To be legendary, you have to be an expert
Meet Sergey, a product owner at Beeline Russia. In this interview, he gives insights on everything from tech convergence and product testing to visualizing problems and mastering skills (as well as some great info about where to camp).
Here’s your task: Create a product that satisfies 60 million customers. Are you up for the challenge? Sergey, a leader on the convergence team at Beeline Russia, is conquering such a challenge. During this interview, learn just how he’s doing that (along with some cool tidbits about his personal life).
Your career path is super cool. Tell us more.
I worked as a consultant, but that didn’t really fit me. It was way too many PowerPoints. After consultancy, I went into eCommerce. This was an interesting direction, as it was kind of bridge into my work at Beeline. As soon as I arrived at Beeline as a product owner, I realized there is a whole other level to this role.
What’s one interesting difference between your previous role in eCommerce and your project here at Beeline?
Both prove the importance of product testing. But the way A/B testing is done, for example, is much different. In the eCommerce world, it’s all about the user interface, like figuring out what color the call-to-action should be or which email subject line would convert better. In our case, it’s about changing the algorithm and it is about thorough preparation of all the systems in order to optimize conversion. We get different segments of subscribers, and then we run experiments with actual sales calls (or via some other sales channels). If the experiment is successful and the conversion rates are aligned with the experiment goal then we will scale those experiments to other segments.
Can you tell us more about what you’re doing at Beeline?
My main product is convergence, which is quite complex and is a product without an interface. It is a huge back-end instrument for a lot of internal customers within Beeline Russia. It depends on a lot of different sources of information and algorithms, and you have to understand all the different technologies and data. We are trying to connect it all into one working mechanism so that we can give the end customer a more integrated product. Our final goal is to be able to sell our products to our customers in a super-targeted way, in bundles, which will lead to a higher conversion. In simple terms we’re trying to get mobile customers to sign up for internet (plus some more services for households), and vice-versa. Right now, we want to boost originality and functionality of our data-marts, which we hope will lead to expanded coverage and better conversion accuracy. We are also rating our customers on a base of their location.
Beeline has over 60 million customers in Russia. That must make it tough. Do you visualize problems and solutions?
What I do is draw funnels of big data. Seeing it all within a funnel really helps me understand the market. It also makes it easier to see how to put all that data to work. After all, out of all the companies in Russia, Beeline probably has the most data. That data needs to direct us to find solutions and start creating applications, games, and other products that really speak to the customer.
Is there an application or startup that you really like?
I love hipcamp.com, which is a California startup that aggregates campsites. I love to camp, so the content interests me because you can find some great unknown spots. The beautiful interface is inspiring, too. It’s clean yet visually stunning, and easy to use. Every time I visit the site, I am reminded of the importance to get out to nature. You can’t always be in the office!
Any books you like?
This one is a must. Whether you need to ask for a raise at work, request a better hotel room while you’re on holiday, or even debate with your stubborn teenager at home, you can learn effective and powerful negotiation skills to help you get the best deal every time.
So, you like to travel. Where do you enjoy going?
Having a work-life balance is important, so I make a point to do things outside of work. One place I really like is Karelia. It’s a gorgeous region with a lot of pristine lakes and neat architecture. Now, I’m not traveling too much because I have a baby daughter. Most days, I’m in a hurry to get off work and go hang out with her. I do want her to travel a lot, so I plan to take her to Karelia once she’s a bit older.
How does your playlist look?
Well. Listen below:)
What advice would you give your childhood self?
Have a reason for what you learn. Learn a craft — and learn it well. A lot of people go all over the place with no direction, and the depth of knowledge isn’t great. It’s the experts that make great things happen.
So, being an expert is important, right?
Absolutely. A lot of universities, even the great ones in Russia and other countries, are too broad. I believe you need to specialize. That’s why I like sites like Habrahabr.ru, a Russian collaborative blog that’s all about tech and products. It helps me stay knowledgeable about what’s going on in my field, rather than trying to cover everything.
There is much wisdom to be taken from Sergey’s interview. After all, trying to satisfy 60 million customers each day is no easy feat. But Sergey and his team are accomplishing this tall order by using technology, visualizing solutions, and constantly testing. Their ultimate goal is to master the product creation process. His team’s model is a good one for anyone to follow.
Just remember: As Sergey says, it’s easy to get off-track in today’s world. Stay awake — and focused on the bigger goal ahead. You’ll be amazed by what you can achieve.
