Melissa,
Key Account Manager Wholesale
Read Melissa’s interview where she talks about her first role and how the sales team supports their local communities.
? How our intern grew into the role of a National Account Manager
In February 2017, I started my career at AB InBev as a Brand Management intern for Leffe and Hertog Jan. During which, I wrote my bachelor thesis for the brand Hertog Jan. After my internship, I decided to stay at AB InBev, so I applied for the role of a Telesales Agent – here, I grew my skills within the Customer Experience team for three years.
Then, I moved from the Customer Experience team, to become a National Accounts Manager. In that role, I was responsible for maintaining and building our national accounts, and I was one of the primary contact persons for our clients. As an Account Manager, I gave advice about the right beer assortment, talked about opportunities for the customer, supported them through the food and beverage sector reopening, and looked for new opportunities within the market.
? How gender diversity boosts the teamwork
It is really nice to be a woman working in the Hospitality industry, especially because it is a male-dominated environment. When I started my role as an Account Manager, I noticed that being a woman allowed me to bring new insights and introduce a different structure to the team. I really believe that gender should not matter in any sector, but having a diverse team is refreshing as you can learn a lot from each other.
? How our sales teams work with local businesses and support economic recovery
We notice that our customers have reduced their assortment to make operations more efficient when the hospitality industry wound down during the pandemic. Now that the industry has reopened, we make ourselves available to local customers by reintroducing our beer portfolio, and giving them advice on the right assortment to suit their recovery plan. We grow, when our customers grow!
