International Women’s Day

Mar 8, 2022

Ebonie O’Connor joined YouFibre as a Telesales Representative just over three weeks ago in early February, and has already excelled in her role. She is proving to be a real asset to the YouFibre team and is demonstrating a can-do attitude and deep knowledge of our products. We sat down with Ebonie to discuss her role, what International Women’s Day means to her and why she believes more women should take the leap into sales.

How did you get into sales?

I have been working in the in the broadband industry for over two and half years and have always had a keen interest in the sales industry. I saw this role at YouFibre as an opportunity to utilise my sociable personality and the strong knowledge I have already obtained.

Why did you choose YouFibre?

Having been in the industry for a while, I knew that I could share my passion and educate potential customers who may know little about the product, particularly around the benefits that having a reliable and ultrafast network can have on people’s lives. Also, YouFibre provided me with a brilliant opportunity to tell people what fibre broadband actually is - and the endless benefits that come with it.

What is the best thing about working at YouFibre?

It has to be the people. The support system, the way that everyone is so passionate and so excited. It’s hard work of course, but everyone is so happy to do it and so welcoming. It’s really different to anything I have experienced before. The entire team has a dynamic entrepreneurial personality which attracted me straight away.

What do you enjoy about sales most?

Talking to people. Not just the selling element, but being able to explain and help people to understand what they are buying, what type of service they are getting and then providing a very good product at a very good price. It’s a unique position to be in.

Are you ever faced with any issues as a woman in sales?

You do get a lot of pushback, and it’s all about moving past it. It’s not just as a woman, but in general. You need to understand that the next person could be someone who really benefits and gets something out of the product. Some people don’t have the time, which is very understandable. You are emotionally invested in it, because it’s a product that really works and brings benefits. We know that people need it so everyone on the team is constantly encouraging each other to keep going.

What does your day to day role involve?

It’s actually a lot of building relationships with people and building trust. Most of my days are spent calling people who have registered interested online or in the field and checking in on them. When I first entered the industry, I was handling the build and contractor side, which meant I learnt a lot about the service and how it worked. Then I moved into sales, the fun part, doing the positive calls and having the fun conversations which I enjoy. It has been really helpful as I can talk people through the entire process. A lot of people have a view of the traditional way of installing broadband and don’t know how straightforward it can be, so taking people through it literally step by step can be helpful and rewarding.

Why do you think International Women’s Day is important?

Certainly a sales environment can tend to be quite male dominated. What I have always found in this industry, especially with sales, is that you are never treated differently. We are a team, we all support each other. I do think there’s an important role for women in this industry. There is a strong relatability factor. Sometimes when I am talking to a female on the phone I’m in a good position to build trust. She may not know what she is talking about as such, so I can help her and educate her. So yes - International Women’s Day is definitely a great day to celebrate the achievements of women all over the world.

What advice would you give to women wanting to get into sales?

Jump in full force. I did exactly that and I am thoroughly enjoying it. Sales is a fun, fast paced and always changing environment. I’ve found my feet very quickly and have a great team around me. It doesn’t matter what gender you are in the industry. Sales is mainly about educating yourself. I was very lucky as YouFibre provides amazing training, we are shown the entire process from start to finish to prepare ourselves for any questions we may be asked. We understand why some packages are better for certain homes in different areas compared to others. We are here to help people.

Do you have any hobbies outside of work?

I have a very active social life. I’m out all the time and this is reflected in my passion for sales. I love meeting new people. I also attend a pub quiz every week raising money for charity and I’m an ambassador for SeeSaw, a charity helping young children with bereavement.

Stuart Holliday, Head of Sales at YouFibre commented: “International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate all the fantastic achievements of women and give people like Ebonie the credit they deserve.

“I would never want anyone to feel like they are overlooked for a role due to their gender and Ebonie has proven that all women can excel in the sales industry, hitting all her targets each week. Sales can provide a great platform for any individual to progress, and I look forward to welcoming more women to YouFibre.”