What do ice hockey and smart solutions for urban environments have in common? The answer is Aarni, our new colleague who will be developing EWF’s and Saferoad Citylife’s presence in the Finnish market.
With extensive industry experience and about ten years in product management, Aarni brings with him both market knowledge and an established network in Finland. In his new role, he looks forward to expanding EWF’s and Saferoad Citylife’s presence in the Finnish market and introducing solutions that create long-term value for municipalities, property owners, and other customers.
– I see this as an opportunity to further strengthen our presence in Finland and create value for our customers here. At the same time, it’s an exciting opportunity to draw on the experience and contacts I’ve built up in Finland over the years.
Closer to the Customer
With ten years of experience in product management, Aarni is looking forward to returning to a role that involves closer contact with customers and building long-term relationships.
– As a product manager, I naturally had contact with customers, but that’s not the same as being directly involved in the sales process and building a relationship over time. I’ve missed being closer to the customer and having that ongoing dialogue.
One of the things Aarni appreciates about sales is that the results are tangible. They can be seen in the numbers, but also in the relationship with the customer—in how satisfied the customer is with the solution, how well it works in their project, and the value created together along the way.
– I like being able to see the results in a tangible way, both in the numbers and when the customer is satisfied with the products and the support we provide.
Quality and Long-Term Value
According to Aarni, quality and durability are key factors in creating value for the customer.
The products need to address a specific need right now, but they should also perform well over time and contribute to a more efficient use of resources.
Bigbelly is an example where multiple benefits come together. Smart waste management helps customers use their work time more efficiently and reduce unnecessary handling, while also contributing to more resource-efficient operations.
ECO Charge adds another dimension to the offering.
As a new business area in Finland, it creates opportunities to meet the growing need for a structured and secure charging infrastructure for electric bicycle batteries—at workplaces, among property owners, and in other settings where micromobility is becoming an increasingly important part of daily travel.
Saferoad Citylife’s products share this same long-term perspective. Durable materials, high quality, and a long service life contribute to solutions designed to deliver value over time.
Together, these three areas provide Aarni with a broad range of opportunities in Finland, from smart waste management and charging infrastructure to sustainable solutions for public spaces.
Business is still all about people
Despite new technology, connected solutions, and formal procurement processes, Aarnis’s view of sales is simple:
– The most important thing is to build good relationships. Ultimately, sales is about people connecting with people. Everything becomes much easier when you have good relationships.
He also sees many similarities between Sweden and Finland when it comes to business culture. According to Aarni, both countries are characterized by openness and relatively flat hierarchies.
But there might be a slight difference.
“I get the feeling that Swedes like to discuss things a little more,” he says with a laugh. “Finns are perhaps a little more direct, and sometimes decisions can be made a little faster.”
At the same time, he is careful to describe this as merely a feeling, rather than a scientific comparison.
And then there was that hockey story
No introduction to Aarni is truly complete without the story of how, about 30 years ago, he traveled to New Zealand as an exchange student and played in the New Zealand national ice hockey championship.
There was just one problem: officially, he wasn't on the roster.
When a player was unable to participate, Aarni had to step in. Since the team could no longer change the registered name, Aarni simply played the championship under the other player’s identity.
“It’s actually a completely true story,” he says.
The team didn't win the championship, but at least the story lives on.
It may be an unusual story, but it also says something about Aarni: he’s comfortable stepping into new situations, becoming part of a team, and adapting when circumstances change.
These qualities will come in handy as he takes on his new role and continues to build strong relationships with customers in Finland.
Together with EWF and Saferoad Citylife, Aarni brings together several areas of great relevance to Finnish municipalities and property owners, ranging from smart waste management and charging infrastructure to sustainable solutions for public spaces.
And if anyone is wondering how best to welcome Aarni to the team, there’s at least one simple clue.
His favorite dish?
Meatballs. Swedish ones, of course.
If you'd like to talk to Aarni about smart waste management, charging infrastructure, solutions for public spaces, or maybe even ice hockey, please feel free to contact him at a.mertala@ewfeco.com
