WeAreDelphix: Meet Alison Samwell

Based in the UK, Alison Samwell is a Delivery Manager at Delphix. We caught up with Alison to learn more about her role, career journey, and what makes Delphix special.

Tell us about what you do at Delphix.

I am a Delivery Manager in EMEA. Alongside my colleague Emma St. George, I work with both new and existing customers to oversee their deployment projects. My team is one of the first to interact with customers and discuss services, milestones, and timeline required to ensure they achieve a return on investment as soon as possible. I get to engage with all members of the Delphix team from Sales to Customer Success and all the roles in between, including Engineering and Marketing. But it goes without saying, my closest professional relationship is with our amazing Professional Services team, who is literally by my side from day 1 all the way through deployment.

How did you get started in your field, and what brought you to Delphix?

I started my career in income tax collections for Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC), the tax authority of the U.K. government. After a few years, I pursued a role in project management at Bradford & Bingley, a British bank that offers mortgages, insurance, and wealth management services. I eventually made my way into the healthcare and data space where I remained, albeit in various roles, until 2017.

My passion for data and data science came from my time with the National Health Service and the National Institute for Health Research, where I was working with some of the most amazing data scientists in the world. Seeing how data can change the way we live not only in wealth but in health is fascinating and will always hold my attention. I was introduced to Delphix by a former colleague, Carl Ferrer, who is currently Chief Technology Officer of FWD View—a Delphix partner. He and I were collaborating on a large health research project at the time. Our work together resulted in a large reduction in the gap from bench to bedside—which is the process of taking research results from the lab into the clinic, so that it can directly benefit patients. The rest as they say is history.

Which of our core values resonates with you the most, and why: Curiosity, Clarity, Continuous Excellence, Care?

At my own core, Continuous Excellence and Care resonate with me the most. I pride myself on my relationships with customers and going the extra mile to ensure they get the best possible service and experience with Delphix. Over the past four years, I have had the amazing opportunity to get to know our customers, figure out what makes them tick, and manage their expectations. The best feeling in the world is taking a customer issue, fixing it, getting back to the project without ever skipping a beat with our professional relationship and leaving the customer over the moon with the results.

What’s your favorite/most memorable project at Delphix?

The most rewarding part about my role is when I’m able to build a relationship with the customer to the point that contact is never forced and the customer wants to work with us because they trust us. Some of the most difficult projects have been saved because of the huge amount of trust they have in my team.

The most memorable project was most recently with an organisation dependent upon business intelligence (BI). The customer was battling with their own internal waterfall processes, and the expectations and perceptions of Delphix were not aligned with the reality of the installation. This resulted in some really difficult conversations that often included having to break news that did not necessarily fit their expectations. But that open, honest, and direct approach with the customer resulted in a very trusting relationship. When the project finished, the team and I were treated to a lovely monologue from the customer summing up the project and thanking us for constantly going the extra mile to make the project work. As hard as it had been throughout the entire process, that feedback made it all worthwhile.

What makes working at Delphix special?

The people make Delphix a pretty special place to work. Regardless of role, we work together as one team to help customers drive successful digital transformation programs using data. Whenever I need help or there is something the customer needs that I don’t understand, there is always someone prepared to jump on a call. I had a recent discussion with a prospective customer who was concerned that use of the support desk did not involve them picking up the phone to raise a ticket. They wanted that human connection. It was fabulous to be able to jump on a call with them to explain how our engagement works and that they will always be able to speak to a member of our staff, whatever stage they are at and for whatever reason. I think that personal touch is something we excel at, and customers really notice!

What are the three most important things in your life?

My family, health, and happiness. All very cliche, but cliches exist for a reason!

What’s a fun fact about you that people may not know?

I spent 2.5 years serving in the West Yorkshire Police Force as a volunteer constable in one of the most notoriously dangerous areas in Yorkshire.

Alison Samwell Delphix spotlight

3 songs that make your personal soundtrack:

  • “Something Inside” by Labi Siffre

  • “Happy Hour” by HouseMartins

  • “Left Right” by Chemical Brothers