Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing Jamie Scott, Senior Account Executive at NET2GRID. Jamie is a recent addition to the NET2GRID team but has years of experience under his belt in account management, business development, and marketing operations. Jamie is an avid golf enthusiast and is known around the office as an expert communicator and reliable team player. We couldn’t agree more! Let’s get to know Jamie a bit better.
1. Jamie, you were born, raised, and studied in Scotland, but you have spent most of your adult years abroad, and, specifically, the last 10 years in the Netherlands. What do you miss most from home?
Of course, the answer is always family and friends, there are so many options for getting back to the UK though and I think we have tried them all over the years and managed to stay well connected to home. Covid really changed that for a while and it really made me realise and appreciate how important that is. The other thing I miss is the golf courses!
2. You obtained a Master’s in Chemical Engineering, graduating with distinction. What made you make the switch from a technical background to a more customer service-oriented position?
I started my career in R&D but as part of the trainee program, I had the opportunity for a placement in the sales function. I loved the short-term feedback on the work and that your results were so visible. I also really enjoyed the social aspect of the work, meeting customers, listening to their needs, and then coming up with a negotiation strategy for getting the deal. Pretty quickly I thought that this was the place for me and luckily I was able to turn that placement into a permanent job.
3. Because you speak frequently with NET2GRID’s clients, what are the most common challenges that energy companies are trying to address by having a partnership with NET2GRID?
The market is changing so fast right now, the energy price crisis has meant that people are far more focused on their energy bills than ever before and the motivation to find ways to save is high. Consumers are looking for help, whether that's tips on the most impactful actions to take now or advice on how to invest in their homes for the future. At both ends of the spectrum, our solutions have a pivotal role to play in enabling energy retailers to give consumers personalized advice for their own unique situations and guide them on their energy transition journey.
4. You work closely with our Business Development consultants and sales team, from helping to facilitate cold calls, to closing a deal, to the onboarding process. Can you explain a bit about the collaboration it takes to bring in new clients and subsequently maintain prosperous relationships with them?
The first step is to ensure that we are talking to the right clients. We need to understand that some minimum criteria are in place such as the size of the existing customer base, the presence of smart meters, and the digital capability of the client. From there it's about listening to their needs but also inspiring them about the potential our data analytics can bring. Often that means talking to multiple departments within a client to expand the demand for the data and build momentum inside their organization. The onboarding process can be pretty resource intensive right now and there is a lot of hand-holding to get the desired results, but we have a great track record of delivering on our promises and that builds trust. Going forward we have so many exciting innovations on the roadmap but the focus needs to be on scaling each client first!
5. You have traveled the world extensively; from solo traveling throughout Southeast Asia and Latin America, to backpacking in North America and Eastern Europe. Any funny experiences or life lessons you picked up along the way?
I’ve had some amazing experiences whilst traveling and experienced some phenomenal kindness. A guy I met on a bus in Vietnam gave me his home address in New Zealand when he heard I would visit there on my trip. It was just written on a piece of paper but a couple of months later I called in on the house unannounced. He of course had never mentioned this to his parents so it took a bit of explaining who I was and why I had knocked on their door. But they couldn't have been kinder and invited me to stay for dinner and gave me a tour of their farm on a quad bike. They also insisted I visit their daughter who lived on the coast and she and her husband put me up for the weekend and took me out on a boat. So I guess the life lesson there is if somebody gives you a lead make sure you follow it up, you never know where it might take you!
If you could sit down and have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be and why?
It’s almost impossible to pick just one so I’m going to say my late Grandfather Kenneth Alexander. I was 19 when he died and a bit too young to really have appreciated all that he had achieved in his life. He was knighted for his contribution to academic, business, and cultural life in Scotland and even had a tune composed in his honor by the legendary accordionist Jimmy Shand. He was named as only the fourth life member of the Scottish Malt Whisky Society and we still have a few bottles of extremely rare whisky he was given by them. So there would be lots to talk about over a few drams!