Talk us through your role.
I’m a Client Manager in the Client Service department.
The client service works as a bridge between Kantar and the Client (Manufacturers, Retailers, Fuel Distributors, Clothing stores, you name it…). As our day-to-day job we look for new business opportunities for Kantar, and most times that involves finding new spaces or opportunities for our clients to grow in their own business. We analyse data, prepare presentations and then, we get to the client and make recommendations that help to change the world (one bit at a time). From proposing new flavours of yogurts, new consumption moments for beverages, or identifying the need of a loyalty system for a retailer, it all starts with us and our data.
As a manager, I have a team to which I pass on my own experience and knowledge of the market, so that they can themselves grow and provide insightful presentations to our clients, and with that reach further in their career.
What would surprise people about your role?
You would think that Client Services is a 100% commercial role but is much more than that. Between being an analyst of data, a good communicator and presenter, and an effective negotiator, the commercial part comes almost naturally. If you identify that the client has an opportunity to grow, you can always think of the best study or information that you could propose them to complement with more information and help them understand such an opportunity. Also, it is crucial that you understand everything in the company from the way we get our data, how we process it, and what could be the outcome, so we become almost like a special of Kantar business.
Having originally left Kantar, why did you decide to re-join?
I decided to re-join Kantar as this is the company where I felt heard, challenged within a reachable extend, and, most of all, recognized. For example, as a company, we get a good work-life balance, tons of recognition for a job well done and opportunities to speak up to improve the company (there is openness at CEO level with open Q&A sessions). I can say that I have made some friends (some for life I hope) in a short period of time, and there was a giant cultural fit between me and the way Kantar conducts business and the work environment. One of my bosses said that it feels I’ve worked here my whole life, and that fit was one of the reasons I’ve always felt like “home” here and decided to come back. The work environment and the team are great, we get to exchange ideas, and there is no harmful competition, we just try to help each other, and that is the type of environment that can really help someone flourish and grow professionally, when others share their experience.
Do you get to work flexibly?
Kantar has always given me flexibility.
During the pandemic we were 100% of time working from home, and now we have come back to the office but only for 50% of the time. Makes sense to be together, develop the group, exchange ideas, but even going to the office we have full flexibility on deciding in which days suits us best, considering not only our professional workload but also our personal commitments.