This April, a new member joined our ever-expanding team.
Trevor Slingo started his career at BT in 2016 as an account manager. With limited experience in the telco industry (imagine the number of acronyms he had to learn…), Trevor leaned into support and training to become a specialist in the outbound side of things, selling to third parties and businesses.
As our business development manager, Trevor now manages the inbound services at Invosys. We caught up with him to find out what he finds the most challenging and enjoyable about his role and his advice for anyone hoping to enter the telecommunications industry.
Back to (in-person) business
These last two years have been strange for all industries, with many individuals and companies alike rethinking their goals.
One of the key changes necessitated by the pandemic is the adoption of remote working that’s seen businesses migrating swiftly from offices to Microsoft Teams. Virtual networking and hybrid work are now widely popular — and it’s not hard to see why.
Digital meetings can be great for resolving issues quickly, and building a rapport with customers is even easier online. We know a thing or two about these digital workplace innovations, having taken the pandemic by its horns to create direct routing options to simplify online communications.
Still, face-to-face meetings are something we’re all happy to see make a return — and what drove Trevor and many others to seek a new opportunity with us. After changing jobs during lockdowns, he realised that the in-person business was something he valued and missed, propelling him toward his current role.
Growing with the team
There are always new challenges and opportunities to grow within any new job — especially within the telecoms sector.
On starting work as our business development manager, Trevor found the biggest challenge in moving to a different telecommunications sector and familiarising himself with the products. As soon as you’ve got your head around one system, an updated version is released — just as we like it!
Invosys has released a range of new products to better service the channel this year. We asked Trevor what his favourite is so far. The Invosys Call Shield and its managed telco services were at the top of his list.
Trevor commented: ‘I just love how Invosys can take all the stress from a customer and offer a full end-to-end managed service — without anyone even knowing that Invosys has had anything to do with it’.
We are pretty nifty — and modest too, as we asked Trevor his favourite thing about working for Invosys. Aside from a genuine belief in our products, he remarked that he’s impressed by how approachable the whole team are.
‘My direct manager Steve keeps the team alive by organising regular catchups and making sure no one ever feels alone’, he noted. ‘Even the CEO, Rob Booth, is happy to help at any time’.
The dawn of digital networking
The telecommunications industry marches onwards, making this an exciting time to work in the field. We’re putting in place the infrastructure that our digital future will be built on, presenting more opportunities than ever in an increasingly competitive market.
We asked Trevor for tips for any business development managers wanting to join the telco industry. First and foremost, he stressed the importance of networking.
‘It’s a very incestuous industry — everyone knows everyone’, he said.
And he knows what he’s talking about, having already practised what he’s preaching. Trevor knew Steve (our head of carrier sales) from the industry before interviewing for Invosys — a connection that was hugely beneficial for him getting his foot in the Invosys door.
He continued: ‘Keep up to date with the industry changes, especially because of COVID and the big ISDN switch-off in 2025. And, most importantly, make sure your customers are always being looked after. That’s the key to succeeding in this industry’.
Great advice, Trevor. We’re so happy to have you on board!
You can find Trevor on LinkedIn. If you want to talk to him about our products, give us a call or send an enquiry.
For 24/7 telco support, get in touch with our dedicated team by calling 0161 444 3333 or emailing sales@invosys.com. We’re happy to help!
