Sales In Asia

Ever wondered why a one-size-fits-all sales process doesn't work in Korea? Here's the truth.In today’s episode, we speak with Professor JJ Song, a leading Sales Management expert in Korea. He dives deep into the unique complexities of B2B selling in thisvibrant market, how selling has evolved and why culture literally eats strategy for breakfast.Many companies assume that a solid product and a standard sales process are enough. But that's a misconception!Like each market, Korea has its own nuances. Adapting your sales process to local demands, mindset and behavior is crucial for success. JJ shares insights on how to modify strategies based on specific environments and customer needs.

The Future of B2B Sales: AI, Trust, and the Human AdvantageEpisode DescriptionSales has changed dramatically over the past decade.Buyers are more informed than ever, technology is reshaping how companies sell, and artificial intelligence is beginning to transform the sales profession itself.In this episode of Sales in Asia, I speak with Philip Yim, Managing Director of Kärcher Singapore & Malaysia, about how the sales profession is evolving and what it takes to succeed in the modern B2B environment.Philip shares insights from his decades of experience leading sales teams across Asia and explains why, despite rapid technological change, trust and human relationships remain at the heart of great selling.We also discuss the impact of AI, how buyers have changed, and the leadership mindset required to build high-performing sales organizations today.In this episode we discuss:• How B2B buyers have changed in the digital age• The shift from product selling to solution selling• The role of data and technology in modern sales• Whether AI will replace salespeople• Why trust and human relationships still matter in complex deals• Leadership lessons from running Kärcher in Singapore and MalaysiaGuestPhilip YimManaging Director, Kärcher Singapore & MalaysiaPodcastSales in Asia – Conversations with sales leaders across the region about the future of B2B selling.

Startups need funds - to start, to grow and to sustain. But what makes a start-up Investable? And why do founders' perception of their own value often exceed those of the investors? Our guest Dr Yong Hsin Ning mentors and coach start-ups to help them more investable. With more than 20 years in Change Management consulting, academia as a faculty and adjunct Professor and entrepreneurship, she shares a powerful framework and offers up wisdom to founders seeking investments.

What are the ingredients to driving successful change? How different are they in Japan, Malaysia or Singapore? Is a motivated staff sufficient for change to happen? Our guest this is week is KL Loh, the Country Head of Ricoh Singapore. With over 30 years of industry experience, and more than 20 as a change leader. KL shares his journey, experience and advise in driving change.

We conclude our chat with Jeremy with his perspectives on "Start-up Sales in a Downturn". Among them: How deeply do VC get involved in sales strategy and operation South East Asian startups are facing a double whammy of expensive Sales talent, and the lack of talent in tech sales. How can startup navigate that? What should sales professionals consider before joining a start up?

Is Sales a skill that Founders need to succeed? Do start-ups need a sales team? Can they afford one? The easy money is gone and VC funds and investors are holding back and start-ups are under pressure to prioritize revenue despite the challenging climate. How can they succeed? Jeremy Au, VC and Chief of Staff at Monk's Hill Ventures shares a ton of great advice from his days as a Founder and "only sales person", an investor in and coach and mentor to numerous start ups in this 2 part series.

We conclude this series on "Leading Sales In Asia" with Manish Jethra, Director of Sales, APAC of Oracle. In part 3,  He offers thought provoking advise to sales leaders and sales professionals in this challenging climate. What leaders should consider when hiring Why differentiating Cash and Budget is key to opening new sales opportunities What sellers affected by lay-offs should and shouldn't do in this situation If you have suggestions for the show, drop me a line at bennytan@dealxpert.io or connect with me on https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennykptan/

In this episode, we continue our chat with Manish Jethra, Director of Sales, APAC of Oracle. In Part 2 of "Leading Sales In Asia", Manish shares: How Oracle prepares its employees to work better across cultures How Technology is used to bridge to gap between cultures Valuable tips on landing and expanding in Asia and  Knowing the difference between hiring for a job and career development as a leader.

We speak with Manish Jethra, Director of Sales, APAC of Oracle, a leading technology company offering software, cloud and IT solutions. Manish is a 16 year veteran in Oracle who started in sales before leading sales teams in India,EMEA and now in Asia. In this 3 part series, we discuss "Leading Sales in Asia". We'll tap his perspectives, insights and stories about His journey from Tech to Sales and Sales Leadership, Hard lessons about culture How technology facilitates cultural sensitivity and Why data is key in leading successful sales organizations. In part 1 of 3 , we learn how Manish got started and his adventures as well as misadventures working with different cultures.

We wrap up our chat with David Nevin, a President of Schaeffler on "Selling in South East Asia Pacific - A region of diversity" and we discuss: How Schaeffler kept with customer engagement and what the future holds Whether Regional roles will diminish in importance when selling in Asia. How Schaeffler prepared itself for the future and Some sound advise for Sales Professionals in a downturn.

In this episode, we continue our chat with David Nevin, a President of Schaeffler on "Selling in South East Asia Pacific - A region of diversity" This episode is full of great insights from David about: Secrets to successfully hiring and developing sales talent. How Schaeffler managed to keep everyone during the pandemic Keys to successfully hiring and developing sales talent Managing work from home and the future of remote work Why going local is essential for success

In this episode, we speak with David Nevin, a President with Schaeffler, a leading global supplier to the automotive and industrial sectors. David heads the Industrial and Aerospace business for South East Asia and Asia Pacific region respectively. In part 1 of 3 of "Selling in South East Asia Pacific - A Region of Diversity", David shares his journey from Engineering to Sales, his views on the best part of business leadership, the struggles selling in Asia and culture shocks, among other topics. With over 30 years in Engineering, Sales and Business leadership in the Pacific, Germany, South East Asia and Pacific, David's insights are engaging and powerful and is a "must-listen" for Sales and Business Leaders.

In this episode, we conclude our conversation with Robin Ong, Senior VP of HR for LF Logistics on "Navigating Diversity in Asia" from a HR perspective. Among other things, we ask Robin: What does localization really mean? Is it really necessary? Isn't on-boarding the same as 'induction'? Do we really need 100 days? Tough times are ahead - what do sellers need to invest in? We'll also hear Robin's views on what the future holds and how sales professionals should prepare. And finally, what's the one taboo that Robin would avoid in Asia!

How deeply do HR get involved in sales besides the hiring? Do they really understand sales and sales people? What's so interesting about HR roles? How has it evolved? Why are Asian sellers slower on the uptake of tech? These are a few of the questions we discuss with  Robin Ong, Senior Vice President of HR fforLF Logistics. LF Logistics is a leading logistics company based out of Hong Kong. LF Logistics provides land-based services such as warehousing and trucking to more than 250 global customers. Robin is the Senior VP of HR for the ASEAN region. A seasoned HR practitioner and leader with over 20 years of experience in global and regional roles, he is extremely well versed in the area of sales and not only in HR practices. In the few years that I've known him, he has impressed me with his business acumen, and in his understanding of Sales and sales professionals. We will be discussing "Navigating diversity in Asia" from a HR practitioner's perspective. In this first of 2 episodes, we hear how he started in HR and how it has evolved. We also discuss sales, his deep involvement in hiring, the qualities he look for and advice for sales professionals to stay ahead.

We conclude our conversation with Andrew on a light hearted note with a series of quick-fire questions. I will also share a preview of future shows featuring sales, HR, business and organization leaders in Asia! We hope you've enjoyed the show. Please stay tuned as we speak with more practitioners and professionals in the coming days To connect with Andrew on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewshuttleworth/ To provide feedback and recommendations for topics and guests for future shows, drop me a line at bennytan@dealxpert.io or follow me on https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennykptan/

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Andrew Shuttleworth of Agorize on the topic "Startups and Innovation in Asia". We now know there isn't quite a startup winter, merely a cycle.  After all, we survived and have come a long way from the Dot Com bust, only to be hit and recover from the great financial crisis. But to remain the new silicon valley of the world, what should the startup ecosystem look like? And let's talk about sales For, To and In startups. How can start ups sell to other startups or enterprise? How does participating in innovation challenge benefit startups?  Stay tuned for the final episode for this series and what will come next. To connect with Andrew on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewshuttleworth/ To provide feedback and recommendations for topics and guests for future shows, drop me a line at bennytan@dealxpert.io or follow me on https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennykptan/

Any amount of data will show you that Asia's tech, innovation and scene is still well positioned for strong growth. This despite the recent tech lay-offs and gloomy economic outlook. But capital is certainly more selective and are even more demanding. So, what do start ups need to watch out for? In the first episode of Sales In Asia, we speak with Andrew Shuttleworth, the head of Business Development (JAPAC) for Agorize. Agorize helps organizations accelerate innovation from seed to execution, while connecting companies, startups and talent at scale. He brings more than 20 years in the tech and startup scene including 17 years in Japan. Andrew spent 8 years in Apple while there,  which led him to Singapore 5 years ago. He is very well versed in the technology, innovation and cloud space, an avid runner and recently started brewing his own Sake. We will be discussing Startups and Innovation in Asia. In the first of 3 episodes, we'll get to know Andrew and find out why and how he landed in Japan for 18 years. We'll learn more about Agorize and the work they do to help companies find and drive innovation and. We'll get his take on innovation and the start up scene in Asia. Stay tuned for part 2 and 3. To connect with Andrew on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewshuttleworth/ To provide feedback and recommendations for topics and guests for future shows,  drop me a line at bennytan@dealxpert.io or  follow me on https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennykptan/

Sales In Asia explores the practice, science, and art of selling in the dynamic and diverse Asian market. Hear from experts, professionals, and leaders in sales, marketing, and business as they will share insights, experiences, and advice on how to navigate and succeed in this complex region. Learn what works and what won't, how to navigate culture, how Asian buyers and sellers differ and why it matters. Sales In Asia is brought to you by Dealxpert, your personal B2B sales system, and hosted by Benny K P Tan.