Working with Key Accounts in the APAC region
Laurent Demaretz is the Asia Pacific Key Accounts Manager. It is a strategic role involving the building of relationships with very different clients to ensure customer satisfaction, with due consideration for the Group’s growth and particular features of local markets.
The Asia Pacific region (APAC) goes from Japan and China to Australia and the Middle East. It has five Key Accounts located in China, Australia, South Korea and Japan.
It is a strategic zone, most notably due to China which is second only to the United States in trade. “We have set up resources to satisfy this burgeoning market, with a sales department and a factory providing an adapted selection of goods,” Laurent Demaretz explained.
Some customers have a large fleet as is the case with our Japanese Key Account, NISHIO, which has over 24,000 machines spread across several countries.
As for Australia, it is home to two of our Key Accounts and is a mature yet buoyant market. “It’s a market perfectly in sync with our ambition and perspective focused on innovation and enhanced safety. There is a lot of potential in connecting it with the Group’s R&D teams.”
High-level service
“Those Key Accounts are like our ‘Platinum customers’! We have to be equal to their clout and their expectations. For example, there is a huge cultural difference between a Japanese client and a French or Romanian production facility. I’m there to explain how the other person thinks and enable mutual understanding so problems can be quickly sorted out.”
Laurent Demaretz likens his mission to that of an orchestra conductor: “The sales strategy is the musical score and what I do is to get everyone on the same page, follow the rhythm and stay in harmony.” Both strategically and operationally, he ensures everyone is up-to-date on the action plan and the customer’s expectations.
Based in Singapore, Laurent Demaretz visits subsidiaries on average twice a year. At the same time, he and his team carry out continuous monitoring, internally (factories, quality, service, marketing) and with clients. Each Key Account is assigned its own strategic plan, which comprises aspects of sales strategy, marketing, finances, prices, services, and relationship management.
APAC Region
Expanding the customer catalog
Laurent Demaretz is also involved in another Group-wide concern: winning new clients in the region. These new leads have been identified in the Top 70 global hirers, which cover over 50% of the global installed fleet.
“Our analysis lets us determine the Key Prospects whom we could work with. We work with subsidiary managers so we can figure out who these new Key Accounts might be.” Besides growing the customer portfolio and thus increasing revenue, this would reduce the Group’s dependence on certain Key Accounts. “Keys Prospects can help us grow but they can also help us out at times when we have a low volume of sales.”
Further reading
New BOM for the USA
Machines produced in Archbold have now their BOM and their exploded view on MyHaulotte
Continue reading
Interview with Ludivine Beraud
Interview with Ludivine Beraud, Senior Communication Manager at Lorette (France), who is also a musician and games creator for the...
Continue reading
Multi-sided communication for the e-Lab!
A bit of fun to stimulate creativity
Continue reading
