We believe at Mobistar that addressing the increased richness of our service offering (mobile, mobile data, fix telephony, TV) is as much a consumer as a "shopper" challenge. Category management has been instrumental in understanding our shopper's paradigm when entering the 150 Mobistar Centers and understanding how we can make the shopping experience more relevant and simplier resulting in quality sales, a key pre-requisite for building a long lasting relationship with our customers.

LD&Co has strongly helped us in adapting the widely accepted FMCG concept of category management to our industry demonstrating the proper expertise but more importantly showing the proper flexability and pragmatism to align the approach within the existing Mobistar operations.

Stephane Beauduin – CMO Mobistar Belgium

 

In 2010, the retail sales division of Sanoma Magazines Belgium, responsible for sales of the magazines through consumer channels, was in the process of changing its approach and its way of working from product centric to customer centric. Luc Desmedt has proven to be a valuable coach and mentor in communicating the principles of trade marketing and category management to my team of trade marketeers. His contribution helped me tremendously in moving the team from mainly operational issues to knowledge and analysis of market segments, retailers and consumers/shoppers.

His pragmatic approach and convincing style during the 2 days seminar was a real eye opener for every member of the team. It also built a useful bridge to the implementation of professional key account management. Since then, the language within the trade marketing team has become clearer and more common. Their " new" mission also allowed them to gain more respect and recognition internally from other departments.

Jan Janssens – Sales Director Sanoma Belgium

The past 2-3 years Microsoft has been very rapidly expanding and developing their Entertainment and Devices division, our retail “ muscle” so to say. In my role as head of channel marketing for the EMEA region I have had to opportunity to work closely with LD & Co. LD & Co has been my partner in several strategic projects.

• We have developed and hosted training for the local channel marketing managers two year in a row. This has led to the implementation of a more structured, efficient and effective way of planning and executing channel marketing within our division.
   
• We have worked together on a European Category management project for our Xbox product group. This project included research, development of strategy, testing and implementation and it has made us Captains of the Category at several strategic retailers throughout Europe.
   
• Luc Desmedt is the facilitator and one of the trainers of the Microsoft Retail University. This internal high level training shows a deep dive into the overall retail landscape, the consumer and retail trends. It gives clear insights in what drives retailers and how Microsoft tries to address those needs.

LD & Co brings a wealth of experience to the table and the delivered insights and knowledge remain of great value to me.

Monique Bernds – Head of Channel marketing EMEA

In 2008, Ferrero Netherlands was going through a profound change in account team.  We chose for LD&Co to train the team in the principles of contempory account management and negotiation skills, so that we can meet the challenges of a market getting tougher every day, and unleash our growth potential.  It was a pleasure to work with Luc, who enriched us with his pragmatic view on the market and customers.  His examples from proper experience helped bridging the mental gap between theory and reality.  And it was all down-to-earth-ness.

His tools serve us every day to plan, to negotiate and to decide

Frederik De Neve - Sales Director Ferrero Netherlands

LD & Co is helping us in our different markets in Europe to develop our internal readiness to improve our cooperation with our key customers. Their experience allows to demonstrate practical examples on how to develop strategic alignment. LD & Co prepared workshops with real life cases and shared tools that we can use immediately. Luc Desmedt is a change agent for our organization.

Dirk Van Doorselaer - Vice President Sales Europe

Our collaboration with Luc Desmedt is very successful and pleasant.   Building on his broad sales & marketing experience, his strategic view from different angles (retailer, manufacturer and shopper) and his pragmatic approach, he strongly contributed to the successful implementation of Category Management projects for Philips Consumer Lifestyle in the Benelux. 
His expertise, his commercial flair and his personality make him an unique added value in projects, as well as an excellent teamplayer.

Simone Caljouw - Director Category Development & Trade Marketing, Philips Consumer Lifestyle