Scott Sole joined the Plane & Simple team as our Partner Development Manager in April. He has over 20 years’ sales experience, gained across a variety of industries. Scott began his career in South Africa, where he worked in a range of sectors from food and drink to freight sales and shipping. He’s worked with several start-ups both in South Africa and in the UK and says he thrives on the challenges and opportunities associated with being part of a new and evolving company.
What does your job involve?
In general terms, my job is all about educating customers about the Plane & Simple website, what we offer and bringing new partners onto the website. We call the merchants we work with partners, because they are, and I think that’s one of the things that sets us apart – we’re working in partnership with people to deliver a great customer experience that everyone benefits from.
What are you excited about right now?
Educating potential partners is something I’m really looking forward to. I’m really excited to be involved with Plane & Simple at this point in our journey – it’s still got a really inclusive and collaborative vibe, there’s a real openness to new ideas which I love.
One of the things I’ve noticed since working in the UK is that customers and partners are a lot more open to new ideas and to the possibilities of e-commerce, even in more traditional sectors such as the building trade.
Where do you see Plane & Simple going in the next 3 years?
By 2025, online marketplaces will account for over 50% of overall online spend, so I definitely see us growing. I’ve only been here for three months, and – thanks to Glen’s leadership – I can see that things are going to grow exponentially.
How do you select merchants to become Plane & Simple partners?
We aren’t just looking for anyone – it’s about quality over quantity, we want to work with merchants who already have a strong local pedigree. We do a lot of research before we approach a merchant; we look at online reviews and their pricing. Once we start talking, it’s about helping them understand who we are, what a marketplace is and how it works. The bottom line is we have an amazing website and opportunity and we want quality merchants onboard to help us take things forward.
What’s the benefit for the customer?
Our site gives merchants who don’t currently offer online sales an instant online store. For merchants who already offer ecommerce, we bring incremental sales with no risk. By joining Plane & Simple, merchants instantly become omnichannel and are able to attract a brand-new higher margin customer set.
What’s something interesting about you?
I love to surf! However, since moving to the UK, I haven’t had an opportunity to find a good place to get back out on the waves.
