are many ways data can be used to help organisations and communities.

What are your ambitions and where do you see yourself next?

I am really enjoying the role I am in and certainly still growing there. Eventually, I would love to move into a more technical sales role. I like the idea of becoming a subject matter expert. I think there are good progression options within Trustmarque. The company is growing and creating new roles. The training we have access to is good and strengthened by Capita training. I am confident that when the time comes, I will have support I need to take the next step.

What more would you say about the culture at Trustmarque?

My team have a good working relationship. We are open to sharing ideas and success stories to try and help each other and our customers. It creates a nice atmosphere to work in. Also, coming in at a more junior level, I feel like everyone has a voice.

Last year, I took part in the CRN Fight Night and it was a great experience. Everyone in the office got behind me and my colleague Paul who also competed. We raised a tonne of money and it was a big celebration.

Three words to describe Trustmarque: Innovative. Supportive. Collaborative.