Interview with Sascha Kölpien, team leader Key Account Corporate Customers

Brodos currently supplies nearly 50 percent of all companies listed on the DAX. In an interview with Sascha Kölpien, team leader key account corporate customers, he reveals the secret of his success, which services are most often requested by the companies and which exciting projects the corporate customer sales team has already been able to put into practice.

Supplying roughly 50 percent of all companies listed on the German stock exchange is quite a feat. What do you put your success down to?

What makes us stand out from the crowd is that we do so much more than simply supplying devices. As far as I am aware, we are the only ones in the branch to offer a wide range of extra services on top. First and foremost, however, our success is due to our cold calling, without which our business could quite simply not survive.

Since when has your team been at Brodos?

Until June 2010, there was virtually no professional business with large corporate customers at Brodos. At the beginning I was basically a “one man show”, but since then we have grown to a team of ten, a fact I am very proud of.

The basic assumption at the beginning was that companies would start purchasing hardware separately from mobile phone contracts and that we as Brodos could take that as our starting point. Now after nearly five years we can safely say that definitely was the right step, a step which has proved very worthwhile for both sides! Previously, companies purchased subsidised mobile phones directly from network providers. Nowadays the move to fixed term contracts has led to contracts being offered separately from devices.

Another great advantage for our corporate customers is that instead of merely purchasing hardware from us, they receive an all round service package, tailored to suit their own individual requirements.

Which services are most often requested by corporate customers?

One of the most important services is customising, when we alter devices to suit the requirements of end customers or employees. Another very popular service is our individual LIFE time list. For this, we work together closely with the product managment department to check when a certain device will reach “end of life”, i.e. will be taken out of production. We then report back to the customers in good time to let them know that the devices are nearing end of production. This gives customers the option of stocking up on devices in good time or moving over seamlessly to the next generation.

We also offer a secure data deletion service for when old devices are disposed of and replace faulty devices within 24 hours, ensuring that work can carry on without disruption as far as possible. A service which is particularly appreciated by larger companies is when we set up an actual store on site, fitted out with proper store furniture, in which employees can take their time to inspect and test the various models and accessories.

Can you tell us who some of your customers are?

We are proud that our customers include companies like Yello Strom, one of the most well-known German electricity companies, and the ADAC, the largest automobile club in Europe.  For the ADAC, we were responsible, for example, for installing an app onto the outdoor mobile phones of all “yellow angels” within Germany, as well as organising the leasing of mobile phones for employees based in Germany.

I am unfortunately not allowed to name names, but our partners include global players from the automotive industry, prestigious banks, manufacturers of sports goods, technology companies and airports, as well as authorities. All in all, far in excess of 500 companies belong to our customer base.

What was the most exciting project you were able to put into practice with a customer?

Last year we were asked to create a bundle with a tablet for a large advertising campaign run by Yello Strom. New customers were to receive a free Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 after signing an electricity or gas contract.
Especially for this project, we preinstalled the Yello Strom Check app directly onto all tablets and included a Yello leaflet in the packaging. Finally, we at Brodos took over the entire logistics process to the end customer.

Thank you very much for the interview.