Optimising sales with data: Kian van Holst’s experience at CM.com

What kind of projects or tasks were you involved in during your placement? 

Kian: 'My main task was to analyse internal data and develop smarter solutions to enhance sales, and customer success strategies. My biggest project was designing a model to make our sales process more proactive. CM.com offers around 30 different products, but the majority of customers only use 1 or 2 products. I built a recommendation model to help sales representatives identify cross-sell and upsell opportunities, using customer data, industry, and revenue to rank potential matches.’ 

‘It started with a very open brief: “How can we allocate our sales representatives as efficiently as possible?” With around 10,000 active clients globally and limited resources, the goal was to identify high-potential accounts. I explored indicators of growth potential and built a system that helped prioritise clients. This turned into a full digital solution: sales reps received ready-made insights about which clients to approach, what to offer, and why, all backed by data.' 

What was the most valuable thing you learned during your time there? 

Kian: 'While my technical skills were solid thanks to our project-based curriculum, my biggest growth came in soft skills. I learned a lot about stakeholder management and internal networking. At CM, I was part of the Revenue Operations team, but my work supported all the sales departments across various business units and global offices. That meant I had to take initiative and reach out to people I hadn’t met before, to get the insights I needed. It was a challenge at first, but it taught me how to build relationships and communicate effectively across departments.' 

How did the placement match your expectations going in? Anything that surprised you? 

Kian: 'CM.com exceeded my expectations in many ways. The office is beautiful, and the company culture is a mix of professional and playful, with lots of young, motivated people. Many of my colleagues were only a few years older than me, they treated me like a full team member, not just an intern.’ 

‘What surprised me most was how much trust I was given. I had to overcome the challenge of stepping out of my comfort zone and actively managing stakeholders. Initially, I didn’t do this enough, but I realised the best way to move forward and grow was by talking to people and asking questions.' 

Do you have a tip for students looking for a work placement? 

‘I would definitely recommend doing an internship at CM.com. It is a great opportunity to work on meaningful projects in a supportive and forward-thinking environment.’  

‘One tip for students looking for internships: everyone goes for the big names like Tesla, BMW, ASML, Amazon, Apple or Google. But at smaller or mid-sized companies, there is less competition and more opportunity to make an impact. Every company has data and a need to optimise their processes, so think outside the box!' 

Did the experience influence your ideas about your future career path? 

Kian: 'Definitely. I have always been interested in a lot of different areas. During my internship, I explored how I could add value with my background in AI and data science. I discovered how important software development is, so I am planning to specialise in that during my upcoming exchange in Austria. Ultimately, I see myself bridging the gap between technology and consumers, drawing on my background in media (editor’s note: Kian also holds a Creative Business diploma) to solve problems from start to finish, whether working independently or leading a team. I would love to become a lead or product owner in the future, someone who combines technical know-how with strategic thinking and creativity.' 

What was the biggest challenge you faced, and how did you handle it? 

Kian: 'My biggest challenge was being too ambitious. Every time I spotted an opportunity, I wanted to right jump on it. I had to learn to prioritise and say no, both to others and to myself. I also encountered the limits of what I could accomplish during my internship. Time being the biggest limitation. There were promising ideas around data quality and process improvement that I explored, but couldn’t finish. It was a lesson in focusing on the most impactful tasks first.' 

What’s next for you? 

Kian: 'I am staying at CM.com over the summer to tie up loose ends and continue improving internal processes.’ 

‘Next academic year, I will go on exchange to Austria to take more software development courses. I want to be able to build AI tools that aren’t just smart, but also usable, tools that people with no technical background can actually work with.’  

‘In the meantime, I am keeping busy. I will soon start my graduation project with a company looking to expand internationally. I will be helping them optimise and automate their processes so they can grow with their current team size.’ 

You can connect with Kian on LinkedIn.