In this interview, we talk with Igors Golubevs, Sales Director of Schneider Electric Latvia, about his journey, starting from an early technical role at ABB to his transition into sales, eventually leading to his current position at Schneider Electric. He discusses the characteristics of the Baltic markets, the growing importance of digital tools in modern B2B sales strategies and why electricians are their hottest influencers.
Igors will be presenting his case study on how to adapt global sales strategies for the Baltic market during the upcoming Big Fish sales conference in Riga.
Let’s start with your background: how did you get into this line of work, and what’s your journey been like so far?
After university, I started as a trainee at ABB, mainly in programming. That’s where I learned about PLCs (programmable logic controllers) and how things work on a technical level. After the trainee program, I stayed on as a programmer, but within about a year, I switched to the sales department.
From there, I spent around 13 years in ABB, covering various positions, especially in sales, from handling distributors to being responsible for specific product groups. I’ve seen sales from multiple angles during that time.
Then, in 2017, I joined Schneider Electric as the sales director for Latvia, which broadened my responsibilities, but still within the same industry.

How different are Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania from your perspective?
In the Baltics, we’re organised by country, so I oversee Latvia, but we also have a sales director in each of the other Baltic countries. However, when it comes to supporting functions like marketing or offer management, we look at the Baltics as one market.
So, while each country has its own dedicated sales team, our approach to things like new product launches and brand awareness initiatives tends to be regional.
From a global perspective, the Baltics can seem like one small market, but there are real differences between the countries. Take Estonia, for example. It’s the smallest country, but not necessarily the smallest in terms of sales. We feel a strong Nordic influence there—big OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) have chosen Estonia instead of Finland for production, which boosts sales.
In Lithuania, we see a lot of partners who buy our products, add their own value—like creating distribution switchboards—and then export them to Europe.
Latvia, on the other hand, has its own dynamic. The investment landscape, the proportion of different types of customers and channels, all of that varies across the countries.
How big is your sales team in Latvia?
We currently have nine people specifically focused on sales in Latvia.
There’s a lot of talk in the media about how younger generations, especially Gen Z, aren’t as interested in sales jobs, or at least not in the same way as before. Do you find this to be true? And when you’re hiring, what are you looking for in a good salesperson?
Yes, it’s true that young people today often have different priorities, and sales might not always be at the top of their list. But we’re still finding talented people.
When I’m hiring, what I focus on most is market knowledge. The ecosystem of sales—how you get products to market, who the customers are, and how the value chain works—that’s pretty stable and doesn’t change rapidly.
So, I look for three things: expertise, meaning someone who understands the product and the market; our product basket, which we develop to meet market needs; and the partner ecosystem, which is critical for how we go to market.
In an ideal world, we’re hiring people who already know these areas well. But that’s not always the case. Many of our salespeople start in our customer care center. There, they interact with customers daily, learning what’s important to them and understanding our products inside out. After a few years, they may move into sales with a strong foundation of market knowledge.
The customer care center seems like a great way to groom future salespeople. But it does require a certain personality type, right? Sales and customer service aren’t exactly the same thing.
You’re absolutely right. There are some key differences. People in customer service tend to be more focused on solving problems, while salespeople—especially those dealing with large projects or construction—need to be more outgoing, persistent, and at times even a bit pushy.
That said, both roles require a strong customer-oriented mindset. I’ve found that project salespeople, for instance, need the mental strength to deal with obstacles, offer alternative solutions, and keep pushing to close a deal, especially in competitive markets like construction. It’s not just about answering questions; it’s about driving things forward.
Do you do much cold-calling or anything along those lines? How do you approach finding new business?
We do have cold-calling, yes. Internally, we refer to it as virtual sales. We have two types of salespeople: field sales reps, who primarily meet customers in person, and virtual sales reps, who mostly work with customers digitally.
Many clients today want quick answers and commercial offers without the need for an in-person meeting.
Virtual sales are growing rapidly within Schneider Electric because customer needs are changing. Many clients today want quick answers and commercial offers without the need for an in-person meeting. It’s also more efficient.
In large countries, for example, traveling to meet a customer can take half a day. So, our virtual salespeople spend about 80% of their time interacting with customers digitally and 20% face-to-face. For our field reps, it’s the reverse—80% in-person and 20% digital.
It sounds like virtual sales are becoming a key part of your strategy. What role does marketing play in all of this?
Marketing plays a huge role, especially in demand creation. In many cases, the products we sell—like MCBs (miniature circuit breakers) or electrical drives—are standard items, with lots of competitors offering similar products. So, it’s critical for us to differentiate ourselves.
Our R&D team works hard to develop products with unique benefits, and marketing’s job is to make sure potential customers understand those advantages. We want them to know why they should choose our products, even if it means paying a bit more. Marketing helps us communicate the specific features and benefits that make our products better suited to a customer’s needs.
How do you create that demand? What channels do you use to reach these customers?
We use a variety of channels. For instance, we publish articles on platforms like Delfi, which reach a broad audience. We’re also active on social media, and we make use of our partnerships.
Distributors, in particular, play a big role, since most customers buying electrical products will go through a distributor. They know the companies operating in the market, and we leverage that relationship. It’s a mix of methods, really.

What about e-commerce? It seems like even in B2B, more and more businesses are ready to buy from e-shops. What’s your approach?
E-commerce is definitely growing. Many of our partners have developed their own e-shop platforms. Some of these are closed B2B systems, where existing customers can log in to place orders or check prices. Others have opened their platforms to a wider audience, allowing end-users to see prices and order products online.
For Schneider, we have the "MySchneider" platform, which allows any customer—whether they’re an electrician, a distributor, or an end-user—to access our tools and services. It’s a single portal where customers can check product specs, create a shopping cart, and even order products through our partners.
So the platform simplifies things for your customers. Do you also create content, like instructional videos, to help them use your products?
Yes, we do. Short, easily digestible videos have become really important, especially for educating customers on complex topics. We often take global content and localise it for the Baltic markets. This means translating it and sometimes using local experts to present the content.
We also create our own local content, especially for specific product launches or marketing campaigns. It’s something we plan to expand in the near future, particularly for customer groups like electricians, who play a critical role in the residential market. These are people homeowners trust to make decisions about electrical installations, so it’s important to keep them informed about the latest technology and standards.
It sounds like electricians have a lot of influence, especially in residential projects.
Exactly. In Latvia, for example, there’s no legal requirement to have an electrical project when building a house. So, in many cases, the electrician acts as both the installer and the designer. This means they’re making key decisions about what products to use, and they may not always be up-to-date on the latest standards.
Take RCDs (residual current devices), for instance. There’s an older AC type that’s still widely used, but newer appliances—like modern washing machines—require more advanced protection. Not every electrician is aware of these changes, so part of our role is to educate them through content like short videos that explain these nuances in an easy-to-understand way.
How often are you producing these types of videos?
We’re ramping up our efforts. Right now, we’ve produced a few dozen localized videos, but we’re planning to create more. It’s definitely a direction we’re moving toward, especially as we see customer groups who influence end-user decisions but may not always have access to the latest information.
Lastly, what do you see as the future of sales in your industry? Do you think the role of the salesperson will continue to evolve?
Absolutely. The rise of digital tools and e-commerce is changing the landscape. Salespeople will need to adapt and be more flexible, especially as customers become more informed and more comfortable making decisions online.
But at the core, sales will always be about building relationships and understanding customer needs. The tools we use might change, but the fundamentals of good sales—listening, solving problems, and delivering value—will always be important.
Igors will be presenting his case study on how to adapt global sales strategies for the Baltic market during the upcoming Big Fish sales conference in Riga.