Herent branch becomes knowledge and practice center for Roof, Facade & Insulation
As we mentioned in the previous Infokrant, Deschacht is focusing its expertise and services on five target groups: Road and sewer construction, General contracting, Insulation, roof & facade, Utilities, and Non-residential construction. To elevate our offering and service to these target groups to an even higher level, we are investing in people and resources in the coming years. The most recent example of this is our branch in Herent, which is being developed into the knowledge and training center for Roof, Facade & Insulation.
In and around the Deschacht branch in Herent, there is a buzz of activity. A new shop, storage space, and offices are being built. Deadline: October of this year. The Herent team is also showing great commercial dynamism. Branch manager Jo Knops and his team make no secret of their ambition. They want to be the primary point of contact for contractors in the Flemish Brabant region for sewerage, roofing, cladding, and insulation, and are implementing a multichannel strategy to achieve this.
Leveraging strengths with a well-oiled machine. – Jo Knops
Branch manager Jo Knops has been working for Deschacht for about three years, first in inside sales in Geel, later in Hasselt where he helped launch the branch. “We have everything here in Herent to make our mark: a predominantly young, driven team where everyone speaks the same language, a permanent stock of 6,000 items, and soon a completely new shop and matching warehouse. The intention is to leverage our strengths – sewer systems, roofs, facades, and insulation – to regional contractors.”
Multichannel marketing
“We do that through a multichannel approach,” Jo Knops continues. “We focus on all available channels: e-commerce via our webshop with delivery by our own transport or pick-up at the branch, prospecting and customer visits by our outside sales staff, which also includes the construction team for larger projects. And, last but not least, telephone and face-to-face reception and follow-up of customers by our inside sales team. Together, this forms a commercially and logistically well-oiled machine that can switch gears quickly when customers place orders or need advice.”
“If you want to get ahead yourself, Deschacht offers opportunities for growth.”
– Brecht Bastiaens
Brecht Bastiaens signed on at Deschacht Herent on August 1 of last year as a regional sales account manager. “I mainly focus on contractors up to class 6 and also on landscaping contractors. I draw their attention to our strengths – a quality product range, service, and stock. Recently, this has also included an HVAC range, which further expands my customer base to include installers in that segment. That is the great thing about Deschacht: it is an expansive company that wants to move forward – just look at the investments here in Herent – and if you share that ambition, it definitely opens up opportunities for advancement.”
“Deschacht’s ambition matches mine.”
– Nazim Yildiz
“I have been working in the internal sales department here in Herent since March of last year. Before that, I worked in the automotive sector. Deschacht is a different world, but very dynamic and ambitious. That matches my own ambition, because here you are given opportunities. My work is very diverse. I advise customers by phone, email, and live at the counter. I help look for solutions, and sometimes those are alternatives to what they had in mind. Delivering that added value is a challenge. In addition, I prepare quotes, including for tender files.‘
“We want to work with specialists in every domain.”
– Kenny Piot
Kenny Piot has been an account manager for Design & Build and road construction since early January 2020. “I focus on larger projects, such as residential care centers, sports complexes, industrial construction, and the like. Together with the engineering department, we provide technical advice, develop plans, and draw up the corresponding quotations. Ideally, we are involved in the project from the very first design phase. Starting with the sewerage system, we can thus grow with the project—via insulation and cladding—all the way up to the roof. To make that a reality, we want to work with specialists in every field here in Herent, with the right people in the right place.”
“Lifelong learning is our motto.”
– Jo Knops
“All these people wouldn't be able to achieve results without the expert support of the warehouse staff, the shop and internal sales staff, and the drivers who deliver the orders. Together, they form a close-knit team that achieves results through a combination of dedication and expertise. In this regard, we believe in lifelong learning, both for our employees and for our customers. Therefore, in addition to being a knowledge center for roofing, facade & insulation, our branch will also become a training and practice center for our customers and their employees,” concludes Jo Knops.