We continue our interview with Sam with a deeper dive into enthusiasm.  He describes how his love of his job helps him to win customers.  However, that is just the beginning.  He then goes into some excellent examples of how professionalism leads to customer success.  There is more to winning over customers than simply getting that sale.  He walks us through how to ensure each customer is satisfied.

Know Your Role

The musical band and recording session examples are highly relatable to the IT world.  We can see many of the personalities he describes among studio musicians and “the talent” in our technical teams.  The key to success is understanding your role as much as it is clear on the roles themselves. For example, if you are playing background for Sir Elton John, your role should be obvious.  However, what role John Elton plays on your development team may not be so clear.

Win Customers Then Keep Them

Sam has dealt with countless projects and customers over the years.  All of those little projects have provided him a pattern for what works and what does not.  The success he has had at Song Division comes from traits the organization espouses and executes.  These include professionalism, consistency, understanding the needs of the customer, and focusing on success. That last item can be tough when things go haywire.  Nevertheless, success can still be possible and must be pursued.  That is how you not only win customers but also keep them.

A Little Background

Voted as a Top Five Speaker in Spice Magazine’s Hot 100, Sam McNeill – SongDivision GM for UK & Europe – is an in-demand Corporate MC and accredited DiSC Facilitators.  Sam has hosted over 600 interactive face-2-face and online experiences.  These include musical team-building workshops, gala awards events, and product launches on five continents.

Sam’s accolades include winning ‘Future Leader’ awards for Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) and the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA). Sam is also a member of Connect Corporate’s esteemed list of ’40 under 40’ industry professionals.

Sam’s professionalism and energy have made him a favorite among some of the biggest brands in the world, including Coca- Cola, Microsoft, McDonald’s, Spotify, and Fujitsu, and Virgin.

Sam earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Studies (Classical Voice) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Learn More

You can learn more about the work Sam is doing and the organization he loves by visiting the Song Division website.  If you think they might be able to help you, then give him a call.

Rob Broadhead

Rob is a founder of, and frequent contributor to, Develpreneur. This includes the Building Better Developers podcast. He is also a lifetime learner as a developer, designer, and manager of software solutions. Rob is the founder of RB Consulting and has managed to author a book about his family experiences and a few about becoming a better developer. In his free time, he stays busy raising five children (although they have grown into adults). When he has a chance to breathe, he is on the ice playing hockey to relax or working on his ballroom dance skills.

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