We’ve been catching up with all the members of our sales team to find out what makes them tick. In our latest profile, we talk to Chris Baldwin, our Head of Sales, who has had a tumultuous few years supporting Derby County!

What’s your role at Chrysalis?

I’m Head of Sales, so I support each Business Development Manager (BDM) to look after their accounts. I also work in partnership with the bigger clients to ensure that we are delivering everything they need from us, and I help to bring on new clients too.

Have you worked for the company for long?

I have been here since the early days, coming up for 10 years now. I’ve seen the company grow, which has meant it’s always been an exciting place to work. I’m pleased to say it still carries that same ‘can-do’ spirit and friendliness it had at the beginning.

And where were you before that?

My background is in the broader finance market. I have worked for a few High Street banks and was at Barclays immediately prior to joining Chrysalis.

As Head of Sales, what’s your management style?

I am only as good as the people around me, so I recruit good people and I let them get on with it. Each member of the Chrysalis sales team has specific skills and experience, and I foster a culture where we all look after each other. So, for instance, Kerry, one of our newest BDMs is a qualified dental nurse and has had many different roles in different clinics, including being practice manager, so she knows how to solve more than just payment options queries. Other members of the team can call on her expertise and she’s always delighted to help. Likewise, as she is learning the ropes in her new role, those of us who have been here a while can offer advice and support to her on her journey.

What do you think sets Chrysalis apart from other providers?

Oh, so many things. Here’s just some, off the top of my head:

• We tailor our service to exactly what each customer needs. We work with everyone from single clinics to big hospital groups and we adapt to meet their needs.
• We listen to our clients. I always say we have two ears and one mouth so we should listen twice as much as we talk (quite a challenge for most of us on the team!) But we do listen and we are led by what our customers want.
• When we do talk, it’s not just about payment options, we are interested in our customers’ business success as a whole and we can offer advice on how to develop their business.
• We get things done. If there’s a problem, we sort it. We’re easy to get hold of, in a myriad of ways, from WhatsApp to email and on the phone, and when there’s a question, an issue or a need, we get it sorted straight away.
• We care about patients, following them through their treatment journey to make sure we are doing our bit to make it as simple and stress-free as possible. We specialise in dental and healthcare so everything we do has the patient perspective at the heart of it.
• We are ethical. We don’t have hidden fees; we have a competitive APR and we always lend responsibly. We only work with clinics that meet our high standards so patients know that they are in safe hands.

We’ve seen competitors come and go many times now. They often make a big noise and then a year or two later they disappear. I’m happy to say, we’re still here after a decade and we’re here to stay.

What’s it like working for Chrysalis?

It’s a team. Everybody works together towards the same goals and we help each other out. It’s interesting that we don’t lose people very often and that’s because we have a good culture. There’s an openness to meetings and between departments and that makes us flexible as a company and able to meet our customers’ needs.

What do you like about your job most?

I love managing people, helping them to grow and seeing them develop their confidence. More generally, I love that I am given the freedom to make a positive impact. By that I mean, I can implement things I know will help the customer and will also help Chrysalis. That sense of entrepreneurialism that I remember from when I first joined is still there. Also, I genuinely believe we are the best at what we do, and I think that’s in part because we have that human connection with our customers.

And finally, when you’re not working what do you do to relax?

Well, there’s Derby County, where I am a season ticket holder. When I’m not at the football, I’m out walking my mad Cocker Spaniel, Hugo, who is the best dog in the world!