"I work well under pressure"

Jelena, what do you like about being a product manager?
As a product manager, I am a fusion of many departments, working closely with everyone to achieve our goals - marketing, sales, production, finance, and more. I find the most interesting is communicating. And since I am also an architect, I can combine my technical knowledge with business knowledge.
 
Why did you decide to become a product manager rather than a traditional architect?
When I went to university, I did not plan to become a product manager. But now I know that it would be very hard for me and my character to sit in front of a computer for eight hours like many architects do. I like to interact with people, I like to think strategically, and I am not the typical technical person. So my job is something that just happened and fits my personality perfectly.
 
What fascinates you about Xella's products?
I saw that there was potential to do some innovation with these materials. Our blocks are not as easy to modify as other products in the building industry. But since we have many competitors in traditional materials, I thought it would be a challenge to beat them. We did this, for example, by successfully promoting our products in a project we call ”Façade strategy”, where we try to find new, suitable features of our blocks as an exterior façade concept.
 
How did you do that?
In Serbia, the façade walls are traditionally made of clay bricks, so when the final customer comes to buy apartments, he wants to see a clay brick with an insulation board. But in many ways we recognized a great opportunity to create a calcium-silicate lightweight block, which we called ‘Silka Light’, with great thermal and sound insulating properties. We offered it as a solution for façade walls. It was important for us not to emphasize the advantages for the investor himself, such as easier and cheaper transportation. No, we decided to create demand by communicating the added value for the investor’s final customer. The customer would appreciate not only the thermal conductivity, which everyone talks about, but also the soundproofing properties. We ensured our credibility by testing and certifying all properties of the blocks in a material testing institute in Serbia. All these decisions had a very positive effect on our sales. And this was not the only successful marketing strategy for Silka acoustic blocks.

In which other project did you work?
For example, there was our new sales project called 'Fono Concept'. It was actually a soundproofing strategy for internal partition walls made of Ytong FonoBlock and Silka blocks.  At that time, the market was just starting to talk and pay attention to sound insulation inside the building, but architects and construction companies didn’t have ready-to-use solution for this wall position yet.
We worked closely with the sales team to find a way to talk about soundproofing and appear as a solution provider when the focus was on that position. The good thing was that we already had an Ytong block with fitting characteristics, but we had never promoted it in that way. So we created a whole new marketing approach for this block: we redesigned it, we renamed it, we added new thicknesses and we started to communicate these features. At that time, we made an acquisition with Rapid, a Serbian calcium-silicate unit producer. This made it easier for us to expand the concept to include Silka blocks in addition to autoclaved aerated concrete.
When we talk about soundproofing, we were trendsetters and pioneers in this object position. We changed the vision of all parties involved in masonry construction and did something extraordinary for this industry in Serbia.

What personal qualities make you the right person for the position?
I'm very goal-oriented - when I know that I've done something that can be seen in the company's results, that's the biggest achievement for me, and it motivates me to be even better. I work well under pressure, which gives me strength and positive energy. Furthermore, I have a very energetic character, I am outspoken and not afraid to be a decision maker. I feel that company stands beside me and it gives me strength.
I have just been promoted to Regional Product Manager, what could be better motivation? What I did for Serbia, I am now doing for the entire Alpe-Adria region.
 
What do you do to relax and unwind?
For many years, I have been taking very long walks in the woods - not once or twice a week, but every day. It doesn't matter for how long, but the daily frequency is important. On weekends, I sometimes go for three or four hours. Being by myself clears my mind and makes me very happy. Fortunately, my husband and I live 40 kilometers outside of Belgrade, in a house in the middle of the forest, with the next neighbor about 100 meters away. When I go for a walk, I don't like to come back the same way, but find a circular route. That's why I know the forest so well.
 
How important is safety to you and your work?
Safety cannot be compromised! Since there is nothing more important than health, we must take care of ourselves and others. Taking care of an individual's health creates and strengthens a sense of togetherness and community among colleagues.