When Marco Franchi was six years old, he told his mother that one day he wanted to travel the world.
Now, at 60, he can safely say that he did.
Since entering the poultry industry in 1994, Marco has worked in sales across Latin America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Along the way, he has met customers from very different cultures and learned that selling poultry equipment in Japan is not the same as doing business in Australia or Argentina.
Now he is bringing more than 30 years of international poultry experience to LANDMECO, where one of his main tasks will be to strengthen the company’s position in France.
“I still enjoy travelling and meeting people in different parts of the world, and I consider myself very lucky to have had that opportunity throughout my career,” says Marco Franchi.
A coincidence brought him into the poultry industry
Marco was born in Sanremo in northern Italy and today lives in nearby Imperia, around an hour’s drive from the French border.
He studied English, French and Spanish, and his ability to speak French will now be important in his work with LANDMECO’s French market.
But a career in poultry was not part of the original plan.
In the early 1990s, Marco worked at a travel agency, where one of his responsibilities was handling airline tickets. One of the agency’s customers was a manager in the poultry industry.
“He asked me if I would be interested in becoming his sales assistant. That is how I entered the poultry industry in 1994, and I have been here ever since.”
Marco initially worked with the domestic market in Italy. He became Area Manager for Latin America and later worked with markets in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
For 25 years, he worked for the same multinational company in different sales positions.
The customer is different from country to country
One thing Marco has learned is that the same approach does not work everywhere.
“A Japanese customer can be completely different from a customer in Australia or Argentina. The cultural background, temperament and reactions can all be different, so you have to understand the people and the market you are dealing with.”
His experience covers sales through distributors as well as other sales channels.
“If you work in this business, you need to understand the different parts of poultry production. You need knowledge of breeders, layers and broilers and an understanding of how the industry works.”
Service does not end with the sale
After more than 30 years in sales, Marco has a clear view of what makes the difference when companies compete for customers. For him, the product is only part of it.
“Today, many companies have good products. The difference is often how you take care of the customer, how quickly you respond and what kind of service you provide after the sale. The product means a lot, but everything that comes afterwards is at least as important.”
That includes technical support, information, manuals and follow-up after a sale. And Marco believes that good service has an effect that reaches far beyond the individual customer.
A happy customer, he says, may tell 10 other people about the experience. If those 10 passes it on to another 10, one good customer experience can eventually reach 100 people. For Marco, that makes a company’s reputation something that must be protected, no matter what you sell.
He compares it with walking into a shop. The product on the shelf matters, but so does the way the customer is welcomed and treated.
“If I walk into a shop and do not feel comfortable, I will probably not go back. It is the same in our business. How you take care of the customer matters.”
Ultimately, he says, the job is to help customers make their farms better. And that also places responsibility on the person representing the company.
“The salesperson is the ambassador for the company. The way you talk, behave and present yourself all matters. That has always been my way of dealing with customers.”
Quality rather than quantity
Marco already knew LANDMECO before joining the company. He saw a company that was strong, solid and professional, and he liked both the way LANDMECO manages its products and approaches the market.
He also points to LANDMECO’s focused product portfolio.
“I believe in quality rather than quantity. It is like going to a restaurant. If the menu has 100 different dishes, you may wonder how they can serve all of them fresh. I would rather have fewer things on the menu and make sure they are good. I see the same principle in a product portfolio.”
Marco also sees a match between his own approach to customers and the way he sees LANDMECO working.
“LANDMECO is growing fast, and I like that because it reflects my own way of working. You have to listen to the customer’s needs and respond as quickly as possible.”
France will be a key market
A major part of Marco’s new role will be France. A market he has known for many years.
His French language skills and familiarity with French culture will be part of his approach as he works with LANDMECO’s existing network and develops new relationships.
“If you speak French and understand the culture, it becomes easier to communicate and approach the market. You also need to be able to understand people, be empathetic and be resilient.”
One of his first priorities will be to build a well-balanced and well-organised network. That means establishing contact with existing dealers as well as identifying potential new partners for LANDMECO.
Marco prefers to see them as partners rather than simply customers.
“For me, it is important to be close to people because that’s the best way to build relationships that work over time.”
Sees opportunities in egg production
Marco points in particular to egg production as an interesting area for LANDMECO in France.
“Egg production is at the top of the list because LANDMECO has dedicated product lines for layer producers with different solutions and options.”
LANDMECO’s layer portfolio includes multi-tier and one-tier aviary systems designed for cage-free, free-range and organic egg production.
Marco sees the transition away from conventional cage-based production as an important development for the market and an area where producers will be looking at different solutions.
France may be familiar territory for Marco, but LANDMECO marks a new chapter in his more than 30 years in the poultry industry.
“The new challenge of joining LANDMECO means a lot to me. I know the French market, I speak the language and understand the culture, and I look forward to supporting and developing LANDMECO’s network there.”
Text: Journalist Mikael Sand, JVR Consult. Tel.: +45 30561992. Email: ms@jvrconsult.dk.
