Samentha de Jong
Sales Operations is everything, except for sales
Who is NL-ix?
Behind the world of the Internet, behind the world of fibers, protocols, peers, and terabytes, are actual people making it all work. But who are these people? In other words: Who is NL-ix?
Today: 🤝 Samentha de Jong (Sam), Sales Operations
The difference between a frustrating experience and a seamless one often comes down to what happens behind the scenes. At NL-ix, Sam ensures that every detail in Sales Operations runs smoothly – making sure customers never have to worry about the complex processes behind their critical internet connections.
"Sales Operations does everything except sales," Sam explains. Her role involves managing the entire customer journey from initial quote to delivery through to invoicing. It's all in the details – that's what ensures NL-ix can deliver its services promptly and accurately, making it easier for customers to do business with the company.
Sam's journey to NL-ix is marked by a deep commitment to making processes work better. Prior to joining NL-ix, she spent many years at Verizon, where she honed her expertise in handling complex operations for one of the world's largest telecom companies. This experience equipped her with the skills to navigate the fast-paced world of internet infrastructure while keeping a customer-first mindset. This customer-centric approach is what drives her work today, ensuring every process is designed to make life easier for clients.
"It's common to focus only on technical specifications – bandwidth, latency, redundancy. But what really matters is how those technical elements come together in a service that's reliable and easy to implement. That's the real value we deliver."
For customers and partners, this means faster response times, more accurate documentation, and a smoother onboarding experience. The efficiencies created through Sales Operations translate directly into better service – whether that's quicker provisioning, clearer communication, or more transparent billing. Sam understands that every detail counts, and her ability to streamline these processes makes a tangible difference.
Beyond the office, Sam is equally passionate about her other commitments. An avid water polo player, she dedicates much of her free time to fundraising and supporting her local water polo club – combining her love of the sport with a drive to give back to the community. This same dedication and teamwork carry over to her professional life, where collaboration is key to delivering exceptional customer experiences. And when she's not improving processes or organising events, you'll likely find her exploring new destinations, as she loves to travel the world and gain fresh perspectives.
"It's common to focus only on technical specifications – bandwidth, latency, redundancy. But what really matters is how those technical elements come together in a service that's reliable and easy to implement. That's the real value we deliver."
Samentha de Jong
What Sam values most is seeing the real impact of process improvements. At NL-ix, with its collaborative environment, the results of her work are immediately visible. When a process is optimised, it creates a ripple effect throughout the organisation that ultimately reaches the customer. This direct connection between internal improvements and customer experience is particularly strong at NL-ix compared to the larger corporations where Sam previously worked.
"What makes NL-ix different is how we handle complexity for our customers," Sam explains. "Large organisations often have rigid processes that force clients to adapt to them. We do the opposite – we adapt our processes to fit what makes the most sense for each customer."
This flexibility stems directly from NL-ix's unique structure. Unlike massive corporations where departments rarely interact, NL-ix's international team works in close coordination. When a customer has specific requirements, Sam can quickly connect with provisioning specialists, engineers, and account managers to find tailored solutions. Her ability to work across teams is a reflection of her belief in teamwork – a value she learned through years of playing and supporting water polo.
The collaborative environment at NL-ix, with a diverse team representing approximately twelve nationalities, brings different perspectives together to solve problems more effectively. This diversity of thought helps identify solutions that work better for the varied customer base NL-ix serves across Europe. "It all comes down to making things work better for everyone – when our internal processes run smoothly, our partners and customers feel the difference in their daily interactions with us."
At NL-ix, Sam has found the perfect environment to apply her expertise in ways that create real value. The improvements she helps implement might not always be visible to customers directly, but they're felt in every interaction, helping NL-ix maintain its reputation for excellence in the industry.
