Altron Karabina has named James Hickman as its new chief customer officer.
He replaces Dave Ives who has transitioned into a digital advisory executive position.
Hickman joins Altron Karabina from SAQlik, where he was the MD and focused on strengthening client and partner relationships through actionable insights using data analytics. Prior to that, he spent 13 years at Microsoft in various roles ranging from corporate account manager through to leading the coastal, manufacturing and telecommunications customer teams.
“My passion for creating an amazing customer experience started when I worked as a waiter after leaving school,” says Hickman. “One of my regulars was so impressed, I was offered an interview at a computer business, setting in motion the events that have led me to this point. And with the nature of customer experience evolving faster than ever, I could not be happier with what I am doing now.”
Grant van der Wal, MD of Altron Karabina, adds: “We are excited to have James on board as an integral part of our leadership team. At Altron Karabina we have always been passionate about customers and about Microsoft. James brings these two focus areas together in an effortless way. He is well known in the industry for being a strong collaborator and team player and we know that these attributes will take our business and our customers’ businesses to new heights.”
Hickman says that in a traditional business he would be considered a sales manager but Altron Karabina adds a layer of complexity that extends this focus area considerably.
“I feel a deep responsibility to help ensure the success of the business. Ultimately, if I fail at my job, I impact everybody’s lives and that is something I take personally. While many view sales as a high-risk environment, I believe that if you do it right and use the data at your disposal, you remove that uncertainty and create longevity which does not come just by focusing on the numbers.”