When I talk to leaders of hazardous waste companies, inevitably the conversation turns to business development and the challenge of finding the right people for the job. They are essential to grow revenues, but typically the same three areas consistently come up.
- Building trusting relationships with customers and managing them through the technical processes.
- Internal communications when managing the complex process involved with routing materials for processing and disposal.
- Commercial decision making.
Get it wrong, and this can result in miscommunication and mistakes. It also leads to difficult conversations and strained relationships with customers, especially when they discover that pricing or processes aren’t what they expected.
Disposing of hazardous waste is technical, complex and carries a cost for customers. Selling solutions requires a good knowledge of how hazardous waste disposal works, as well as understanding the regulatory obligations involved.? If the ball is dropped, the customer could end up paying more, wait significantly longer for collection, and even face compliance issues.
BDM’s need to build trust and demonstrate how solutions are both good for business and the environment, so that hazardous waste disposal is no longer seen just as a cost. This can be achieved when Business Development Managers demonstrate a specific skill set including these fundamentals:
- Being detail oriented – Administrative tasks and detail orientation often don’t come naturally to those in business development. Unfortunately, details are vitally important in the world of hazardous waste. Ensuring the required information is collected at the right time, prevents delays and price changes, which means that challenging conversations with clients can also be avoided. The truth is that facing the pain of getting the details right the first time avoids much more pain further down the line.
- Being effective communicators – Hazardous waste is technical and being able to clearly communicate the complexities with customers is essential to building good business relationships. With each load the cost and final processing facilities can vary, depending on what it is. Business development managers that can guide customers through the technicalities and explain the complexities will be able to build trust. A supportive and empathetic mindset goes a long way to building up long term accounts.
- Being commercially minded – Understanding the market in terms of facilities and pricing is important. This demonstrates knowledge and competence, and ensures accurate information is shared with customers. In short – it builds trust! Having an inquisitive mind in terms of the market will always give BDM’s a competitive advantage, especially for those that are proactive about developing their commercial understanding of the market.
- Adaptability – Successful business development managers can be single minded individuals who focus on achieving their own goals. The most successful BDMs understand the importance of adapting to changing circumstances when required. Whether that’s to support the needs of a customer or in response to internal changes or challenges, a willingness to adapt and learn are the backbone of achieving continued success.
Selling hazardous waste solutions requires the ability to engage a customer and manage them through complex processes. It requires a consultative approach that can overcome resistance and barriers, and a willingness to embrace the complex details involved.
These are skills which are rarely showcased in a CV. They can, however, be uncovered through detailed skills-based assessments and a structured interview process. To find out how WasteRecuit identifies those candidates who will make the best BDM’s in hazardous waste, please feel free to contact me on 07946 708 405 or [email protected] . ?
