Finding solutions for Key Accounts

His mission
Jean-Cyrille Verspieren interfaces with the nationwide purchasing managers of Sonepar France's key account clients. The latter may be installation specialists, manufacturers or representatives of public or quasi-public agencies. In 2003, Sonepar France counted 80 key accounts, which together provided 10 percent of total revenues.
Working closely with his key account colleagues from the five regions into which Sonepar France is divided, Jean-Cyrille negotiates nationwide contracts in the interest of Sonepar France Key Accounts. The relationship is cemented over the long term through the use of negotiated agreements and the use of tools such as e-catalogues, pricing schedules, reporting and statistics. In carrying out this aspect of his job, Jean-Cyrille is assisted by Laurent Eleaume, one of the founding members of the nationwide key accounts team.
The central structure was put in place five years ago by Richard Chery, who is now head of marketing at Sonepar France, and Jacques Héricher, who was appointed VP for International Key Accounts at the beginning of this year.

Opened to the world
I spend a lot of my time prospecting. In fact, the key accounts portfolio is not set in stone. We have to constantly seek out new clients to bring into our fold, explains Jean-Cyrille.
In addition, the Sonepar International Key Account department run by Jacques Héricher has a solution to offer clients whose reach is global.
It is often the case that key account managers from various countries in which we operate get together to work out a global Sonepar policy."

New challenges
The key accounts team faces new challenges as markets, clients, suppliers and attitudes change and new needs emerge. We have to be ready to meet these demands, for global invoicing, referencing and logistics, and deal with new threats from increasingly able competitors. This makes the key accounts unit one of the natural think tanks for the Group's future directions, says Jean-Cyrille.

Training and career
A graduate of the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce in Clermont-Ferrand, Jean-Cyrille began his career in marketing for the automotive industry, working for Yamaha Motor France. He then went to work for the geomarketing team at Citroën.
I began working for CGE Distribution in 1996 as a sales engineer at the agency in La Rochelle. This experience taught me a lot, and working in the field gave me a good perspective on how things work at agency level, with suppliers, clients, etc.
In 1999, he began managing the CGE Distribution agency in Niort. Within five years, the agency's revenues, earnings and workforce grew substantially.

Jean-Cyrille is 36, married and the father of three children.