Multilingual listener with a great sense of humor: Francis Au

Thanks to his studies in languages and linguistics, Francis has a faster and better understanding of the meaning behind the words. He hears what they say and what they don't say. Whatever country in Asia he might be in at any given moment, Francis listens in several languages. He also speaks four languages: Japanese, Mandarin, English, and Cantonese. And if that wasn’t enough, he has taken up the challenge of all challenges: learning Dutch.

“Focusing on the customer, doing business, and then relaxing fits me perfectly.”

Francis Au

Getting to know each other in Japan

Within Nedap Retail, Francis ensures that he gets to know potential customers very well. This started on his first day of work when he flew to Japan for a meeting. He immediately created a strong connection with a valuable contact whom Nedap Retail can now count as a customer. Together with his colleague Oscar, they went for a drink after the meeting. This combination of focusing on the customer, doing business, and then relaxing is typical of Nedap and fits Francis perfectly.

“I listen to what customers say and what they don’t say, regardless of language.”

Francis Au

Continuous learning

Learning, learning and more learning is what Francis lives for. He always asks questions, so many questions that his team in Asia limits him to three questions a day. This is quite the challenge for Francis! Prior to a conversation with potential customers, Francis thoroughly explores their business, their challenges, and possible solutions. He also studies the local language and local habits thoroughly in order to take them into account. For example, if he is talking to a potential client in Japan, he knows ahead of time that they will never sign a contract the first time they meet. First they have to work on building their relationship. From there a discussion about the background of the project, the history of the company, and a possible collaboration will start. In Singapore and Hong Kong, conversations are mostly about figures, facts, and statistics so Francis makes sure that he has them ready.

“I love to learn new things every day. And Nedap allows me to do just that.”

Francis Au

Cultural inspiration

Doing business with a diverse group of people from various cultural backgrounds is a great source of inspiration for Francis. He likes to get to know people and when he’s not getting to know people firsthand, he reads biographies. He then uses the knowledge he gains to better understand his clients. In the end, he says reading a biography in public instead of a Manga comic looks more intelligent anyways.

Work hard, play hard

During weekends, Francis loves to spend time with family and friends. Soccer Sunday is a so-called healthier way of being together than spending time in bars, like in the old days.

He experiences Nedap as: energetic, inspiring, relaxed, and cheerful. These are characteristics with which he can just as easily describe himself!

Sales Manager APAC

Francis Au

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