For our guest today, working business magic comes as naturally as it is for the Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Dončić to move on the basketball court. Meet Peter Pavšič, the Director of Sales at Smart Com and an amazing Extreme Champion from Slovenia!
Peter, you’ve been in the IT industry for almost 20 years. It’s a good moment to look back and ask yourself: “what’s my biggest professional achievement?”
I’ve been successfully translating business end economic knowledge into the IT network and IT infrastructure market in Slovenia for the better part of my professional life. What I consider my biggest achievement is the ability to seamlessly solve our customers’ needs and pain points by aligning them with an end-to-end ICT portfolio: ERP, CRM, IT infrastructure, network, and cybersecurity. What I’d also like to add to my achievement board is the ability to implement sales psychology into successful practice.
And on the other hand, what has been your greatest challenge?
In my line of work, I’ve always been challenged with developing a sales team. However, by applying my knowledge and leadership skills, I’ve been successful in building a highly driven and goal-oriented sales team from scratch.
What project involving Extreme solutions has stuck in your mind that you’ve been most proud of?
As far as my biggest personal wins with Extreme Networks solutions go, I should mention the successful project for one of the largest general hospitals in the region which covered the implementation of an Extreme’s end-to-end solution including switching, Wi-Fi, Extreme Defender for IoT, and ExtremeCloud IQ for network management. By solving the ICT challenges, we’ve enabled the healthcare facility to provide high-quality services for its employees and especially the patients.
What was your ace in the hole to see the sales through?
In my opinion, the Extreme Networks healthcare vertical case studies is what really helped us tip the scales here. They empowered us to address the challenges and needs of the hospital’s IT department and provided us with an additional expert foundation and reference points for reaching a favorable outcome.
Everyone knows that Slovenians love hoops! If you were to compare your working style to a basketball court, what position would you play? A strong forward that likes to drive to the net to create scoring chances? Or maybe a point guard that likes to get his teammates involved?
Personally, I prefer a position of a point guard. It is the most demanding position on the basketball court, as it requires great ball-handling skills, good scoring abilities, and a highly tactical mind. Driving the team and, on the other hand, having the ability to handle tricky situations is hard work, but also one of the most rewarding.
Smart Com is one of the key Extreme partners in the Central and South-Eastern Europe. What’s especially fascinating about your company is that since it’s foundation in 1990, it has evolved into a family of independent businesses grown from actual Smart Com’s products. How does it feel to work in such a forward-thinking powerhouse?
Smart Com is one of the rare ICT businesses in Slovenia which has retained ownership by its original founders, in this case – the Remškar family. The company has evolved thanks to the visionary leadership which was able to strategically position our operations in the networking and cyber security segment by providing managed services and solutions for some of the most complex and challenging verticals.
To be part of the leadership team of a company that puts such a big emphasis on developing the local market and addressing the needs of the customers with the best value proposition, all while living the core values that are binding the Smart Com team – it’s a privilege, plain and simple.
What do you consider to be Smart Com’s competitive edge on the market?
I’m proud that we’re agile and attentive to the customers’ needs and changes in our immediate or global environment. To spotlight just a few – during the COVID pandemic we swiftly and efficiently established an infrastructure for secure and reliable remote working, protecting critical IT infrastructure and systems needed by the government institutions for ensuring vital day-to-day operations.
In order to bring our forward-thinking and ambitious growth plans to fruition we have the determination to constantly invest in the knowledge and skills of our strategy, business, operations, and marketing teams, focus on the market, remain tech-savvy, and nurture the core values that define us.
I’m proud that we’re agile and attentive to the customers’ needs and changes in our immediate or global environment.
Over the course of your career, you’ve worked with a number of different vendors, distributors, and customers. What do you personally value the most in your partnership with Extreme?
Since I’ve been in the IT industry basically all my professional life, I had the opportunity to hold various positions, working with different vendors and distributors while applying the business knowledge and skills obtained over the years to engage with the customers’ top brass. If there’ one thing I’ve come to learn is that in order to deliver on a promise of the best value and an excellent user experience, a sincere and truthful relationship along the whole value chain is a must.
As a director of sales and strategic procurement, my mission is to forge long-term relationships along the supply chain. In this respect, I personally value the Extreme’s devotion to go beyond and above to deliver in terms of technology and to prove the added value to the customers. Furthermore, I commend the Extreme’s sales and technical teams for their dedication, flexibility and agility, as well as the out-of-the-box thinking that we’ve successfully applied to bridge the unpredictable and turbulent period of COVID-19 and supply shortage.
These nurtured, long-term relationships and personal contacts make a “diamond” difference in a highly competitive and constricted IT market.
If there’ one thing I’ve come to learn is that in order to deliver on a promise of the best value and an excellent user experience, a sincere and truthful relationship along the whole value chain is a must.
All work and no play… How do you unwind after work?
For me, the best way to relax and regain the positive attitude is to spend some quality time with my teenage son and indulge in various sports activities – mainly tennis and skiing.
Speaking of activities, Slovenia has a lot to offer: from some of the best ski resorts in Europe to one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Any favorite places you like to come back to?
Indeed, Slovenia is a home to many hidden gems of nature such as the exquisite blue-green Lake Bled in the Julian Alps or Postojna – the most captivating cave in the world where the first-ever baby dragon hatched.
Personally, my go-to place during the winter time is Dolomite slopes ski resorts, and in the summer – Croatia's coastline. I also enjoy coming back to Prague to visit the Extreme Networks regional team and discuss the development of our projects, as well as the current and future strategic cooperation, after which we indulge in the local culinary specialties!
