Viscom International
Company: Viscom International, Atlanta, Georgia
Company Description: Viscom produces and markets BEST(TM) Mexico prepaid phone cards. Designed specifically for Mexicans living in the U.S., BEST Mexico has become the most widely recognized brand in its category. Founded by John Wise in 2000, privately-held Viscom has processed more than 75 million calls to Mexico, sold more than one billion minutes, and had 2005 sales of $15 million.
Nomination Category: Individual Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Sales Manager
Nomination Title: Justin Seymour, Director of Sales
1. Tell the story about what this nominee achieved in the past year (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:
As director of sales for Viscom International, Inc., Justin Seymour is responsible for identifying and signing on distributors for BEST™ Mexico prepaid phone cards. Designed specifically for Mexicans living in the U.S. to call home to Mexico, the cards are sold primarily through independent Hispanic retailers. In 2005, Justin was directly responsible for the largest sales increase in Viscom’s five-year history: a record 68% increase in revenue growth over 2004. Justin achieved this by:--Increasing the number of new customers by 136% percent--More than quadrupling the number of markets in which you can purchase BEST Mexico prepaid phone cards--Growing the number of stores selling BEST Mexico products from 2,500 to over 5,600--Increasing the number of units sold from 2.2 million to 3.8 million.
This success is particularly unusual because he operates in a highly competitive and unstable industry where prepaid phone card brands typically enter and disappear from the market within less than a year, margins are razor thin, sales are made in non-traditional settings and building relationships across cultures is essential. Additionally, Justin faces the unusual challenge of having to estimate the market potential of a Hispanic market that is nearly always under-reported.
Despite these challenges, Justin’s ability to communicate across cultures and in multiple languages allowed him to navigate the somewhat un-traditional environments in which he sells day-to-day. On any given day he wasnegotiating a partnership with Korean distributors in a Korean restaurant while speaking Spanish or sealing a deal while eating Philly cheesesteak sandwiches in the back of a storeroom. His natural aptitude for connecting with potential distributors allowed him to sign more than 30 new customers in 2005 and established BEST Mexico as one of the top-selling products in each new market Viscom entered. Through his diligence, BEST Mexico products were added to more than 3,000 new retail locations last year.
A one-person sales team for most of 2005, Justin traveled approximately 40 weeks last year, logging thousands of miles visiting each and every market to identify potential distributors for BEST Mexico prepaid phone cards. A true “people person,” Justin’s natural sense of curiosity drove him to thoroughly investigate each market, get to know each potential client, and understand all the issues at hand to make each relationship a success. He visited many stores in person, spoke with Hispanic consumers where they live and work, and read and listened to the local Spanish media. He met with the local DJs at the radio stations, held impromptu consumer giveaways at local retail stores and taquerías, and began to build a strong reputation for the BEST Mexico brand in each market. And one visit was not enough – he returned to each market numerous times per year to maintain relationships and update market profiles.
Justin’s ability to know his customers, understand their needs and challenges, and build lasting relationships despite the challenges of the industry makes him a strong nominee for the 2006 Stevie Awards.
2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:
http://www.viscominternational.com/Management.aspx
http://www.viscominternational.com/NewsDetail.aspx?ArticleID=20
http://www.viscominternational.com/SalesAndDistribution.aspx
http://www.intelecard.com/features/03features.asp?A_ID=615
http://www.intelecard.com/features/03features.asp?A_ID=593
3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the nominee:
As director of sales for Viscom International Inc., Justin Seymour is responsible for expanding Viscom’s distribution network throughout the U.S.
Justin has had a varied career including a three-year post in the U.S. Peace Corps in the brutal conditions of the Andes Mountains of Bolivia. While there, he authored an acclaimed field manual still in use today.
Following the Peace Corps, Justin held various sales positions with companies including Turner Broadcasting System in Latin America, GA-MEX Broadcasting, Moosehead and Dos Equis XX.
Justin graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree in advertising and marketing.