Meet the team: Southern Finland Regional Sales Manager Lauri Anttila – sales work and forest trips

Diverse work and customer-centricity

Lauri Anttila has enjoyed working at Finbin for seven years, and during this time, his work has changed and developed in many ways. Lauri now serves as the Regional Sales Manager for Southern Finland, and his workdays are filled with varied tasks. On office days, Lauri calculates offers and collaborates with designers, considering how Finbin’s furniture and various materials could best suit their plans.

Working with construction companies and especially landscape contractors plays a central role in his daily life. Projects and requests for proposals are his daily bread, but Lauri admits that occasionally "good luck" also brings new orders. His customer-centric attitude is particularly evident in how he approaches communication. He enjoys client meetings and phone conversations, where in addition to discussing business, stories from fishing trips and the forest's shade are often shared.

Municipalities and cities form an important part of Lauri's clientele. Over the years, familiar faces appear in both projects and client visits. Lauri finds his work particularly rewarding because collaboration with clients runs smoothly. "Pleasant customers and an interesting industry make daily life enjoyable," he summarizes.

A career path that shaped an expert

Lauri's journey to Lehtovuori began in December 2017 when he joined the company as an intern. In Lauri's words, he was "a Christmas gift to Finbin." At that time, the current CEO Eero Ojanen saw potential in Lauri, and Lauri's career began with very diverse tasks. He was initially involved in sales, marketing, and invoicing, which helped him understand the company's operations more broadly. This gave Lauri a valuable vantage point, but there was more than enough work.

Lauri's persistence and ability to adapt quickly were rewarded, and he soon advanced to Team Leader for Sales Support, where he was also responsible for export tasks. The new role involved a lot of new learning, and according to Lauri, taking on export was "like jumping straight into the deep end," but the experience was educational. Eventually, Lauri's path led him to become Regional Sales Manager for Southern Finland when Riitta Lehtovuori, the founder's daughter, retired.

This transition, according to Lauri, came at the right time, and he received invaluable lessons from Riitta about the company's operations and the overall business landscape. "Riitta was a great trainer who helped me understand Finbin's operations more deeply," Lauri states, appreciating the induction he received.

Speed is crucial in customer service

For Lauri, customer service is more than just sales work – it’s about quick response and good communication. In complaint situations, he believes that fast problem-solving can even strengthen customer relationships. "Speed and solution-orientation build trust," he emphasizes. Especially cooperation within Lehtovuori, for example, between sales and production, ensures that customer needs can be met smoothly.

Lauri feels that customer satisfaction is not only created by grand gestures, but even small actions can have a big impact. Small technical questions, such as instructions for installations or spare parts, can be critical for the customer, and a quick response can make the difference between good and excellent service.

Nature calms the sales professional

Work is important to Lauri, but nature hobbies bring balance to his daily life. Lauri loves fishing, mushroom picking, and berry picking, and he enjoys spending time in nature whenever possible. Lauri playfully calls himself "Finbin's hunter-gatherer 2024." According to him, being in nature is one of the few things that makes him pause.

"Even though I'm lively by nature, by the fishing waters I can calm down and spend eight hours quietly with a fishing rod," Lauri says. He finds nature an important counterpoint to work that requires constant communication and intensive customer interaction. Fishing and being in nature are also often topics of conversation with customers, as many working in the environmental sector share the same interests.

The importance of the work community and the best aspects of the job

For Lauri, one of the greatest strengths of working at Finbin is the good work community. Lauri considers Finbin's employees a resource that should be more recognized and acknowledged. He feels that he can have relaxed coffee breaks with colleagues and that a good atmosphere carries and gives energy even during busy times. "I wouldn't have stayed at Finbin for so long if it weren't for the people here whom I can truly call friends," Lauri says. Collaboration between different departments makes work smoother, and according to Lauri, it also shows in customer service.

In his work, Lauri particularly values long-term customer relationships that have developed over the years. He believes that the shared values and interests of the environmental sector form the basis for smooth cooperation. In customer encounters, Lauri tends to look for common ground, and fishing or hiking are often excellent topics of conversation. "When you find a common understanding with the customer, business flows more effortlessly," he notes.

Lehtovuori as a company – a safe and developing workplace

Lauri sees Finbin as a company that offers a safe and stable workplace where employees feel good. Finbin's long experience and financial soundness bring security to daily work, and the company offers opportunities for career development. Lauri feels that the company's growth has also brought challenges, but Lehtovuori has always been able to look ahead.

The company's ambition is reflected in its hunger for growth, and according to Lauri, this sometimes translates into growing pains and challenges. However, he emphasizes that Finbin has always been able to overcome obstacles and develop. "There are many good and skilled professionals here who don't rest on their laurels," Lauri says. He believes that cooperation within the company is key, and that is what has helped Finbin succeed.>