Velda sets out its new strategy

Velda director Elgar J.H. Veldhuis has explained to PET worldwide why the Dutch garden pond company decided at the end of last year to disband its sales team for Germany and Austria. “For years our company has been accustomed to taking care of its customers through personal account managers, who maintained contact with the customers. We realised, however, that many customers required a more modern way of ordering and communicating with the company,” explains Veldhuis. The company therefore introduced an order portal via which customers can simply place an order and track their orders. This has not only satisfied the requests of trade customers, but has also enabled Velda to make its processes more efficient, thereby saving time and resources.

The company emphasises, however, its intention of offering the customary personal service for its clients in the future also. “For this reason we have established a comprehensive customer service facility that is available round the clock to answer questions and solve problems. Our customers can now contact us by telephone, email or chat and we are proud to be able to react to their needs quickly and effectively,” says the Velda director. Moreover, the company has set up a team of specialists which is at its customers’ disposal to advise on shopfitting, shelf plans and sales support. Veldhuis says: “Our specialists can visit customers if asked to assist them in optimising their store layout and maximising sales.”

The Velda director is proud that “we can now serve our customers in a manner that is both modern and personal”. He says: “we will continue to listen to the customers’ feedback and to take this on board and improve in order to ensure that we always meet their needs and offer them the best possible service.”