'Selling No is a No Go'

Employee in the picture

Jeroen Prins, key account manager

"Originally I am an interior designer and therefore I have the ability to work in a solution-oriented way and provide our customers with excellent advice." Speaking is Jeroen Prins (46), key account manager at Ostermann in Nijverdal. "A customer gives me a keyword, I immediately visualize. I dare to say of myself that I have a great capacity for thinking along." As far as Jeroen is concerned, the customer always deserves honest advice. "I think you have to deal with each other that way. Only then will you build a good relationship with your network."

When you have been in the business for 14 years and work for a leading company like Ostermann, you look at trends every day. "I still see a lot of black and smoked glass. I think this is here to stay. I also see that lighting is becoming narrower. Almost invisible: as minimal as possible. For the interior builder, of course, this also has 'consequences': he can use a flexible strip to build in the lighting almost perfectly. In other words: as few gaps and seams as possible. And still achieve the optimal end result."

One more trend Jeroen would like to mention. "I'm talking about 'Ocean Rainbow,' a decorative sheet material from SIBU. This sheet is very wavy. It's like a chameleon. What you see depends entirely on where you look at it. I'll be honest, I didn't see this trend coming, but I really like this one. You see these mostly at opticians."

Service, Variety, Pace is the slogan of the Ostermann company and it is the Ostermann employees, including Jeroen, who implement this service day in and day out. "I like to give customers honest and solution-oriented advice. Above all, I want to give the customer ideas and inspiration that the customer might not have come up with initially. So that together we find an appropriate customized solution that is unique and new."

Conclusion? Selling 'No' is a No Go. "But I also turn it around: I want to do my job so well that the client can't sincerely say 'No' either."

In episode 1 (Binnenwerk ed. 3/2024) we were introduced to Jochem Hofstede (indoor sales representative and product specialist fittings. In issue 3 (Binnenwerk ed. 5/2024) we introduce Patrick Harink, sales manager Netherlands.  

About Ostermann

With service, variety and speed, OSTERMANN in Nijverdal is the specialist dealer for kitchen, furniture and interior construction. In addition to Europe's largest range of edgings available from stock, you will also find furniture fittings by HETTICH and GRASS, furniture lighting, handles or innovative design surfaces and decorative wall coverings. Customers will also find an extensive range of adhesives and cleaning agents. Furthermore, OSTERMANN offers numerous different services and processing, such as supplying edges by the meter or edges suitable for processing with zero joint technology. But, that is by no means all: the comprehensive service also includes the ready-made production of various furniture elements, such as sliding doors, aluminum frames, furniture fronts or drawers made to measure.