Our sales has a new leader – Welcome, Heikki!
What inspires our new Sales Manager, Heikki Palmu, about sales and about working at One4all? And what would be his dream superpower for the workday? In this interview, Heikki shares his career journey, his thoughts about the future at One4all, and what happens when he closes his laptop and steps away from work.
1. What led you into sales, and what has kept you in the field?
“It all started when I was living in Tampere and, during my studies, ended up working at the Nekala K-Rauta hardware store. That’s where I learned how businesses operate, how to work with customers, and how to make sales.
After that, my career has been a cross-section of sales, marketing, and business development – for example, in the world of technical wholesale. The common thread in all these roles has been digitalisation, which has always been present in one way or another, as well as responsibility for teams and their development.
I would sum up my joy for work like this: I’ve always wanted to be where things are happening and where I can make an impact – the opportunity to be involved in advancing and pushing things forward inspires me. I’m also naturally someone who enjoys working with people, and my inner motivator is achieving results together as a team.”
2. What are the three most important things in customer interactions – the ones you never compromise on?
“Before I say anything, I want to actively listen and understand the customer’s situation: what matters to them and what challenges do they face, so that I can offer the best solutions that bring them clear added value. In addition to listening and understanding, I’d say that in offering long-term services, building trust and a lasting relationship is essential.”
3. What are you most looking forward to in your first days at One4all, and what do you want to bring to the team?
“The first days and weeks will certainly be about learning, listening, absorbing information, and getting to know the people and the industry.
I want to bring my broad experience and my personality into helping our customers even better. I’m not a lone-wolf sales machine – I believe the best results come when things are done together, even across department boundaries. Alongside teamwork, I want to bring systematic thinking, long-term commitment, and a goal-oriented approach.”
4. What makes One4all an interesting workplace for you?
“I would sum this up in one word: digitalisation. One4all’s modern services are excellent. They make resident communication significantly easier, smoother, and more efficient. That’s what stood out to me right away at One4all, in addition to the interesting role itself.”
5. What excites you most about the future – both at One4all and in the industry in general?
“First and foremost, developing and growing the company – but at the same time developing and growing myself. I want to keep learning and moving my expertise forward. You need a certain drive and eagerness to push things forward, to challenge and break traditional ways of doing things. And of course, I want to achieve results.
It’s great to be part of influencing how society functions. In my opinion, in the future of housing, we can’t still be in a situation where the sauna booking sheet is tucked behind the radiator or the washing machine is booked by making a phone call.”
6. If you could choose one superpower to help you at work, what would it be?
“In today’s world, shaped by digitalisation and artificial intelligence, it would definitely be empathetic situational awareness. It would be amazing to genuinely sense the customer’s mood, situation, and needs. Then it would be easy to adapt my actions accordingly, and maybe ask that perfect question that opens the door to a decision.”
7. And when the laptop is closed – what’s your sure way to unwind and recharge?
“For me, it’s family, friends, and exercise. These are the key sources of energy, both for resetting after the day and for maintaining ongoing work ability.”
A warm welcome to One4all, Heikki!
You can reach Heikki at +358 400 975 313 / heikki.palmu@one4all.fi
This article is an ai-generated translation of the original article in Finnish.