We are thrilled to introduce Cem Etcioglu, who joined DSM as our new Sales Executive in June 2024. With a diverse background in industries like IT, energy, and manufacturing, Cem brings a fresh perspective to our team. His passion for connecting with people and understanding their needs aligns perfectly with DSM’s commitment to trust and integrity. In this post, Cem shares a personal story about how he found his path into sales, his unique approach to building relationships, and why trust is central to his role at DSM.

Cem’s Story 

I have been working in the records management industry since joining this outstanding and dedicated DSM team. Here, we believe business is fundamentally about human connections and trust. As I share more about myself, my sales perception, my background and DSM, I’m reminded of the importance of these connections and place of trust in our work. 

I have to take you back in time and start with this classic line: When I was a little boy, Don’t worry; I will try not to bore you. I grew up as the son of a business owner in the engineering industry, and I constantly mocked my father as he was always on the phone, either trying to sell something, buy something, or progress in a project/account. In my child’s head, a job meant something that you make and produced a tangible product or a performance, like a carpenter carving a table, a musician playing a song, an engineer drawing a sketch, a doctor or a firefighter saving a life. So, communicating with people all day was different from my definition of a job.

When I grew up, I miraculously found myself in the sales field—see, I don’t bore you with the details, how it happened would be a lengthy story-. I gave myself the opportunity to understand what this sale is all about. Then, I loved it! I understood it is not just about chatting but about understanding someone who envisions a solution and an improvement to their business. At the top of this, I saw that all companies are actually here to advance our society. Then, sales qualified me to help and participate in this envisioned positive change. A late and public apology, but I hope my father now forgives my ignorance when I was a child. He built many connections and actual, tangible buildings just over the phone.

Here, I am stealing a definition of sales from Chris Do, which aligns with my thoughts and he put the words better than me.      

• • S for Serve: Always have the best interest of your contact in mind. I am here to help them solve their problems and achieve their goals.
  • A for Ask: I ask because I care about understanding the problem and your goal.
  • L for Listen: Well, if I asked, I would have to listen actively and genuinely so I could actually hear and grasp the project. This would allow me to say that yes, we can help and do this and this, or no, we cannot help; it is out of our scope.
  • E for Empathise: This is my reaction to what I listen to. Every answer I hear helps me understand your reality, which is the truth. I need to take my side beside your truth and look at the project from that perspective.
  • S for Summarise: Here, I ensure that we are on the same page; only then will we have a chance to move on to the next steps.

My perception has quickly developed to this SALES, and I have had the privilege to practice it in IT, manufacturing, energy and creative sectors. Today, I put the SALES in my heart while serving DSM’s prospects and clients. Trust and integrity are crucial in any sales role and industry, yet they are more critical for DSM as we are committed to safeguarding sensitive and historical records.

As DSM’s sales executive, I look forward to helping and participating in the projects with the businesses while they support their customers and businesses’ integrity. 

At DSM, we value the human connections behind every project, and Cem is a prime example of our commitment to service and trust. His SALES approach—Serve, Ask, Listen, Empathise, Summarise—mirrors DSM’s mission to provide the highest level of care to our clients. We are excited to see how Cem’s passion and expertise will help businesses protect and manage their most critical records. Feel free to connect with Cem on LinkedIn and learn more about his work here at DSM.