Stephen Clancy has only been with ABB for around 18 months, and openly admits that he wasn’t particularly familiar with the company in his early career: “I’ve got a background in software, but I’m an electrician by trade” says Stephen, “Back in the early days I only knew ABB as a name on a switch. But even though I’ve only been working for them for a short time, it’s truly been the making of me.”
Coming from a trade background, Stephen has always tried to push back against being pigeon-holed. “I don’t like to be seen as just a stereotypical salesperson” he says. “I’m much more than that. I’m not there just to sell; I’m there to understand the customer’s needs and help fulfil them. The most satisfying part of my job is going on that journey with the customer, from the start of the project all the way through to final sign-off.”
As a Sales & Marketing Specialist for ELDS, Stephen’s day-to-day duties involve working closely with customers on upcoming projects and roadmaps, and ensuring they have everything they need to make the project a success. “People already know us” explains Stephen, “So it’s more about updating customers on new product developments. My background in software, as well as my experience in the electrical trade, mean that I bring a lot of know-how to the job. And because I cover both sales and marketing my role ends up being very multi-faceted.”
In addition to helping out individual customers day-to-day, Stephen also organises events to provide networking opportunities for customers, and update them on the product portfolio. This includes ABB’s switching components and network switches, as well as relays and software. His customers include utilities, system integrators, data centres, and even distilleries, right across Ireland.
“When I say that ABB has been the making of me I really mean it” continues Stephen. “I wasn’t top of the class academically when I was younger, and public speaking wasn’t one of my strong suits. Fast forward to now, and I’m able to confidently present to 60 people. I’ve grown as a person, and it’s ABB that has facilitated that growth – I’m able to be my true self here.”
Stephen also enjoys the behind-the-scenes work he gets to do, much of which the customer never sees. “I enjoy the travel element for sure” he says, “For my customers, I’m essentially the face of ABB, so I need to earn their trust. We need to make sure that our product capabilities and roadmaps are where they need to be. I work with the factory in Finland for relays, and I also work with the factories in Germany and the Czech Republic for SCADA products.”
“What’s fascinating to me is learning how they work in other countries. In Ireland we often work at a breakneck pace, but the Germans and the Finns are much more methodical in how they go about things. Finding out how they see a problem, and how they approach the solutions, makes me think more deeply about how I approach my own work. Building relationships with the factories also means that if a customer has a question for me that I can’t answer, then I know exactly who to ask, and can get an answer quickly. Customers really value that, and it’s one of the things that keeps them coming back.”
As well as helping him to grow professionally, Stephen also appreciates how ABB allows him the freedom to manage his work-life balance: “I’m a father of two young boys. We have considerable flexibility here, and so when I’m not travelling or visiting customers I’ll work 90 percent remotely. That means I can be there for school drop-off, football practice and so on. My career doesn’t suffer, and my home-life doesn’t suffer either. It’s just a fantastic place to work. If a guy like me with a trade background can succeed here in a corporate environment, then that just goes to show that there’s a place for everyone at ABB.”
