Dennis’s role as an account manager at Volkers largely involves taking care of clients. “I’m the bridge between the client and my colleagues in production, so we can translate the client's wishes into execution.”
The team of account managers interacts with customers on a daily basis. “We listen to their wishes and specifications and determine the best workflow to follow. Then, in consultation with Planning, we assign a timing to it. We also answer various questions that clients may have. And if there are questions from production, we relay those back to the client.” His role as an account manager is both internal and external. “I follow the internal work processes, but I’m also regularly on the road to visit clients.”
Dennis started at Volkers a year ago after his previous employer went bankrupt. Together with some other colleagues and clients, Dennis moved to Volkers. “One of our biggest challenges was to properly onboard the clients who came with us to Volkers. You’re joining a new company with new people, an entirely new workflow, and different systems. That can cause friction. But everything is going well. Everyone is happy. You can also see that the order portfolio of clients is expanding. I’m quite proud of that.”
Volkers responds well to all the changes in the field, according to Dennis. “The changes in our field are rapid, especially in automation. We are fully committed to automation. Volkers keeps up with technology and changes. For example, we are working on a new ERP system and using the approval software system Artwork Connect.”
He also emphasizes the wealth of knowledge present in the company. “There is a lot of knowledge within the company, but we also gain a lot of knowledge from our clients and suppliers. I then share these insights in our weekly account meetings or during the monthly sales meetings.”
Dennis experiences the atmosphere at Volkers as professional and warm. “It’s a real family business, and the daily involvement from the management is nice. There is always someone who pops in for a chat on the work floor. The nice thing about such companies is that you can switch quickly, faster than in a large corporation with various investment companies.”
Volkers has been around for almost a hundred years. An impressive achievement, according to Dennis. “The business we are in is quite challenging. I think the strength of Volkers lies in reliability, quality, continuity, customer-oriented solutions, and especially in good listening.” And Dennis’s ambitions for the future? “At the moment, we are experiencing very fine growth at Volkers. And that means that a new, younger generation needs to come in. I would love to pass on the knowledge I have gained over the years to a new generation.”
