Olivia Collyer, Technical sales manager
Working with customers to capture their exact requirements and challenges is a key first step to any successful automation project. This is where the Sewtec team of technical sales managers shine.
Olivia Collyer is one of our technical sales managers, specialising in standard products, and has been with the company since November 2020. We caught up with Olivia to find out what made her choose a career in automation and some of her favourite projects so far.
Q: Tell us about your typical working day
OC: My day begins at 8am with a technical applications meeting to discuss concepts for the costings of ongoing projects. Next is a 9am review meeting where any new enquiries and quotes that are ready to be sent to customers are approved by the Directors.
The rest of my day always varies – no two days are ever the same at Sewtec. Sometimes I am on the road visiting customers to discuss what problems they are having with their manufacturing lines; some days I hit the phones, prospecting new customers and promoting our Standard Products; some days I am working hard to type up quotes to meet crucial impending deadlines. As I am usually the first point of contact between Sewtec and the Customer, I always have to be on my A-game!
Q: What made you choose a career in automation?
OC: Throughout school I was always mathematically minded and loved solving problems. I grew up with Engineers in the family so it seemed like a natural fit when I decided to study Mechanical Engineering at University. At University I learned a lot about how the manufacturing industry has evolved over time, which made me want to specialise in something that is at the fore-front of technology and always evolving – automation!
Q: What would you say the best thing about working at Sewtec is?
OC: It has got to be the people! The team at Sewtec have a very collaborative approach to all projects we take on. People come together across all functions to share their expertise so that our solutions meet the customer’s needs.
Q: Name three characteristics you would say are needed to work in automation
OC: Attention to detail, flexibility to adapt from solution to solution, and passion.
Q: What has been your proudest moment whilst working at Sewtec?
OC: Opening the door with some key multinational customers. Introducing Sewtec to key decision makers in blue chip companies and showing them our capabilities always makes me proud to be part of the Sewtec team.
Q: Before working at Sewtec, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
OC: When I finished my Masters I went into Executive Recruitment for a couple of years. It was a completely different industry to Engineering and it taught me invaluable skills – from handling expectations to negotiations. Speaking to people around the world is what whetted my appetite for a role in global sales.
Q: How have you developed your skills whilst working at Sewtec?
OC: Working in such a varied team has helped me learn from my colleagues with decades of experience. Going back to basics and honing in on the fundamentals has helped me become more well-rounded. This has helped massively when presenting ideas and concepts to customers.
Q: What has been your favourite project at Sewtec?
OC: Working with a household name to develop an end-to-end packing solution using our Standard Products. This has helped the customer streamline two packing lines into one and has been an exciting hands-on project to be a part of.
Q: What aspirations do you have for your career at Sewtec moving forward?
OC: Sewtec has ambitious plans and I hope to contribute to that by growing the Standard Products division globally. I would love the opportunity to be able to add new Products to the portfolio and expand into new markets.
If you like the sound of working at Sewtec, visit our Careers Page for more details on our current vacancies.
