To celebrate the success and hard work of our ‘Employee of the Quarter’ Rory Alkin, we wanted to share his secrets on how he won this prestigious title. We managed to track him down during a busy week at work to answer some of our questions.
1. Name
Rory Alkin
2. What do you do?
I am a Business Development Manager (BDM) at our Head Office based in Altrincham, Cheshire. I work in a team of 6 that covers various parts of the UK. I advise clients on how they can save tax through Capital Allowances and Research & Development tax relief.
3. How long have you worked at Catax?
I’ve been here just over 6 ½ years.
4. What initially attracted you to work at Catax?
The main thing that attracted me to work at Catax was that I liked that the company were leaders in such a niche market. I wanted to be part of a business that offered lots of potential and opportunities for growth. I’m extremely impressed to see how far it has developed over the years.
5. What are your top 3 tips on selling a service?
As a BDM, I’d say my top 3 tips on selling would be:
The clients provide so much information and guidance which you can learn so much from by asking the right questions. Our clients are smart and don’t want their time wasted therefore, by listening to them, you can really engage with them and understand their needs.
There is so much waffle and jargon out there. We sell a service that can be difficult to understand. It’s important to adapt and mould your product or service to ensure the customer knows enough of what is involved when they are signing up, without becoming a tax expert.
No matter how many ‘no’s’, ‘not interested’ or ‘can you call me back’, responses you might hear, it’s so important to ensure you don’t give up. Generally speaking, a negative response usually means the customer is not ready for the service now or needs more information. Keep in touch with the customer until he/she is ready without pestering.
6. What do you find is the biggest objection to carrying out a Research & Development or a Capital Allowances claim?
The main obstacle I face when carrying out a Research & Development or Capital Allowances claim is the client’s lack of urgency in committing to the claim. There are lots of rules surrounding report submission to HMRC which involve year-end dates. Because so many people are unaware of this type of tax relief, they don’t always understand the importance that they could miss out on a claim completely or lose tax relief for a particular year by not acting quickly. Fear of loss is a great motivator to spur a client into acting now.
7. What do you think the most important skills are to succeed in sales?
I believe it’s important to be happy; to listen; be persistent; and to treat the client as an equal.
8. What is your favourite aspect working for Catax?
Working at Catax is great. You get to deal with successful clients and professional partners from a variety of backgrounds. Whether it’s within Research & Development or Capital Allowances, I love to network and help individuals and businesses optimise their tax relief.
9. Can you explain what Catax does in 10 words or less?
Catax uncovers and saves significant tax for qualifying clients
10. What’s your favourite pastime outside work?
I love horseracing, in particular Point-to-Point Races! It’s a form of amateur horse racing over fences held at a variety of wonderful sites throughout the UK.
There you have it, the inside info from our ‘Employee of the Quarter’. If you would like to get in touch with Rory, you can contact him on 0300 303 1903 or email at enquiries@catax.com.