Oliver Gowland
Head of Consumer Sales & “Challenge” Award Winner 2022
Oliver came to Connexin through the acquisition of Pure Broadband as a Sales Manager. His hard work and efforts during the merge of the companies were recently rewarded in his promotion to Head of Consumer Sales as well as winning the Connexin 2022 Challenge Award, voted by his colleagues.
Oliver’s drive and competitive nature has proven to be an incredible asset to the Connexin Team.
After his win, we asked Oliver a few questions to get to know him a little better, and here’s what he had to say…
Tell us a bit about yourself
Hello, I am Oliver and I am the Head of Consumer Sales here at Connexin. I also have 2 lovely children Harrison (7) and Emilie (4) and I am football mad.
How did you get to this stage in your career?
I have worked In sales for over 15 years. I started by selling loft and cavity insulation door to door which was a really tough introduction to the world of sales. This job helped me develop the bug for working to targets and helping customers save money.
What is your history in the industry/job type?
I have previously been In sales management and coaching roles for Sky and Virgin Media before a spell in the Energy Industry. Our industry has always excited me as it is forever changing and the technology is always Improving.
What drives/motivates you?
Providing a fun an exciting life for my kids. It also helps that I am competitive and love working towards exceeding targets!
What are you most proud of in your career so far?
I once took on a role with a new start up energy company despite being told that the task was too difficult by many of my peers. I managed to build a full national sales department from scratch very quickly and enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment that came with it.
How long have you been at Connexin?
I have been with Connexin since they acquired Pure Broadband, however it has been 14 month including the time at Pure.
How do you feel about winning your award?
Winning the award made me feel great as it’s really nice to be voted for by your colleagues. Although my team now joke that they thought the award was for the “Most Challenging Person” and not the “Challenge Award” 🤣.
Winning the award makes me want to repay the team with more hard work.
What does your job role entail?
My job Is to ensure my department reach our sales forecasts and targets as well as planning for future growth. I lead the field sales team and our Sales and Provisioning manager. I also set team KPIs and analyse consumer trends to develop strategies to boost sales.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I usually start the day checking out sales performance for the previous day/week. This is usually followed up by numerous calls to the field sales team and discussions with the sales and provisioning team about priorities for the day. The rest of the day consists of various meetings and implementing ideas to improve performance.
What excites you most about your job?
I love seeing the team performing well and luckily I have an amazing team! I also enjoy having a laugh with my energetic and charismatic field sales team. But the main thing that excites me is hearing our customers are happy with the solutions we are offering.
What first attracted you to Connexin?
I love that we can offer the great people of Hull a choice for their FTTP broadband for the first time. This is a great opportunity for the company and our people to grow and be part of something big.
How does Connexin’s culture help you succeed?
I love how everyone can respectfully speak their mind and share ideas. The open door policy with management means that everyone can be heard.
What do you like most about working at Connexin?
My favourite part of working for Connexin Is my team. I am very lucky to have a hard working and productive team that always go above and beyond my expectations.
Now the serious questions are out of the way, it’s time for something a little more fun…
Would you rather be the funniest or smartest person in a room?
I would definitely rather be the funniest. Character is the most important part of sales.
What three items would you bring on a desert island?
Suncream, Peroni, Ice Cream.
What fashion trend do you regret?
All of them! I’m not the coolest.
What’s your favourite dad joke?
My daughter is 4 years old now and still cannot say please in Spanish.
That’s poor for 4, isn’t it?
What would the title of your autobiography be?
How David Brent Is That.
Would you rather meet your ancestors or descendants?
Descendants – I want to know if they have flying cars 🙂
Which three people would you want on your zombie apocalypse team? (Two work colleagues and a celebrity)?
Steve Conlan – Years of zombie video games mean he is ready for this!
Jules – Her strong mentality would make her a warrior In a Zombie Apocalypse.
Karl Pilkington – Just for the laughs.
What clothing item would make you walk out on a date if someone wore it?
Manchester United Shirt
What is your most used emoji?
🤣
What skill do you think everyone should have?
Timekeeping
And that’s all from Oliver, well done again for winning the Connexin 2022 Challenge Award!
Keep your eyes peeled for more of our upcoming employee spotlights and get to know some of our amazing team!
Fancy joining Oliver’s team? We have sales positions available as well as a whole host of other exciting vacancies, head to https://jobs.connexin.co.uk to check them out!
