Meet Alex – People Not Products

Here we have our colleague, Alexandra McArthur, in our series of People Not Products team interviews. Alex joined us at Aspen Solutions back in February 2019, and she is Senior Account Manger working with our clients in the UK, Europe and further afield. Check out her interview below on career and things she’s learned along the way!

1. Can you tell us a bit about your career journey and what led you to Aspen Solutions?
I joined Aspen back in 2019, after being made redundant at my previous job due to Brexit.  I had a friend who worked at Aspen and she had let me know that there were positions available in new business development.  Now, I was apprehensive because when I say I had zero IT knowledge I really mean zero – I honestly couldn’t have told you the difference between a SSD and a USB.  However, what I did have is a strong sales background and, to quote Jarvis Cocker, a thirst for knowledge.  So, I applied, and it’s worked out well as I’m now in my 6th year here, have been promoted several times, and now sit as one of the Senior Account Managers on the team.

2. What does a typical day in your role look like, and what do you enjoy most about it?
Aspen’s customer base is wide and varied, so generally no two days will look the same.  I can be looking into security solutions for multiple sites across Europe one day, and the next I’m helping a local company implement a new phone system.  I enjoy pretty much everything about it:  The relationships I build with my customers, getting to know them and a bit about their lives, I enjoy interacting with our key vendors and suppliers, and I enjoy the ins and outs of the tech and solutions we provide, and learning more about these as solutions and the technology improves.

3. What’s been your most memorable moment or achievement at Aspen Solutions so far?
There have been quite a few memorable moments in my Aspen journey so far, but I think the standout one for me will be receiving the call from the event organisers of COP 26 to let me know that our bid had been successful and we would be providing the IT and copier equipment for the COP 26 summit in Glasgow.  I literally jumped out of my chair in the middle of the office, while trying to maintain my composure.  It just created an absolute buzz throughout the entire office.  Then the whole process from organising the procurement, dealing with each delegation and their requests for kit, working with the logistics companies, organising the security clearance for the team with the organisers, to being onsite during the entire event with the Aspen team.  It was just a really exciting time – a LOT of hard work, but I’d honestly do it all again tomorrow.

4. What skills or qualities do you think are essential for success in your role?
Being adaptable, resilient, and honest.  A thick skin sometimes helps too; you’re going to get knocked down and you have to be able to jump right back up and keep on going.  

5. How would you describe the culture at Aspen Solutions, and what makes it a great place to work?
We have a good team of people at Aspen, everyone looks out for each other and helps each other.  I’m only one small part of my job, I heavily rely on our service team, copier team, and warehouse team every single day to help me get my customers solutions built, copiers installed, and hardware out the door to them.  My colleagues are definitely the thing that makes Aspen a great place to work, and I appreciate every single one of them.

6. What advice would you give to someone looking to build a career in your field?
Do it – it is a fantastic industry to work in and if you find the right team of people to surround yourself with, then you’ll never look back.

7. When you’re not at work, how do you like to unwind and relax?
I am a big lover of music so if I’m not out enjoying live gigs you’ll find me at home with my guitar and a wee glass of wine on the weekends.