{"id":7069,"date":"2014-06-27T08:01:45","date_gmt":"2014-06-27T12:01:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theweekinimaging.com\/?p=7069"},"modified":"2014-06-27T08:01:45","modified_gmt":"2014-06-27T12:01:45","slug":"twiis-and-print4pay-hotels-top-sales-reps-of-2014-vineet-arya-lisa-flynn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/feature-articles\/2014\/06\/twiis-and-print4pay-hotels-top-sales-reps-of-2014-vineet-arya-lisa-flynn\/","title":{"rendered":"TWII\u2019s and Print4Pay Hotel\u2019s Top Sales Reps of 2014: Vineet Arya & Lisa Flynn"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Vineet<\/a>

Vineet Arya, one of Meridian Imaging Systems’ major account superstars.<\/p><\/div>\n

Names: Vineet Arya & Lisa Flynn<\/strong><\/p>\n

Titles:\u00a0<\/strong> Major & GovernmentAccount Executive\/Senior State and Local Government\/Education Account Manager<\/p>\n

Company:\u00a0<\/strong> Meridian Imaging Solutions, Alexandria, VA<\/p>\n

Years in industry:<\/strong> 14 (Vineet)\/32 (Lisa)<\/p>\n

New business revenue:\u00a0<\/strong> $983,000<\/p>\n

Gross revenue: <\/strong>$5,500,000<\/p>\n

Units placed: <\/strong>1,285<\/p>\n

What they\u2019re saying about Vineet and Lisa:<\/strong> \u201cVineet is a highly skilled consultative sales person who truly understands solutions and business problems. He uses technology such as scanning, workflow solutions and document management to drive large county government contracts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meridian Imaging Solutions is lucky to have Vineet Arya and Lisa Flynn in their corner. The two major account executives continue to bring in net new business while also growing existing accounts.<\/p>\n

Arya has been with Meridian for 14 years and in the office imaging industry for 18 years. Over the course of his career he\u2019s sold office supplies, worked for Konica Minolta, and worked in IT sales before finding a home at Meridian.<\/p>\n

Flynn joined Meridian eight years ago after a long career in the industry stretching back to the early 1980\u2019s when she began as a customer support rep. She later worked as a trainer, training customer relations personnel before moving into management for a couple of years and then into sales, a position that\u2019s turned out to be the perfect fit for her.<\/p>\n

Prior to Meridian, Flynn logged 18 years in sales before the dealership she was working for was purchased by IKON. She stayed on for a couple of years, then retired, but couldn\u2019t stay away and returned to the industry and once again started doing what she does best\u2014selling.<\/p>\n

\"Lisa<\/a>

Lisa Flynn is another one of Meridian’s superstars selling to major accounts.<\/p><\/div>\n

She appreciates the culture at Meridian. \u201cMeridian is very customer focused, which is what I liked about being a sales rep,\u201d says Flynn. \u201cIf a decision needs to be made, it\u2019s always based on the relationship and customer side of it as opposed to the business side. That\u2019s amazing. Because of that we have a lot of long-term employees, not just the sales reps\u2014the administrative staff, the service department\u2014all striving to be the best service organization in the industry, not just the DC Metropolitan area.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Meridian hired Flynn, they got much more than just her in the bargain. \u201cA lot of my today customers were my customers back in the \u201890s,\u201d she says. \u201cEven being out for a period of time I had pre-existing relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n

Arya\u2019s taste for sales came from his days selling office supplies. \u201cWhen I worked in office supplies, obviously I had the clientele and understood what their requirements were,\u201d he recalls.<\/p>\n

Even then in a low-tech world, he enjoyed solving customer\u2019s problems and providing solutions. Today, he can offer clients a much broader array of solutions, which for someone who thrives on selling solutions, is ideal.<\/p>\n

He too appreciates the culture he\u2019s found at Meridian for the same reasons as Flynn. \u201cThey\u2019re a great company to work for,\u201d says Aray. \u201cWe establish long-term relationships and we\u2019re looking at a long term goal, not just sales. That\u2019s what helps solve our customer\u2019s business problems on a day-to-day basis. It\u2019s a win-win for the customer and for us too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Every job has challenges and for Arya, it\u2019s pricing. \u201cThat\u2019s always a challenge,\u201d he emphasizes. \u201cWe overcome that by looking at the total cost of ownership for the customer\u2014solutions and incorporating software. At the end of day we\u2019re walking into an account solving their problems, not just fixing their issue. That helps overcome the price challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Flynn it\u2019s the complexity of today\u2019s offerings compared to when she first entered the industry. \u201cThe variety of products, software and services we sell and support today requires an expert,\u201d she says. \u201cI rely on my internal resources at times to keep up with the technology. The other thing is selling the value we provide. We\u2019re not always going to be the least expensive and we need to make sure the customer understands if you\u2019re looking for the best value, Meridian is it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking back at their careers in sales, each fondly recalls their first big sale. Arya\u2019s was with the office supply company when he sold his first major account. He remembers thinking, \u201cIt\u2019s definitely doable and even though it took a lot of time and effort I realized if I can do a lot more of it, I can reach my goals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Flynn\u2019s is related to selling major accounts. \u201cI ended up having everybody\u2019s leftovers and accounts they couldn\u2019t get into,\u201d she says. \u201cI remember DC public schools and some of the territory wasn\u2019t in the greatest neighborhoods, and being able to get in and get some quick sales underneath my belt, and get some confidence and going out and continuing down that path.\u201d<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most gratifying sale of Flynn\u2019s career was an $800,000 deal she made for Meridian within eight months after returning to an industry that had undergone some serious changes during her five-year sabbatical. She attributes that to her previous background with state and local government accounts.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understood it and was able to cold call an account that had an RFP that had been put out on the street, which had been awarded and rescinded, and I was able to go in take down 200 machines without it going out to bid. It was a good feeling knowing I hadn\u2019t lost it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Arya and Flynn have been intertwined at Meridian ever since they first began working together on various county government accounts five years ago. \u201cFor a whole variety of reasons it worked out really well,\u201d says Flynn.<\/p>\n

One of their biggest sales was to a local municipality. \u201cIt was such a big win and a total team effort,\u201d notes Flynn. \u201cThe reason we continue to work together is we continue to have a lot of success.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why is that?<\/p>\n

\u201cI always wonder why we work so well together besides the fact that Vineet is smarter than I am,\u201d responds Flynn. \u201cHe\u2019s faster on Excel spreadsheets and follows up way better than I do. He\u2019s a great partner and every success we\u2019ve had has been a total team effort.\u201d<\/p>\n

Do they have any advice for others who may be considering a career selling in a technology and solutions driven industry?<\/p>\n

\u201cLook at the big picture,\u201d states Arya. \u201cDon\u2019t just try to get a sale; find out what the customer\u2019s challenges and needs are and come back with a solution that works for them in the long term. Don\u2019t just sell a box and walk away. Be responsive to any concerns throughout the term of the contract. That\u2019s how you get more sales and keep accounts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Flynn is succinct in her advice: \u201cAsk a lot of questions, listen, and persevere,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Names: Vineet Arya & Lisa Flynn Titles:\u00a0 Major & GovernmentAccount Executive\/Senior State and Local Government\/Education Account Manager Company:\u00a0 Meridian Imaging Solutions, Alexandria, VA Years in industry: 14 (Vineet)\/32 (Lisa) New business revenue:\u00a0 $983,000 Gross revenue: $5,500,000 Units placed: 1,285 What they\u2019re saying about Vineet and Lisa: \u201cVineet is a highly skilled consultative sales person who truly understands solutions and business problems. He uses technology such as scanning, workflow solutions and document management to drive large county government contracts.\u201d Meridian Imaging Solutions is lucky to have Vineet Arya and Lisa Flynn in their corner. The two major account executives continue to bring in net new business while also growing existing accounts. Arya has been with Meridian for 14 years and in the office imaging industry for 18 years. Over the course of his career he\u2019s sold office supplies, worked for Konica Minolta, and worked in IT sales before finding a home at Meridian. Flynn joined Meridian eight years ago after a long career in the industry stretching back to the early 1980\u2019s when she began as a customer support rep. She later worked as a trainer, training customer relations personnel before moving into management for a couple of years and then into sales, a position that\u2019s turned out to be the perfect fit for her. Prior to Meridian, Flynn logged 18 years in sales before the dealership she was working for was purchased by IKON. She stayed on for a couple of years, then retired, but couldn\u2019t stay away and returned to the industry and once again started doing what she does best\u2014selling. She appreciates the culture at Meridian. \u201cMeridian is very customer focused, which is what I liked about being a sales rep,\u201d says Flynn. \u201cIf a decision needs to be made, it\u2019s always based on the relationship and customer side of it as opposed to the business side. That\u2019s amazing. Because of that we have a lot of long-term employees, not just the sales reps\u2014the administrative staff, the service department\u2014all striving to be the best service organization in the industry, not just the DC Metropolitan area.\u201d When Meridian hired Flynn, they got much more than just her in the bargain. \u201cA lot of my today customers were my customers back in the \u201890s,\u201d she says. \u201cEven being out for a period of time I had pre-existing relationships.\u201d Arya\u2019s taste for sales came from his days selling office supplies. \u201cWhen I worked in office supplies, obviously I had the clientele and understood what their requirements were,\u201d he recalls. Even then in a low-tech world, he enjoyed solving customer\u2019s problems and providing solutions. Today, he can offer clients a much broader array of solutions, which for someone who thrives on selling solutions, is ideal. He too appreciates the culture he\u2019s found at Meridian for the same reasons as Flynn. \u201cThey\u2019re a great company to work for,\u201d says Aray. \u201cWe establish long-term relationships and we\u2019re looking at a long term goal, not just sales. That\u2019s what helps solve our customer\u2019s business problems on a day-to-day basis. It\u2019s a win-win for the customer and for us too.\u201d Every job has challenges and for Arya, it\u2019s pricing. \u201cThat\u2019s always a challenge,\u201d he emphasizes. \u201cWe overcome that by looking at the total cost of ownership for the customer\u2014solutions and incorporating software. At the end of day we\u2019re walking into an account solving their problems, not just fixing their issue. That helps overcome the price challenge.\u201d For Flynn it\u2019s the complexity of today\u2019s offerings compared to when she first entered the industry. \u201cThe variety of products, software and services we sell and support today requires an expert,\u201d she says. \u201cI rely on my internal resources at times to keep up with the technology. The other thing is selling the value we provide. We\u2019re not always going to be the least expensive and we need to make sure the customer understands if you\u2019re looking for the best value, Meridian is it.\u201d Looking back at their careers in sales, each fondly recalls their first big sale. Arya\u2019s was with the office supply company when he sold his first major account. He remembers thinking, \u201cIt\u2019s definitely doable and even though it took a lot of time and effort I realized if I can do a lot more of it, I can reach my goals.\u201d Flynn\u2019s is related to selling major accounts. \u201cI ended up having everybody\u2019s leftovers and accounts they couldn\u2019t get into,\u201d she says. \u201cI remember DC public schools and some of the territory wasn\u2019t in the greatest neighborhoods, and being able to get in and get some quick sales underneath my belt, and get some confidence and going out and continuing down that path.\u201d Perhaps the most gratifying sale of Flynn\u2019s career was an $800,000 deal she made for Meridian within eight months after returning to an industry that had undergone some serious changes during her five-year sabbatical. She attributes that to her previous background with state and local government accounts. \u201cI understood it and was able to cold call an account that had an RFP that had been put out on the street, which had been awarded and rescinded, and I was able to go in take down 200 machines without it going out to bid. It was a good feeling knowing I hadn\u2019t lost it.\u201d Arya and Flynn have been intertwined at Meridian ever since they first began working together on various county government accounts five years ago. \u201cFor a whole variety of reasons it worked out really well,\u201d says Flynn. One of their biggest sales was to a local municipality. \u201cIt was such a big win and a total team effort,\u201d notes Flynn. \u201cThe reason we continue to work together is we continue to have a lot of success.\u201d Why is that? \u201cI always wonder why we work so well together besides the fact that Vineet is smarter than I am,\u201d responds Flynn. \u201cHe\u2019s faster on Excel spreadsheets and follows up way better than I do. He\u2019s a great partner and every success we\u2019ve […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7081,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[82],"tags":[1531,835,1455,1530],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7069"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7069"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7069\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7083,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7069\/revisions\/7083"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7081"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}