Aukje Tops – Sales Manager
For Koole Terminals newcomer Aukje Tops (48 years old), her colleagues and the freedom make a significant difference.
“Everyone is very approachable and accessible. From top to bottom, they are really there for you.”
Aukje started as Sales Manager of Koole Tankstorage Minerals (KTM) last January. In her role, she is responsible for road fuels such as gasoline and diesel, as well as heating oil and biofuels. “Together with my colleague Kyle Ferriggi , we look at the best tank infrastructure based on customer needs, in combination with the assets that Koole Terminals offers,” Aukje explains. She adds with a smile, “Every day is different here, even though the core of my job is in sales.”
Space, freedom, and growth
In her role, she finds a lot of freedom and space to initiate things on her own. “Within Koole, you can immediately sense that this is encouraged and appreciated.” The variety between office work and going out to visit customers makes Aukje feel very much at home. “I don’t get bored for a minute, and I can keep developing, even if I want to try something different within Koole.”
Aukje brings a wealth of work experience and has been in the industry for a while. When asked why she chose Koole Terminals, she quickly and enthusiastically answers, “You can make a difference here because it’s big enough to take professional steps but small enough to be seen as an individual.” Aukje explains that at Koole, their focus is on offering the best possible services to customers across all terminals to achieve the best results. “Where and how can we provide the best solutions for our customers and for Koole? This way, we can create scale and offer effective and high-quality solutions in our services.”
Collaboration and closing deals
Aukje doesn’t close appropriate deals on her own, and she is very pleased with her dedicated colleagues. “What immediately struck me when I started here are the great colleagues. Everyone is very approachable and accessible. From top to bottom, they are really there for you. The team consists of different colleagues, each with their own expertise, and that works very well.” Recently, they closed two major contracts for an extended period and acquired two new customers. “We like to celebrate these kinds of achievements,” Aukje proudly says. “It was truly a team effort. There was a festive atmosphere here when the deals were finalized. And I think it’s important that everyone, from legal to the Customer Care Center and the Terminal Manager, feels involved in the beautiful end result on such occasions.”
Taking on challenges
It quickly became clear that Aukje doesn’t shy away from challenges. She is a go-getter who approaches things strategically and enjoys being among people. She believes a little tension comes with the territory. KTM has many tanks with millions of cubic meters of storage, but it sometimes happens that multiple parties are interested in the same tank. “I secretly enjoy these kinds of challenges. It keeps me sharp and pushes me to think of solutions.” Attracting different types of customers to keep KOOLE Terminals’ portfolio diverse is crucial in this, and they negotiate based on facts with the customer at the center. “I enjoy brainstorming with the customer about optimization, which tanks and solutions work best. I always keep KOOLE’s interests in mind. Because sales is more than closing deals for the most favorable price, it plays an important role in the future and strategic direction of the company.” Aukje concludes, “I made the right choice and feel that I can make my contribution here and continue to grow.”