How does Oscar become the top sales at Airwallex?

Welcome to our first edition of business gurus interview, where we bring you invaluable insights from top business gurus to help you excel in your roles. Today, we had the privilege of sitting down with Oscar Fung, a serial entrepreneur, investor, and currently a top-performing salesperson at Airwallex, one of Asia's leading fintech unicorns. Oscar has rapidly climbed the ranks to become a top international sales performer. In our interview, he revealed his strategies and secrets to success. Here are the highlights:

What Do You Do at Airwallex?

"I work as a Sales Development Representative (SDR) at Airwallex. My main responsibilities include:

• Handling the top of the sales funnel

• Generating and qualifying leads

• Introducing Airwallex’s value propositions

• Setting up meetings for Account Executives (AEs)

I focus specifically on mid-sized companies to ensure a steady stream of prospects for our team."

What’s the Difference Between Selling Airwallex and Other Products?

"My previous companies were in market research and consumer rewards industry, which are relatively straightforward. Selling Airwallex, a fintech platform, is different because it involves:

• Privacy and money matters

• Clients having more questions about credibility

• The need to build trust, not just sell a product

Example: In market research, clients are primarily interested in data quality. In fintech, they are concerned about the security of their money and data, making trust paramount."

Which Type of Salesperson Are You?

"I'm not an aggressive salesperson. I avoid daily check-ins with prospects because I believe it can be off-putting. Instead, I focus on building relationships. My goal is to be the most trusted advisor among all the salespeople, so that I can increase customer stickiness.

• Relationship-Driven: Building trust is my priority.

• Non-Aggressive: I don’t push for daily updates, which can annoy clients.

• Long-Term Focus: I aim for sustained relationships rather than quick wins."

How Do You Build Trust?

"I estimate potential concerns my clients might have and address them before they even bring them up. I deeply believe in two principles:

• Transparency and Honesty: These create trust, which is crucial in fintech because people need to trust who they give their money to.

• Understanding Customer Needs: Knowing more about the customers’ needs than they do themselves helps position you as an advisor rather than just a salesperson.

Example: If I sense a client’s concern about security, I proactively explain how regulated and secure we are before they even ask. This demonstrates that I care about their business rather than just trying to sell them something."

What Are Your Secret Tricks for Prospecting Call?

"I love asking, 'Who is your current vendor and how is the experience so far?' This helps me understand if there’s any value I can offer. If they’re satisfied with their current vendor, I move on. If not, I dig deeper into their needs and use open-ended questions to steer the conversation. I try my best to ask:

• Open-Ended Questions: Keep the conversation going and avoid a straight 'No.'

• Guided Questions: Direct the discussion towards uncovering needs.

Example: If a prospect says they are unhappy with their current vendor's customer service, I then ask, 'Can you tell me more about the issues you’ve faced?' to identify how Airwallex can better serve them."

How Do You Maintain an Ever-Growing Pipeline?

"I receive ongoing referrals from prospects and existing clients. About 70% of my qualified leads this month come from referrals. This goes back to my points of being a trusted advisor. Clients are more likely to refer you if they trust you and know you can get things done, rather than just seeing you as someone pushing for KPIs.

• Referrals: 70% of my leads come from client referrals.

• Trust-Based Relationships: Clients refer me because they trust I will help their friends, not just push for sales.

• Client Perspective: Salespeople always want referrals, but if you put yourself in your client's shoes, you wouldn’t want to refer an aggressive salesperson to your friends because it would bother them.

I had a prospect I nurtured for nine months without pushing for a quick close. By helping them solve problems whenever they needed me, they referred many high-quality leads to me. It’s simple: clients will refer deals to you if you are a person that gets things done instead of pushing them to help you hit your KPIs."

Which Book Has Impacted You the Most on Your Sales Journey?

"Good to Great has significantly influenced my sales journey. It’s a book that has shaped my approach to achieving excellence in my career."

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