Why Lisa Sprenger loves the PRESTO and all things Temperature Control
It didn’t take long for Lisa Sprenger to realize JULABO was the right place for her. On one of her first customer visits, she experienced a kind of awe. To hear her tell it, she “felt like a kid in a candy store.” It wasn’t limited to that visit either; it kept happening. Even now, the feeling continues to expand. For Sprenger, it’s thrilling to see how customers use JULABO equipment to do extraordinary things, whether it’s sending a team of scientists into space, making and testing a product people depend on every day, or discovering the next cure for an illness or disease.
Sprenger has been with JULABO for six years as the territory account manager for Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. And while she loves visiting customers, she admits that it’s not just the customer visits that keep her interested in her work. She loves that with her job at JULABO; every day is a new challenge and a unique opportunity to help someone.
“No two days are alike. Every customer is different. There’s nothing repetitive about what we do. Everyone we help takes a slightly different approach and has unique needs. You don’t know what the day will bring, or who you will talk to. You’re always learning something new.” -Lisa Sprenger on why she loves being an account manager for JULABO USA.
Sprenger began working for scientific equipment manufacturers right out of college and has worked for some of the biggest suppliers in laboratory equipment, most of them in some form of temperature control. One of her sales professors at the University of North Carolina Wilmington saw something in her and recommended her for a customer service position, which quickly led to an opportunity in sales. Sales seemed like a good fit for Sprenger because it allowed her to meet people, learn new things, develop technical expertise, and travel. However, it’s not always been easy. She confesses that you have to be comfortable with learning-as-you-go.
“It doesn’t matter who you’re working for; you’ll encounter things you don’t know. You get thrown in the deep end, and you have to figure things out. It can be very technical, and you have to get used to the idea that you may not know the answer to someone’s question. Your job is to listen and then get them the answers they need. You can’t do this job by yourself. That’s where the company structure is important, where your colleagues come in. No one does this job alone. My customers know that. I’m quick to say, ‘Oh, Michelle, Frank, or service made that happen.’ I’m successful because I have the support of a whole team that’s customer-focused.” Lisa Sprenger on what it takes to succeed in temperature control sales.
The team environment is another reason she likes working with JULABO. When she sold benchtop and small lab equipment, the sales cycle was shorter and more straightforward. What she does now is more consultative, and it can take several conversations, calculations, and a series of questions to arrive at the best solution. This is what she loves to do, helping other people find solutions and new approaches. “I like to talk to people and help them,” she says. Helping people find the best way forward is part of her work ethic, and she doesn’t stop until she gets answers. She credits getting people the right information at the right time as part of her success.
“Follow-up and follow-through are more important than anything, more important than a quote. It’s how you help people that keeps them coming back. Repeat customers are the best way to measure your success. You know they trust you if they come back again and again.” – Lisa Sprenger
Sprenger says she’s been appreciative of her work and that she enjoys it so much, especially over the last few months. It’s kept her going and kept her excited. While she does miss traveling and seeing her customers face-to-face, she’s been delighted to do what she can to keep all sorts of businesses moving forward. Her vast territory means she interacts with many different industries, including pharmaceutical companies, biotech, petrochemicals, electronics, food and beverage, chemical companies, and more. She never knows if she’s going to be talking to a rocket scientist, an engineer, a biochemist, or a partner OEM or distributor.
Every day I discover something new, new industries will find us or an OEM will need our products to make their equipment work for a customer. You have all these meaningful relationships and all these different ways to help people. Our products are used in conjunction with other products, so we’re always collaborating and partnering to help find a solution. It’s never dull or predictable. – Lisa Sprenger
Sprenger’s enthusiasm for her job is contagious, and many of her colleagues turn to her for technical advice, especially when it comes to one product line in particular. If you want to understand just how much passion she has, all you have to do is ask her about JULABO’s Presto temperature control systems. She’s seen the difference they can make.
“The PRESTO has so many advanced technical features that I love. Rapid temperature changes are achieved quickly due to the PRESTO’s unique and segregated-three chamber design where the pump, heater and refrigeration components are separated. The internal expansion reservoir forms a hydraulic seal over the heating and cooling components, allowing you to work above the flashpoint of your fluid and also not worry about any ambient moisture condensation at low temperatures. The ability to quickly heat or cool, and to protect the external application with the integrated safety features without compromising its performance, are great features that enable our customers to achieve their desired results.”– Lisa Sprenger on why she loves JULABO’s PRESTO temperature control systems.
Because JULABO’s product line is highly technical, Sprenger has committed herself to as much hands-on experience as possible with the units. She loves to go in and show people what they can do and how to program them. “I like to visit customers and remind them of all the little things that make the units special. I get excited about these details and about sharing them,” Sprenger said.
Throughout this pandemic, Sprenger has maintained her excitement for her job. Her appreciation for her work has deepened, and she’s gotten some new perspective. She admits that she’s always enjoyed being home and used to long for a full week in her home office, but now she sees how much she enjoyed being on the road, visiting customers, seeing their facilities, and talking all things temperature control and football, especially when she can rave about her beloved Carolina Panthers.
When you have curly hair, you want straight hair. When you’re on the road, you want to be home. Now that I’m home, I want to be on the road. I never thought I’d miss being stuck in the Dallas airport at 10 pm, but I see now that there’s something great about that privilege.” – Lisa Sprenger
Sprenger reminds us that it’s easy for us to get comfortable with a particular lifestyle and way of being; we may even start to take it for granted. She looks forward to little things like getting her nails done with a girlfriend, browsing at Marshall’s, taking a class at the gym, enjoying queso and fajitas at her favorite Mexican food, and even waiting in line.
My family is in Germany, and I don’t know if I can travel and see them for Christmas, they were supposed to visit me in June, which didn’t happen. I can’t control these things or get stressed. I think about my grandparents experiencing WWII and the Depression, and I appreciate what I have. I love my job. I’m so thankful to have it to occupy my time and give me purpose and direction. There’s so much to be grateful for.” – Lisa Sprenger
When you need advice on liquid temperature control equipment, Lisa Sprenger is a great ally. As she says, she can’t do it alone, it’s why JULABO works as a team to ensure you get the consultation and solutions you need. We call this approach the Human Element and it’s our most important feature and benefit. To read more stories like this one, visit JULABO’s Human Element page.
