'What exactly does an Account Manager do? We're hunting, haha!'
Marco Drijfhout is an Account Manager at Zwartwoud, but he also does a lot more. For example, he started as a furniture maker and is the chairman of the Staff Association. Marco shares his story.
I've been in the business for almost 25 years. I started as a furniture maker when I was 17 and did that work for 10 years with great pleasure.
Then I thought: I don't think this is my ceiling yet. I'm going to see what else I can do. So I completed a higher professional education (HBO) in Commercial Economics, with the idea of slowly transitioning from furniture making into Sales. But with a sudden recession in 2008, my then-employer said: 'Close that toolbox, I need you on the front lines.'
It's our job to make sure the whole operation keeps running.
No sooner said than done: I closed my toolbox and haven't been back to furniture making since. At the time, I worked at Esmé, which was later acquired by Zwartwoud/Vorm Martini. There, you weren't just an Account Manager; you did everything: project management and calculations, for example. That's how I quickly developed my skills, and in the meantime, I completed my education. The great thing is that I'm now a jack of all trades and can step in whenever needed.
What exactly does an Account Manager do? We're hunting, haha! It's our job to make sure the whole operation keeps running. That's a pressure you need to be able to handle, which I actually really enjoy.
We have very diverse clients. For example, I have Rijkswaterstaat as a client, for whom we receive very different assignments. One day I get a call for a reception desk, and the next day I'm asked to deliver 150 crate cabinets.
The longer projects, from the initial client meetings to the very last screw, those are what I enjoy most. Especially when it's a project where our design studio handles the design. What I like about those projects is the one-on-one contact.
I also handle projects where a request comes in, the estimator provides a good price, and we're chosen simply because we're the cheapest. Once the order is in, you hand it over to the project manager, and as an Account Manager, you don't have much more to do with the project. Such projects are good, especially for revenue, but you feel less connected to them. With design projects, you sometimes work with the client for a year. You get to know each other well. Trust is built. You create something together. That's what gives me a kick.
A look into my week? If we look at this week: on Monday, I was in Dordrecht for an exploratory discussion with an optician who has 12 branches in the Netherlands. During such a conversation, you're brainstorming: how can we strengthen each other, and what could our role be? The nice thing was that he knew some of our clients, so he already knew a thing or two about our work. On Tuesday, I was in Limburg with an old client who wanted to make some adjustments to his store. On Wednesday, I was here, and after two days on the road, it was mainly about catching up on emails and having many internal meetings. And today, Thursday, I'm also busy with something else: the Staff Association! We revived it a few years ago, and I'm the chairman. This afternoon, we have the summer BBQ.
When I go shopping with my wife, I always end up touching furniture: how did they finish this? Haha!
I think a Staff Association is very important for a company of our size. We've already done so many fun things. For example, after COVID, we went for a refreshing trip to Ameland. I also loved the belly sliding and human shuffleboard during the summer BBQ two years ago. With a company that has many different departments and thus different people, it's great to see those people come together at such outings.
What I enjoy most about working at Zwartwoud is the interior design profession. Making something out of nothing. I'm not a typical salesperson; the furniture maker always remains in me. When I go shopping with my wife, I always end up touching furniture, haha. I'm curious: how did they finish this?
We do have quite a few industry enthusiasts at Zwartwoud. I think we have a core group that won't just leave. If you're in the right place and you're doing what you love, then that's how it should be.
What I find really interesting now, a new chapter for me, is the whole circular economy story. Five years ago, that was still a distant concept for me. I'm increasingly involved with it in my role and would like to delve deeper into it in the coming years. For example, I recently received a request for redesigning a library. Normally, I would have thought: new cabinets. But now I thought: we have quite a few cabinets left over from another project. Those are ideal for building a library. I share that with the client, and it also makes the client think.
You're always brainstorming, which is also what I love about my job. I prefer to drop by the design studio every day to see what they're working on.
What I find beautiful about circularity is when you feel and taste its DNA. The choice of materials and what's all available. I also like to look on Instagram for inspiration and share things I find interesting.
I think Zwartwoud is a leader in the whole circular economy story. But besides that, we also simply have a really fun, dynamic team. That makes working with us enjoyable. There's room for growth if you want it. We work nationwide, and we have excellent clients. I think you can be proud to work for Zwartwoud.
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