Driving growth at the frontlines: Airtel Sales team wins at SLIM NASCO 2019

Members of the Airtel Sales team, Tertiary Manager Ishan Malwattage (left) and Senior Tertiary Executive Bishrul Suhaib with their wins at the SLIM NASCO awards ceremony

Airtel Lanka’s continuous investments in training and skills development led to two of their best sales team members winning Gold and Bronze Awards at the recently concluded SLIM NASCO Awards 2019. Airtel Lanka Senior Territory Executive Bishrul Suhaib was presented the Gold Award for Sales Executive/ Supervisor in Telecommunication under the ‘Best of the Best’ category while Airtel Lanka Territory Manager Ishan Malwattage was declared the Bronze Award winner in the Territory Manager in Telecommunication category.

Reinforcing the telco’s position as a preferred employer of choice, Airtel Lanka extends career development opportunities to all its employees, such as the Field Sales Executive (FSE) Development program which played a key role in the success of the recently recognised sales team members.    

Recipient of the Gold Award in the Sales Executive/Supervisor for Telecommunication under the ‘Best of the Best’ category Senior Territory Executive Bishrul Suhaib

Recipient of the Bronze Award for Territory Manager in the Telecommunication category Territory Manager Ishan Malwattage

“Airtel Lanka’s people strategy is focused on enhancing and empowering each employee through investments in training and skills development, complemented with a culture that values and rewards commitment and creativity. The awards which Bishrul Suhaib and Ishan Malwattage won at this year’s SLIM NASCO provide proof that that our approach truly brings out the best in our people, and we warmly congratulate both of them on their superb achievements,” stated Airtel Lanka CEO/MD Jinesh Hegde.

Demonstrating their ability to the SLIM NASCO interview panel, both Suhaib and Malwattage expanded on the innovative and user-friendly sales tactics that they applied to achieve sales targets. From a managerial perspective, Suhaib also demonstrated the measures taken to empower his team and thereby his contribution to sustain the telco’s reputation as a sought after employer of choice. The team was further assessed on their performance over the selected assessment period, their potential or likelihood to move up the sales hierarchy and the strategic value they bring to the business while fulfilling key performance indicators.  

Notably, both of Airtel’s winning employees were recruited through its distributor network as part of its growing team of Field Sales Executives. These employees have been pivotal in the continuing success and rapid growth of the company. 

The FSE Development Program also encompasses life and work skills education initiatives, focusing on enhancing foundational skills, technical training and support to help them advance in their careers. Initially, every FSE goes through an orientation/induction training when joining Airtel and are exposed to quarterly training at regional levels which create an opportunity to upskill and expand their vocational capabilities. 

Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) is the national body for Marketing in Sri Lanka and has been promoting marketing excellence and elevating its status since 1970. In 2010, SLIM went one step further and introduced the inaugural NASCO Awards Program which became the premier event for the sales fraternity to recognise sales personnel among a range of industries.