PARTNERSHIP AT EYE LEVEL
We spoke to Jörn Vogt, Head of Customer & Agent Relationships, about working with Oui‘s sales agents and retail partners.
HELLO JÖRN, CAN OU GIVE US AN INSIGHT INTO THE TASKS OF YOUR CUSTOMER & AGENT RELATIONSHIPS TEAM?
As a team, we look after our sales agents and retail customers worldwide and are the interface between our headquarters and our sales force, so to speak. We are the first to receive enquiries from our partners, which we then clarify with the specialist departments inhouse and find solutions together. We also work with the design department to define the hanging order of our new collection for ordering in our showrooms and are responsible for the product pricing formulas for all export markets. During the season, we write offers for our retail partners, process returns, market our goods via our own B2B newsletter or work on the phone ourselves in sales.
WHAT DEFINES THE PERFECT SERVICE FOR OUR B2B CUSTOMERS FOR YOU?
Personal contact with our retail customers is very important to me. In some companies, there is no longer a direct contact person or only an automated telephone message or an anonymous e-mail address - that will never happen with me! We always try to find the best solution for both sides and go through ups and downs together. We always have an open ear for our customers! And we try to organise every item so that the end consumer can buy their favourite Oui item from their retailer.
IN ADDITION TO OUR SALES TEAM, YOU ALSO LOOK AFTER YOUR OWN CUSTOMERS AND ATTEND TRADE FAIRS.
Yes, exactly. If we don‘t have a sales representative in a country, I take over the distribution. That includes countries such as South Africa, Australia, Israel and many more. I also look after „consignors“, which are typical mail order companies or online platforms. I take their orders at the trade fair and discuss sales, price levels and the retail situation with them. The customers I look after have become like a little family to me. I really appreciate them and am always very happy when I see them in person again.
WHAT MAKES YOUR JOB SO EXCITING FOR YOU, WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?
I‘m an absolute numbers person and I can utilise that very well in my job. Every day is different and I often don‘t know what to expect the next day. It‘s very exciting for me to immerse myself in different countries and cultures and to maintain a close relationship with our customers. Of course, it‘s a lot about business, but it‘s also about personal issues that the customer is dealing with. Sometimes it‘s challenging to say no, especially if you really like the person on the other end of the phone, but that‘s also part of the job.
WHAT QUALITIES SHOULD A YOUNG PROFESSIONAL HAVE WHO WANTS TO WORK IN THIS FIELD?
There are certain characteristics that are important in this field, including a strong customer and service orientation. You should be a strong communicator, be able to work under pressure and always think and act in a solution-orientated way. Especially in an international context, an affinity for foreign languages is important and you should not shy away from negotiations. Last but not least, you should of course enjoy fashion!
WHAT PROJECT ARE YOU WORKING ON IN 2024?
We are currently working on a major changeover in our IT landscape to a new ERP system. This system will enable me to approach our customers more intensively in the future. Before the customer has to call me because they are missing goods, for example, I can see the need in the system beforehand and can act proactively and present a solution. This will take our service level for our retail partners to a whole new level - the entire team is already looking forward to it!
