Domestic Sales Manager, Home Audio, Markku Syrjäpalo

I’ve been with the company since 2010, and over the years my work has taken me deep into the world of audio, particularly in terms of home listening, high-end audio and in-home installed systems. My work combines technical expertise, customer service and extensive experience with various listening environments and their specific needs.

My career in the hi-fi world began by chance. I was young and interested in technology at the time, and I had studied electrical and computer engineering, but hands-on work appealed to me more than sitting in a classroom.

Hifistudio in Oulu offered the chance to jump right into practical work, and that’s where I ended up. It felt right from the start. I spent my days working with equipment, listening to music and chatting with customers. I learnt a lot from more experienced salespeople, and I quickly realised that a good salesperson isn’t the one who talks the most, but the one who listens the most. A good salesperson has "big ears"!

The first Genelec loudspeakers I saw in the store were from the HT series – angular, boxy models that were a very typical design at the time. Their sound immediately stood out, and the details in the recordings came through in a completely different way than what I had been used to. There was something exceptionally clean and distinct about the sound. At first, I wondered why they sounded so different, and it was only over time that I came to understand it was a matter of precision, authenticity, and the fact the sound was reproduced exactly as the original recording was intended. Customers noticed the same thing. They started coming into the store specifically asking for Genelecs. That made a huge impression on me, and gradually I became not just a salesperson but a fan.

I especially remember the year 2004, when Tomi Hassinen – Genelec’s sales manager at that time and now head of Home Audio – visited the store and brought along the new 6040A. I remember wondering if a rounded loudspeaker enclosure like this could really perform better than the traditional boxy models. Initially, I was sceptical, and I didn’t immediately appreciate the design. However, the more I listened to it and learned about the solutions built into the design, the clearer it became that the shape was about achieving acoustic goals. Once I understood how Harri Koskinen’s design was crafted to enhance sound quality and the listening experience, I began to see the whole thing in a new light and realised why the 6040A had been designed that way.

When the 8000 Series studio monitors began arriving in the store the following year, continuing the same acoustically grounded design philosophy, it felt like the pieces had finally fallen into place. My eyes had already grown accustomed to it, but above all, my ears understood why the design was significant. And then, in 2006, the first DSP models arrived. This opened a whole new chapter in how accurately sound could be reproduced and how systems could adapt to different spaces.

Over time, Genelec felt closer and closer. I became familiar not only with the loudspeakers, but also with the people behind them. Eventually, I received a request to apply for a job at Genelec, and I was genuinely thrilled. I hadn’t followed a traditional educational path, but my practical skills and years of experience tipped the scales. Getting the job felt like a huge vote of confidence, and I knew it would be a big step, as it meant a travel-heavy lifestyle and that I would need to set up a second home in Iisalmi where I could stay during factory visits.
The first ten or so years were spent mostly on the road – trade shows, events and client meetings almost every week. I was on the road so much that, when I finally returned to the factory in Iisalmi after a long stretch of travel, the CEO came up to me and grinned, “Are you still working for us?”. That’s since become a running joke between us, one he always cracks whenever we meet again after a long tour. Through all that travelling, and the diversity of my work, I've learnt a tremendous amount and been a part of building a brand whose values I feel are my own.

One of the great things about Genelec is that many key functions are under one roof in Iisalmi. The teams for product development, production, and sales all sit side by side in the break room, and information flows naturally. It was easy to pass on experiences from the field and customer requests to the right people, and at the same time, I learned a great deal myself about acoustics, design principles, and why loudspeakers are built in a specific way.

My sales philosophy has remained the same for years. The most important thing is to listen and find the solution that best fits the customer’s specific needs. It's rewarding to represent loudspeakers that last for decades, have spare parts available, and retain their value.
Sustainable development is a theme that has grown tremendously throughout my career. When I started in the industry, life cycle and sustainability weren’t discussed as prominently as they are today, even though Genelec has been incorporating those principles into its operations for almost 50 years. For me, the concept of a product’s lifecycle means that it serves its purpose for a long time, can be maintained, and has spare parts available even after decades. Personally, I try to follow the same principles in all my own purchases and strive to support local businesses whenever possible. It’s easy to stand by a company when that company’s principles are aligned with your own.

Over the years, I’ve found myself in places and situations I would never have ended up in without this job, and it has been a privilege to meet artists and creators whom I’ve looked up to since I was young.

Above all, my home in Oulu brings balance to my daily life, and it's where I live with my wife and four cats. In my free time, I do a lot of things depending on the season. During warmer months, cycling is an important hobby for me, and then in the winter, I play ice hockey with friends – just for fun.

One of my longest-standing passions is snooker. I’ve been playing it for many years now and, at one point, the game completely consumed me. Snooker is an incredibly difficult sport – the kind where you can lose both your money and your sanity when you just can’t seem to learn it, no matter how hard you try. Maybe that’s exactly why it’s so addictive. The sport has grown a lot in Finland in recent years; the halls are filling up, and televised matches are drawing large audiences. For me, snooker is therapeutic, both to play and watch.

I like to work behind the scenes and don’t enjoy being in the spotlight. I feel a good team and atmosphere are worth their weight in gold – and being able to help others succeed and grow is the best reward. We’ve had a fantastic team over the years at Genelec, and I’m proud of what we’ve built together.

What still motivates me is the same as it was in the beginning – the desire to do things well, to learn and to help the customer find a solution that works. Genelec is more than just a job to me, it’s a community I’ve grown attached to over the years, where I feel I’m exactly where I belong and doing meaningful work.

Greetings from a colleague

I first met Markku in the early 2000s when we were both working at HifiStudio, Markku in Oulu and myself in Helsinki. When I started at Genelec, it was a pleasure to plan and develop joint demo days and events in Oulu together with the HifiStudio team and Markku. Once something was agreed upon, you could count on it, and I always felt welcome in Oulu!

When the opportunity arose at the end of 2009 to propose a new domestic sales manager for Genelec, the decision wasn’t difficult. Markku is a customer-orientated professional and an always cheerful and friendly personality, so he was exactly what we needed. He has remained that way for 16 years, and I have no fear that his qualities will ever fade.

Markku’s special talent is always finding that little something extra, something small but significant that a customer or colleague doesn’t expect. He offers customer service at its best, consistently exceeding expectations and bringing joy to the daily grind with little gestures. Understanding the needs of different customer groups is also key. It doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about studio professionals, public venue sound systems or home audio customers, they’re all equally important. That’s exactly the attitude needed in this business and, above all, in the world!

It’s hard to imagine a more pleasant and loyal colleague than Markku. That might sound like hyperbole, but it’s all true. Thank you, Markku!

Tomi Hassinen, Business Manager for Home Audio