29
d'Agost
de
2016
Act.
29
d'Agost
de
2016
Being a good salesperson is no easy task. The art of selling has to be done well, but as Francesc Arbiol told VIA Empresa, "the more you believe in a brand, the easier it is to represent it." Arbiol holds the reins in Spain for Universal Avenue, a Swedish startup that aims to revolutionise the job market. To do so, it is building a network of Brand Ambassadors with the aim of providing physical retailers with solutions from the best tech brands, helping restaurants, hotels or shops to complete the process of going digital. With Universal Avenue, becoming a salesperson for Google or Spotify is possible.
"The Brand Ambassador is someone who works freelance to whom we provide a mobile app and a portfolio of top level tech brands," says Arbiol, former director of LinkedIn Iberia with experience in other disruptive companies, such as Salesforce, Oracle and Scytl. "It is a big advantage for the brands because they can be part of a market they have no presence in or in which they have little selling power," he says.
On the other hand, he adds that for the Brand Ambassadors "it is a different alternative so they can work in whatever way suits them. They are in control of their own schedule in such a way that the work revolves around their lives and not the other way round."
A spreading network
Universal Avenue began operating in Spain in January, and already has some 50 Brand Ambassadors. "The incorporation of new brands is at a rate of one or two a month. The portfolio is growing and each specialises in whatever they feel more comfortable with or that they like the most," says Arbiol.
The profile of these salespeople "does not have to be specifically related to technology sales," says the Universal Avenue manager. "We are looking for freelancers who can work whenever they want, and we provide training both online and in person," he adds. It is training that revolves around the task of selling but that also focuses on each of the brands they want to represent.
"They can sell the brands they want. The beauty of working in Universal Avenue is that you have total freedom: you can work where and when you want," Arbiol insists. The objectives are set by the Brand Ambassadors themselves. Which is why he says, "we are looking for people with an entrepreneurial spirit. The portfolio of technology brands makes the work more attractive. If they wish to come on board and we think that they have the right profile, we train them." Once they begin, the Universal Avenue mobile app also points them to "sales missions", alerting them of nearby businesses that might require the solutions they represent.
There are all types of profiles in the incipient network of Brand Ambassadors. "Everyone joins for different reasons. Some do so to go along with their business, others for money, and others for a change of career towards the technological world," says Arbiol.
Digitalising shops
Universal Avenue only takes commission from brands for each sale made by the Brand Ambassadors representing them. "If a certain sale is worth X, we charge half. And of this half we take, half of that goes entirely to the Brand Ambassador,"he points out.
Yet, what are these salespeople selling? "We carry Google Business View, which allows you to see what a shop is like on the inside," says Arbiol by way of example. They also offer solutions for systems making reservations in restaurants and also the Spotify platform for businesses.
"Normally the sales are to restaurants, shops, hotels, hairdressers, etc. It has to be a physical establishment you can go into and ask for the owner," says Arbiol. The aim, he insists, is for "the Brand Ambassador to become the technological partner of the shops they go to; for the owner to know that this person is providing them with solutions that will improve their business."
Rapid growth
The Universal Avenue company began in Sweden a year and a half ago. "It has been very well received by investors from all over the world, such as Salesforce Ventures, Northzone or Rovio, the creators of Angry Birds," says Arbiol. Today its main HQ is in Stockholm, with representation in Norway, Finland, Denmark, Greece and the United Kingdom, apart from a base in Barcelona.
"What is most disruptive is the business model. There are plenty of apps but the key is allowing people the opportunity to work how and when they want," says Arbiol. For companies, "to be able to count on a firm that has sales support on demand is very interesting. We only charge if a sale is made, and that is very attractive to a company," he concludes.
"The Brand Ambassador is someone who works freelance to whom we provide a mobile app and a portfolio of top level tech brands," says Arbiol, former director of LinkedIn Iberia with experience in other disruptive companies, such as Salesforce, Oracle and Scytl. "It is a big advantage for the brands because they can be part of a market they have no presence in or in which they have little selling power," he says.
On the other hand, he adds that for the Brand Ambassadors "it is a different alternative so they can work in whatever way suits them. They are in control of their own schedule in such a way that the work revolves around their lives and not the other way round."
A spreading network
Universal Avenue began operating in Spain in January, and already has some 50 Brand Ambassadors. "The incorporation of new brands is at a rate of one or two a month. The portfolio is growing and each specialises in whatever they feel more comfortable with or that they like the most," says Arbiol.
The profile of these salespeople "does not have to be specifically related to technology sales," says the Universal Avenue manager. "We are looking for freelancers who can work whenever they want, and we provide training both online and in person," he adds. It is training that revolves around the task of selling but that also focuses on each of the brands they want to represent.
"They can sell the brands they want. The beauty of working in Universal Avenue is that you have total freedom: you can work where and when you want," Arbiol insists. The objectives are set by the Brand Ambassadors themselves. Which is why he says, "we are looking for people with an entrepreneurial spirit. The portfolio of technology brands makes the work more attractive. If they wish to come on board and we think that they have the right profile, we train them." Once they begin, the Universal Avenue mobile app also points them to "sales missions", alerting them of nearby businesses that might require the solutions they represent.
There are all types of profiles in the incipient network of Brand Ambassadors. "Everyone joins for different reasons. Some do so to go along with their business, others for money, and others for a change of career towards the technological world," says Arbiol.
Digitalising shops
Universal Avenue only takes commission from brands for each sale made by the Brand Ambassadors representing them. "If a certain sale is worth X, we charge half. And of this half we take, half of that goes entirely to the Brand Ambassador,"he points out.
Yet, what are these salespeople selling? "We carry Google Business View, which allows you to see what a shop is like on the inside," says Arbiol by way of example. They also offer solutions for systems making reservations in restaurants and also the Spotify platform for businesses.
"Normally the sales are to restaurants, shops, hotels, hairdressers, etc. It has to be a physical establishment you can go into and ask for the owner," says Arbiol. The aim, he insists, is for "the Brand Ambassador to become the technological partner of the shops they go to; for the owner to know that this person is providing them with solutions that will improve their business."
Rapid growth
The Universal Avenue company began in Sweden a year and a half ago. "It has been very well received by investors from all over the world, such as Salesforce Ventures, Northzone or Rovio, the creators of Angry Birds," says Arbiol. Today its main HQ is in Stockholm, with representation in Norway, Finland, Denmark, Greece and the United Kingdom, apart from a base in Barcelona.
"What is most disruptive is the business model. There are plenty of apps but the key is allowing people the opportunity to work how and when they want," says Arbiol. For companies, "to be able to count on a firm that has sales support on demand is very interesting. We only charge if a sale is made, and that is very attractive to a company," he concludes.