Innovation in Presales

Summary

In this Hewlett Packard Labs podcast, host Jordan Nanos, Principal Machine Learning Architect at HPE, shares insights into his role in pre-sales, focusing on AI-powered applications. He discusses the evolution of sales, the importance of technical expertise, and his work with customers across various industries. Nanos also highlights the significance of understanding customer needs, the impact of generative AI, and the future of sales with a focus on global thinking and industry expertise. He emphasizes the value of hands-on experience with HPE technology and shares his approach to innovation in sales, drawing from his diverse experiences in different geographies.

Takeaways

• 🧑‍💻 Jordan Nanos, a principal Machine Learning architect at HPE, focuses on AI-powered applications and works closely with customers globally to understand their technology needs.
• 🌐 As part of the global sales organization, Jordan's role involves both direct customer interaction and collaboration with internal teams, reflecting a balance between customer service and internal coordination.
• 📈 The sales and pre-sales landscape at HPE has evolved, with a reduction in the number of salespeople and a shift towards more technical expertise and industry-specific knowledge.
• 🏢 Jordan's customer base spans various sizes and industries, with a particular focus on regulated sectors like financial services, healthcare, and government agencies due to their stringent compliance needs.
• 🔧 Jordan's role involves keeping abreast of technological advancements and translating customer feedback into actionable insights for product development, bridging the gap between customer needs and technical solutions.
• 📊 Success for Jordan is measured not only by direct sales figures but also by indirect indicators such as product trials, demo requests, and customer engagement, highlighting a holistic approach to sales success.
• 🔮 Looking ahead, Jordan anticipates a continued emphasis on technical expertise and industry knowledge, as well as the importance of thinking globally and transferring skills across industries.
• 💡 Innovation in sales, as exemplified by Jordan, involves going beyond traditional processes to meet customer needs, such as facilitating quick technology adoption through creative solutions.
• 📚 Jordan's personal growth and success are rooted in his ability to learn, teach, and compete, values that he encourages in others and that have been shaped by his diverse experiences.
• 🌟 HPE's commitment to the broader good is reflected in the sales process, as Jordan helps customers use technology to achieve their missions, whether in disaster prevention or providing services to the unbanked.

Q & A

What is Jordan Nanos' role at HPE?

Jordan Nanos is a principal Machine Learning architect at HPE, working with customers globally on their AI-powered applications using HPE technology. He is part of the global sales organization, focusing on pre-sales, which involves helping customers understand HPE's technology and designing architectures that include it.

How has the sales and pre-sales landscape evolved at HPE according to Jordan?

Jordan mentions that there are fewer salespeople now compared to when he started, and there's a greater focus on technical expertise. Customers now demand a more detailed understanding of their business. Additionally, the sales teams are more focused on industry verticals, getting to know specific customers within an industry.

What types of customers does Jordan Nanos typically work with?

Jordan works with customers who are innovating with machine learning and using HPE's technology. His focus is on regulated industries, such as financial services, healthcare, and federal government agencies, which have strict regulatory and compliance requirements.

How does Jordan Nanos collaborate with product managers, developers, and researchers at HPE?

Jordan spends about half his time with customers and the other half with HPE employees, including product managers and developers. He helps customers understand new technology and brings customer feedback to the HPE team to inform product development.

What is an example of a recent shift in customer focus that Jordan has observed?

Jordan has noticed a shift from customers focusing on buying GPU servers for training language models to a focus on inference, which means getting business value from the models they've created.

Can you provide an example of how Jordan measures success in his role?

Jordan measures success through indicators such as the number of people agreeing to trial the product, view a demo, or provide feedback. He also considers the ratio of people seeking a second meeting, wanting to learn more, or expressing interest in purchasing.

What does Jordan see as the future of sales and pre-sales at HPE?

Jordan anticipates a continued emphasis on technical expertise and industry vertical knowledge. He also highlights the importance of thinking globally and transferring skills across industries, as many customers in different geographies face similar challenges.

How does Jordan define innovation in the context of sales?

Innovation in sales, according to Jordan, involves going above and beyond for customers, focusing on their needs, and anticipating what they will ask for next. He gives an example of an innovative approach where he and a partner quickly set up a small server cluster for a customer to help them get started with new technology.

What is Jordan's perspective on the relationship between sales and open source?

Jordan views open source as beneficial because it allows more people to learn about and use HPE's technology, leading to better feedback and product improvement. He emphasizes the role of professional services in providing support for those who may not have the time to learn open source technologies.

How does Jordan Nanos approach working with standards in his role?

Jordan differentiates between hardware and software standards. He sees hardware standards like PCIe or OCP as beneficial for component manufacturers, while software standards can sometimes be seen as slow but are necessary for the development of AI technologies that move quickly.

What advice does Jordan have for early career professionals in sales?

Jordan advises early career professionals to prioritize learning and seek out industry knowledge on their own, rather than waiting for others to teach them. He emphasizes the importance of making learning a priority amidst the daily demands of a sales role.