MarTech Interview with Brahim Samhoud, Chief Executive Officer of BNZSA, powered by Anteriad.

Brahim, please tell us a little about yourself and how your career trajectory led you to become the CEO of BNZSA.
My background is in sales originally, but I was frustrated with the quality of data I was working with, and I knew it was a challenge for a lot of clients. This was where the idea of BNZSA was born. I started BNZSA as a data company, but the bigger picture was to own and optimize the entire sales process from data to the closing of the deal. I eventually expanded our services by adding the call center aspect and developed our BDR and SDR services. I didn’t want to simply “check the box” of delivering prospects, what excites me is finding real solutions to our client’s problems, working with them to develop strategies to overcome the challenges they face when it comes to identifying prospects, and ultimately generating real enthusiasm and interest for their products and services, and getting salespeople what they need to succeed.

This is why the acquisition by Anteriad makes sense. I am motivated to create cutting-edge solutions and use the best technology there is to deliver the best possible services. And together with Anteriad’s leading data and technology and BNZSA’s human intelligence, we can achieve this.

Can you describe the values that drive BNZSA’s success, and how you incorporate them into your leadership style?
BNZSA is built on four core values – People, Extra Mile, Highest Quality, and Changing the Industry. People are at the core of our business. BNZSA employees are key to our success, but also, our clients and their prospects too. I wanted to create an environment where everyone is given a chance to shine no matter if they’ve graduated from a top university or left high school with no qualifications. If you’re highly motivated and you want to be successful, then BNZSA is the place for you. People focus on producing work that is of the Highest Quality and go the Extra Mile when motivated. The Extra Mile is a mindset of pushing beyond comfort zones and thinking outside the box. It is this mindset that generates great results and when combined with motivated people, leads to success. Together, these power change. I’m not going to change the world, but I’m committed to changing the industry for the better.

How do you stay current with industry trends and technological advancements to ensure BNZSA remains competitive?
For BNZSA, it’s not a case of staying current with industry trends but identifying them in real-time. We’re in the market every day speaking with 100s of decision-makers, so we know what’s happening, as it’s happening. That personal touch of having a conversation over the phone is crucial as it means we gain invaluable insights into what’s going on across international markets.

Additionally, we work exclusively with IT clients, and our services have become a large part of their go-to-market strategy. The long-standing relationships with leaders in the technology sector give us a major advantage and insight into what technology is coming to market. We have road maps to bring these developments to market, so we can plan how to best integrate them into our own offering and stay ahead of the curve.

Tell us about the recent acquisition of BNZSA by Anteriad. How will BNZSA operate within Anteriad, and will there be any changes to its brand or leadership?
This acquisition is great news for the B2B marketing industry. By combining our forces, we are integrating the best of both worlds to create the most comprehensive sales and marketing offering that the b2b market has seen. I am thrilled to have found the right partner who can bring BNZSA to the next level, and it’s been great to see how Anteriad’s client obsession mirrors ours. I look forward to supporting our incredibly talented teams to innovate and grow. BNZSA will now operate as BNZSA, powered as Anteriad, a separate division of Anteriad. I will remain as CEO and there will be no changes to our leadership structure in the near future.

How will the acquisition impact the companies’ existing clients and partnerships?
The acquisition means we have a differentiated capability. We offer full-funnel B2B demand generation at a global scale, but we also have deep regional and local expertise that ensures that our customers can be very relevant in their target markets. This is a huge opportunity for our clients as they will benefit from Anteriad’s intent, ABM, and performance marketing capabilities, bringing their pipeline generation strategies to the next level!

What new opportunities will the acquisition bring to Anteriad and BNZSA, respectively?
We will be able to continue to scale our services, become more competitive in the market and continue to provide our clients with high quality in everything we do, from our data to our strategy, execution, and service. The acquisition allows us to expand our global reach even further. We already have strong coverage of EMEA, APAC, and US markets, but with Anteriad’s presence in the US and India, we’re in a great position to continue the expansion and strengthen our global coverage. Together we will establish ourselves as a true global leader in tech-enabled B2B marketing.

What is the significance of BNZSA’s localized expertise and ability to execute campaigns in 26 different languages?
BNZSA’s ability to deliver campaigns in 26 languages not only allows us to develop localized marketing strategies in each language, but with native speakers, we have a deep understanding of cultural nuances that can vary from market to market. This creates a more personal connection with prospects, builds rapport, and increases the chances of conversion for our clients.

Can you discuss how BNZSA’s signature Warm Handover™ process sets it apart from other B2B demand generation providers?
The Warm HandoverTM is a value-add like no other in the industry. It ensures that sales reps meet prospects with genuine sales opportunities. Our teams map buying committees, develop personal relationships, and identify influencers, decision-makers, and budget holders.

Once an opportunity is identified by our BDRs, instead of just setting up a callback, they will schedule a three-way video call where they will introduce the prospect to the sales rep directly. As the prospect has developed a rapport with our BDR in the qualifying stages, this removes any friction from the handover process as they have a familiar face on the call. This creates a unique experience for the prospect and provides a VIP service.

Not only does this process deliver a 70% conversion rate, which is unprecedented in the industry, but 95% of prospects we surveyed said they would be eager to participate in a Warm HandoverM with a BNZSA agent the next time they have an IT project. This speaks volumes to the value it adds to pipeline generation strategies and customer satisfaction.

How does BNZSA’s expertise in serving enterprise technology clients complement Anteriad’s existing offerings?
Anteriad’s services are complementary to BNZSA’s and vice-versa. Our experience serving enterprise technology clients will expand Anteriad’s portfolio of clients. By combining both our offerings we will create a synergy that will benefit both Anteriad’s and BNZSA’s clients massively. Rob and I have similar backgrounds and, more importantly, similar visions for the future. This powerful combination will offer high-quality, GDPR-compliant data supported by the Anteriad Marketing Cloud, its proprietary cloud-based technology platform, to power clients’ demand generation, needs globally.

Can you discuss the importance of GDPR-compliant data and how BNZSA’s unique data will be integrated into Anteriad’s offerings?
While obviously compliance is compulsory, we strive to go even further to identify prospects that have a genuine enthusiasm for our client’s product or services. Again, we don’t want to solely checkboxes, we want to deliver the highest quality opportunities possible. Anteriad’s tech and data stack will immensely enhance our work and we’ll work closely together to ensure our data is aligned so no insights are lost in the process.

What role will BNZSA’s EMEA headquarters play in the combined company?
We’ve established and grown our presence in the EMEA region over the past decade, and now BNZSA’s EMEA locations give Anteriad direct access to these markets. Our Madrid office will act as Anteriad’s EMEA headquarters.

How do you ensure effective communication and collaboration between BNZSA’s global offices?
Our teams are aligned on our objective – to deliver high-quality sales opportunities. To achieve this, we have fostered an environment of open communication where feedback is welcomed and encouraged. Our cultural diversity is also one of our strengths, so having an environment where we can acknowledge, and respect cultural differences and perspectives is hugely important to achieving effective communication and collaboration.

How do you mentor and develop the next generation of leaders within BNZSA?
Creating a place where the next generation of leaders can flourish is so important to me and has been a core part of BNZSA’s journey. Being a Rocker on the phone is integral to our success as a company, so the majority of our senior leadership team started on the phones and learned how BNZSA works from the ground up. We strive to put the tools in place for people to continuously grow, learn, and achieve their potential.

Our Learning & Development Team has developed brilliant strategies to equip our team with the skills they need to succeed. Starting from Day 1 of Onboarding, which is a month-long process, they have devised the best training practices to enable Rockers with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed on the phone. We have a Nurturing Program, which is an intensive training course to prepare Rockers to take the next steps in their career and to take on the responsibility of management. We also provide leadership training for our management team to ensure they can continue to realize their goals, inspire other Rockers, and prepare them to be future senior leaders as we continue to grow.

How do you stay motivated and energized as a leader, particularly during challenging times?
In challenging times, our four core values keep me grounded and focused on our objective. For me, one of the most important things is people. I am inspired by making sure my team is growing and succeeding, and I often look to them for inspiration. I am driven to create a workplace where anyone can succeed because when my team is winning, I am winning. When I see the passion of my team, who are committed to achieving BNZSA’s goals and developing their career, I am motivated to support their development and help them realize their success.

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