Bright Lights: The Internal Sales Team at STG

In this month’s Bright Lights spotlight, we spoke to the Internal Sales Team. Often working quietly behind the scenes, this team is a central pillar of the business, providing vital support from product quotes, supporting customers and everything in between.

We caught up with Kirsty Deneen, Nicholas Vassallo, Andrea Aguilar, and Mark Jones who manages the team, to find out more about the day-to-day running of the Internal Sales Team.

Tell us about the team’s role

We wanted to understand what a typical day looks like for the team, and how their remit has evolved over time.

“Our role goes way beyond quoting and order processing,” says Kirsty, who has been on the team for over five years. “We support customers throughout the full sales lifecycle, right from quote requests through to aftersales support and everything in between, like supporting with the relevant documentation, financial queries, and occasionally complaint handling.”

But the team’s remit has grown significantly in recent months.

“We’ve moved into a far more proactive space,” she explains. “We’re now actively reaching out to customers who haven’t ordered in a while, offering tailored opportunities to get them back on board and continue to support with their emergency exit and cabin lighting requirements.”

It’s a new approach that’s already delivering results with the team consistently hitting their monthly sales budgets.

What does a typical day look like?

With team members based in both the UK and US, to support our global customer base, the internal sales function is always in operation and the team plans ahead to manage the time difference.

In the UK, Kirsty, Nicholas and Mark kick off their day with a site-wide sales, inventory, and operations planning (SIOP) call first thing. “It’s a short daily meeting that brings together key operational departments,” explains Kirsty. “It’s essential for raising potential challenges, resolving issues, and making sure we’re all aligned.” Andrea, based in the US mirrors the UK setup, shares what her typical day looks like: “It starts by checking in with my team and production, making sure everything is on track. I also work closely with our Regional Sales Managers to keep up with customer needs. Every day is different, and that keeps it exciting.”

The team also join US production meetings twice a week. “We collaborate constantly,” she adds. “There’s a lot of cross-functional support, to ensure we deliver for our customers.”

How do you stay on top of a role with lots of moving parts?

“One customer query can take an entire day to address,” says Nicholas “You think you’ve got your to-do list sorted, and then something urgent drops in the inbox and everything shifts.”

From AOG (Aircraft On Ground) situations to complex customer requests, flexibility and responsiveness are key for this team. “It’s a reactive role,” says Mark. “You can try and plan your day, but things change constantly. That’s why it’s so exciting.”

How do other STG teams view the Internal Sales Team?

Across the wider STG business, the Internal Sales Team is recognised as a key part of connecting departments and ensuring a seamless experience for all customers.

Mark sums it up simply: “This team is the glue that holds it all together. We work with every department, from engineering and production to quality and finance, and we’re the direct link between STG and the customer.”

Nicholas adds: “We’re supporting customers across the globe, in multiple languages and time zones. It’s a fast-paced, stimulating role and no two interactions are the same.”

What is the best thing about this team?

For Kirsty, it’s the autonomy. “We have the same goals, but we’re trusted to manage our own day. That trust enables me to want to do a great job.”

Nicholas loves the international nature of the work. “Coming from a UK-only business before, this is a completely different pace. There’s always something happening somewhere in the world.”

Andrea values the opportunity to work cross-functionally. “We interact with so many different departments, it gives you a broader understanding of how the whole business works.”

And for Mark, it’s the sheer variety: “One minute it’s a simple order. The next, a critical AOG or a detailed technical query and all this while constantly coordinating our sales activity to ensure we hit our sales forecasts! There’s pressure, but that’s what makes it so rewarding.”

The Internal Sales Team plays a vital role in STG’s operations and success. From customer engagement to cross-functional support and global collaboration, they are a key hub of the business.

And if there’s one thing they all agree on… it is that no day is ever dull.