A day in the life of an Inside Sales Associate

Hi Kristina! What’s your current role and how long have you been with Choco?

I'm working as an Inside Sales Associate, but I started in March 2022 as a trainee. I transitioned into my current role in the summer. And here we are today!

What drew you to your current role or to the trainee position?

Well, I began my career in a completely different sector actually. I worked in government administration. I realized early on that I didn't like the setup or atmosphere. So I started looking for something more modern, not so conservative. That's when I found Choco. I felt drawn to the vision. I'd never worked with the food industry before, but the entire concept sounded cool to me. It was clear the company was working to solve a real-world problem. I applied for a trainee position and got it!

Once my traineeship ended, I decided to stay and continue on in an Inside Sales position. I love the challenge. Plus, the team in the Berlin office and the atmosphere is exactly what I was looking for. We hang out a lot in our free time and enjoy spending time together as a team.

Walk us through a typical day as an Inside Sales Associate.

The days start with a team meeting around 9:00 in the morning. I'm usually the first one in the office, or try to be, so I can start the day off strong. We use our morning meetings to share updates, check targets, and align as a team. We also have something called "Question of the day" that we include in the meeting. It's quite fun actually. Each day someone comes with a random question like "If you were a sound, which sound would you be?" It often gives us a good laugh and starts the day off with positive energy.

From 10:00 to 12:00 we focus on calling clients. During this time, we don't have any meetings or anything, so it's easy to focus on execution.

Around 12:00 is when we usually have lunch as a team.

From 2:00 to 5:00 we're on the phone with clients again. And from 5:00 to 6:00 I take care of admin tasks.

What's the main objective of an Inside Sales Associate?

Getting more users on our app is the goal. But we also help to ensure the customer knows how to use the app. So we'll walk them through the basics so that they can use it on their own without our help. We want to ensure they understand the purpose and the value of the app. This way, they no longer need to order from suppliers outside of the Choco app.

Chocorians and collaborations go hand-in-hand. How does Inside Sales collaborate with other teams?

Yes! Collaboration is huge at Choco and especially in my role. Inside Sales collaborates with everyone. For example, our Vendor Management team manages vendor contracts. From them, we get our leads so we know who to call.

We also work with Implementation Managers. We provide feedback on usage, features, or pricing to the IMs so they can keep tabs on how the partnership is going.

On the other side of the spectrum, we also work with our Buyer teams. We collaborate with Account Management as well. Once a Buyer knows how to order and is familiar with the app, the Account Management team steps in. So we need to ensure they're up-to-date on the account before the handover.

Another team we align with is Customer Success and Global Operations. If a call request comes in through our support chat, they may forward it to us to take care of, for example.

We also have ambassadors assigned to every department. They're responsible for meeting with stakeholders and identifying ways to improve cross-functional workflows. This way we can stay aligned across all teams.

What would you say is the biggest misconception about the Inside Sales role?

It's true that a big part of our role is connecting with customers on the phone. But I'd say it's very different than a call center-type role. We're involved in projects, impact key partnerships, and share feedback with key stakeholders. It’s a chance to really become a master of sales. If you work hard and build resilience, the sky’s the limit.

What's your favorite aspect of the job?

I'm always excited to come to the office. You never know who you're going to talk to. It's also exciting once you see a customer make their first order. It's like a small win.

I also enjoy talking to people. I'm very communicative. It's easy for me to chat with customers and introduce them to our app.

In what ways have you grown since working in this role?

It's funny because I just said I love talking, but I actually started out quite shy. Maybe not shy, but I definitely didn't find talking as easy as I do now. I find it easier to be more open and to communicate concepts and thoughts. My English has also improved. Before it was more difficult, but now I'm confident and capable even of doing interviews like this.

Do you have any advice for someone who might be considering a role in inside sales in Berlin?

Yeah. First of all, it's a fun job. You'll need to be ambitious about reaching your targets and hungry for results. But at the end of the day, you're working with an amazing product that has a real positive impact on the food system. Customers are super grateful for our support. Don't be afraid of Inside Sales simply because it's "sales." You'll have interesting conversations, work on cool projects, and help support other departments. Most importantly, be yourself. There is no need to hide your weaknesses.

How’s the atmosphere of Choco’s headquarters in Berlin?

I really like working in the office. We work in a big open space where everyone can feel the high energy. It's easy to collaborate when we hear each other's pitches. We can offer or receive support or advice whenever needed. We'll often put a call on hold and ask the person over for advice, and it's super convenient.

We also have a big lunch area where we'll catch up with colleagues over drinks or snacks. I actually requested a juicer so that we can make juice from all the fresh produce we have in the office kitchens.

Lastly, what’s your biggest flex outside Choco?

I've never been more patriotic than I am now. I was born in and have roots in Ukraine. Given the current situation, I'm extremely proud to be Ukrainian and to share this with people. I'm proud of my country and my background.

–
Ever considered a career in Inside Sales? If you’re ambitious, performance-driven, and ready for a new challenge with real impact, then we’d love to hear from you! Check out our open roles here.