At Babbel, our endgame is getting people to have conversations with other people, in a new language. There are fantastic folks here making that possible. In our “Behind The Scenes” series, we sit down with them to provide a glimpse into who makes it all work, what they do, and where their heads are at.
This round we’re talking to Samar Saadi, our newest Sales Development Representative on the B2B team.
What’s your role at Babbel? What do you do on a typical day?
I am a Sales Development Representative which means that I am part of the Pre-Sales team. On a typical day, my tasks would consist of generating leads, treating already nurtured leads and qualifying incoming leads via email campaigns or calling. These key responsibilities keep me in interaction with i.a. Marketing and Sales teams in B2B.
Where are you from and which languages do you speak? Did you live in Berlin before you started at Babbel?
I was born and raised in Tunisia, hence my mother tongue is Arabic/Tunisian Arabic and – per default – French. For obvious reasons, I also speak English and German. And yes, I was already in Berlin before my start with Babbel working at a different company.
What were you doing before Babbel?
Before I joined Babbel, I was also working in Sales. I was in the HR & Recruitment industry at the company MoBerries, working as a Junior Sales Manager. This position was the best training to kick-start my career at Babbel, because it helped me acquire most of the skills I am operating with today. From basic ABC’s to working with an entrepreneurial mindset. After that, I gave the e-health industry a try as an Inside Sales Manager and then eventually found this position at Babbel.
How do sales for B2B differ from sales for B2C?
Until now, I personally have been operating in Sales for B2B only. However, I am aware of the B2C side in Babbel and I can tell that we both are using different strategies, different approaches, as we are leveraging similar but yet different kinds of business models.
You work exclusively in the DACH market. Give us some insight into how your role differs from someone who works in a different European market?
Our Sales team is divided into DACH and ROW. ROW mainly consists of the US, Italy and France. We are then divided into a Sales and a Pre-Sales team. There’s no big difference between DACH and other European markets, as our product is customizable for everybody.
The Pre-Sales team is basically responsible for the first steps of the sales process. Only qualified leads are then handed over to our Sales Managers, who will follow-up with a product demonstration and close the deal.
What drew you to Babbel?
I was looking for a company that fits what I have learned and what I am willing to learn in the long-term, and Babbel fulfills these criteria. In addition to that, as someone living in a foreign country, I can definitely confirm how important it is to learn languages when it comes to integration, finding a job or even socializing and that’s why Babbel was very interesting for me.
I heard about the job online and I applied right away, as I could detect from the job description and the hiring process that the position would allow me the growth that I am searching for.
What’s surprised you most so far?
I am impressed by the fact that even though Babbel is a real brand and a well-established company, it still has a start-up mindset which allows you to have your own impact in decision making.
You were onboarded remotely onto the team and to Babbel. Tell us about your experience!
This is my 4th week with Babbel, so I am still in the onboarding phase and I am happy about the fact that this process is coming along smoothly and with a great amount of autonomy. My team is amazing, each one is highly competent and motivated. There is always someone to help when needed and the feedback is constantly constructive.
Want to work with Samar? Her team is currently looking to fill a few B2B positions!
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