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Interview
Can you give some more details around your current role at Alibaba – what might a typical day look like and what sorts of projects are you working on ? My role has changed quite a lot in the past three years . As per Alibaba ' s philosophy , “ change is constant ,” so , just like a start-up , I constantly pivot and adapt as we work to improve our services .
We work closely with teams based in the headquarters in Hangzhou , China . With the time difference , I usually wake up early to check updates and messages , sometimes jumping on morning calls with my colleagues to make sure we are aligned on key activities . I typically have customer and external meetings throughout the day and will work on open projects in between these meetings . I also usually have meetings at night due to the time differences across our business . Working with teams across time zones is definitely challenging , but I always keep in mind that many of our customers work with their global suppliers across time zones , too !
One of the projects we have recently been focusing on at Alibaba . com is launching a membership experience for our business customers . The goal is to help customers save money on orders and shipping , make it easier to utilize Alibaba . com ’ s sourcing tools , and help small businesses get much-needed financing and cash flow support .
I am particularly enthusiastic about an ongoing project I ’ m working on to launch an education and resource center in which customers can easily find content to help them grow their businesses . Having hosted the Buyer Growth Academy for almost a year , I have heard significant positive customer feedback on the content we offer and the expert speakers we bring to the program . This is our inspiration to continue to build out these resources , including my new in-platform video channel on which I plan to invite more e-commerce industry and sourcing experts to share their insights and help small retailers succeed .
Can you sum up Alibaba and its operations in your own words ? Alibaba . com is a one-stop global e-commerce platform where businesses can find suppliers with the most competitive pricing to customize and make products for them . The platform has helped many entrepreneurs find supply chain partners and launch their businesses ; helped manufacturers find the raw materials , supplies , tools and machinery to make these products ; and helped many businesses improve the supply chain efficiency and diversity to improve profitability .
Which part of your role do you enjoy most and why ? What I enjoy most is the close collaboration with customers , which allows for the establishment of strong relationships and the exchange of innovative ideas . I truly admire their entrepreneurial spirit and leadership , their business and operational acumen , their understanding of their specific market and segment , and their perseverance in the face of adversity . While I help them navigate through Alibaba . com and sourcing , I also learn a lot from the customers , and it makes me a better professional .
Can you give me some more details about the Buyer Growth Academy ? We ’ re incredibly proud of our Buyer Growth Program and because of our focus in that area , there will be some exciting new programs added soon . That said , our Buyer Growth Academy is one of the many ways in which we provide resources to our customers on how to grow their business using Alibaba . com .
As we continue to innovate our services and incorporate feedback , we are transitioning the Buyer Growth Academy into a more interactive experience with videos and live streams to inform business
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