Meet Kirsten Mauchline, problem-solver

• This month, we catch up with Kirsten Mauchline, who is Wireline Services Sales Manager for our Oilfield Services division in Norway. She has worked at Baker Hughes for 8 years, and is based in Blomsterdalen, Hordaland, a city not far from Bergen on the western side of the country.

Q: What does it take to be a great sales manager?

People always want to work with people they know. To be a good sales manager, you need to get to know your client. Be friendly and always available to advise where you can. It’s good to keep an eye on all operations, listen out for any struggles the customer may be experiencing, and approach them with solutions. To be able to do this, you have to have confidence in your company, your products, and yourself. I think people underestimate how much being in Sales actually means solving customer problems. u need to be knowledgeable outside your own product line, understand who to connect with solve a technical challenge, or know how to collaborate with your customer to come up with creative solutions.

Q: So, what does that look like? Can you tell us about how you solve customer challenges?

One of my customers had a drilling support crisis, where no operation was a simple one. They organized 24-hour shifts onshore to support their operations offshore at the wellsite. It put us in a tough position to be available round-the-clock, but my team and I worked out a schedule to be available whenever the customer might need us. It took two months to get back on track, but in the end, we gained immense trust for future collaboration.

In another situation, one of our customers was having difficulty collecting pressure data from tight formations. I brought the issue to our Technology team and we came up with several innovative, yet simple solutions. By continuously working to improve our packer systems and technology, we managed to collect data that was originally deemed unachievable. This meant we could provide our customer valuable information, while significantly reducing rig time and costs. It’s really incredible to see how small changes and clever design can have a large impact.

Q: What’s something unique about working in Norway that you won’t find anywhere else in Baker Hughes?

I’m still relatively new to the team in Bergen and I travel at least once a week to the Technology Solutions Center in Stavanger. Our small team works across all product lines, so we really get to see firsthand the scope and scale of Baker Hughes’ portfolio and we are able to represent that.  

But the best thing about being here is that you can walk out the door and be at the top of the Bergen mountains in less than 30 minutes. It's got a great buzz, and for good reason. There's fresh seafood, pubs with local brews, food markets, and lots of activities close by. Being such an active place, it's been easy to meet new people who have similar interests. I even found a group of thrill seekers up to the challenge of jumping into the freezing sea (fjords) with me.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given, whether personal or professional?

“Never take the easy route.” That’s something I tell myself every time I make an important decision. Professionally, this means always pushing myself outside my comfort zone. I want to ensure I’m always learning and challenging myself. In my personal life, it means reaching for new goals and challenges – trying a new sport or activity, traveling to new countries, and hiking. Life’s an adventure, and I’m ready to explore it all!