A racecar driver doesn’t need to know what’s going on under the hood of the vehicle in order to be successful, but having an intimate knowledge of the machinations certainly helps. However, when it comes to guiding the fortunes of an office technology dealership, boasting an extensive background in the realm of sales is downright essential to driving long-term growth.
When Fraser Advanced Information Systems Founder and CEO Bill Fraser considered appointing just the second president in the history of the West Reading, Pennsylvania-based company, he didn’t need to look hard to fill that role. Melissa Confalone has spent 25-plus years with the company in a number of sales positions, including the last six as vice president of sales. We sat down with Confalone for a Two-Minute Drill segment to discuss her role in ensuring the company’s ambitious 50% revenue growth goal from 2020 to 2025 becomes a reality.
Tell us a little about this promotion and your thoughts on taking the helm of a growing dealership such as Fraser.
Confalone: While I have previously been on the sales side of Fraser, being a member of the company’s leadership team has offered me great insights into other aspects of the business. When our CEO and owner, Bill Fraser, approached me about taking on this role, I was both honored and humbled to be considered. Bill has served as a true mentor and teacher to me in my 25-plus years at Fraser, and he has taught me most of what I know about our industry. I am extremely excited to get the opportunity to lead Fraser into the future as we navigate the course of the business technology industry. I’m surrounded by amazing managers and team members who are all integral parts in our continued growth and success.
You’ve spent more than 25 years with the organization in several sales positions, including vice president. Talk about how this perspective positioned you well for this new role.
Confalone: Sales is one of the biggest drivers of any business technology company. As a company that is a reseller of a manufacturer’s products and bundled technology services, our sales group must be at the top of their game. Coming from a sales perspective, I believe my experience provides me with a foundation that focuses on rapid growth. When making decisions on how to scale the business and introduce products and programs, I feel it’s crucial to understand the perspective of our clients. Spending my career in a client-facing capacity enables me to work with the team to make more effective decisions about brining relevant solutions to market.
What do you hope to accomplish in your first 12 months as president?
Confalone: I’ll always be a salesperson at heart, and in my first 12 months the focus will be on revenue growth. 2022 was a fantastic year at Fraser, and I want to keep that momentum rolling for 2023. Continuing to educate our team and adding talent is at the top of my list. As we focus on rapid growth, we will challenge our team members to be forward thinking, working on implementing solutions that will automate processes and streamline the back end. In terms of product offerings, we’re really leaning into cloud offerings and the security side of our business. The focus will be putting our team in a position to educate our clients on technology solutions that truly drive productivity inside their organizations. We kicked off the year with the theme “Ignite 2023” and we will Ignite sales, Ignite recruiting, Ignite creativity and work as a team to drive towards an exciting and successful year.
What are your long-term goals, and what will be the key to maximizing the company’s potential?
Confalone: Long-term goals are to have 50% revenue growth from 2020 to 2025. We want to keep building on our company culture by providing our employees with a place that they can be proud to say they work. Fraser’s success has always been and will always be a team effort. It is only with our entire company understanding their role in our growth and helping everyone achieve success that we will continue to grow exponentially. We also must keep evolving in ways that allow us to stay at the foreground of our industry. Gone are the days of just selling boxes and clicks. There is so much more to our technology now and focusing on how we can best help clients run more efficient, profitable and productive businesses is truly at the heart of where our industry is growing. It’s an exciting time to be in our industry and I’m really looking forward to being a part of it.
