RENEWING WITH ACO BELGIUM

In a world full of sustainability objectives, the collection, purification, and reuse of (rain)water has become an essential link. ACO is one of the world leaders in drainage technology and manages the Belgian market from its location in Merchtem. From the drains you find in the hardware store to separators for large kitchens: ACO Belgium distributes it all. In order to grow in project sales for heavier industrial applications, a process of change was necessary. And thus Rezolv came to the forefront.

Double leadership position as a goal

Being part of a multinational, but working from a solid SME structure. This was the first challenge for Managing Director Nico De Broyer three years ago. “In 20 years, the company grew from 10 employees and 7 million in revenue to a team of 38 people with a revenue figure of 22 million euros. Structures, processes, and procedures did not keep pace, leading to stagnation in recent years. Something had to change to achieve our ambitions, namely to maintain the leading position in distribution and soon also be at the forefront in sales to large-scale projects.”

The second impression

“Until that moment, ACO Belgium had never called on external consultants. And even now, we were (still) not looking. Rezolv caught our attention through its own prospecting. Their story immediately intrigued me, and I invited Robbie for an introduction. As it goes, you first test the waters and cautiously detect opportunities. That first impression was good. But especially the second impression made the difference for me. He saw what challenges we were facing as an SME and genuinely understood the change process we were undergoing. When he mentioned that he could help us bring structure and direction, it came across very determined. Rightly so, as it turns out a year and a half later.”

Shared responsibility

“Honestly? I secretly liked that Rezolv set the bar so high for themselves. At the same time, they pointed out our responsibilities in that first phase. You can engage an external party to organize things internally and facilitate processes, but the final execution must come from the organization itself. That was also my personal starting point. I wanted a clear plan of action with three or four distinct priorities that we could concretely work on ourselves. I found and felt the path and the will to get there with Rezolv.”

Noses to the facts AND in the same direction

“In an SME structure like ours, you are often left to your own devices, and fire-fighting dominates your agenda. You have too little time to step back and look at things strategically. That’s why we chose the Rezolv Review, a thorough audit of the existing business processes.”

Neutral zero-measurement

Robbie and his team engaged in discussions for a day with the various departments within ACO Belgium. “That was extremely intensive. In four interview sessions, two consultants turned our organization inside out. Strategy, sales, operations, and finance: the key stakeholders in each cell had the chance to speak openly about their functioning and the associated obstacles. Without the presence of managers or upper management. Rezolv swears by that objective connection with the people and the ground to get the most realistic picture possible. They wanted to see EVERYTHING – from the offices to the warehouse – in order to then develop a thoughtful report.”

What, when, and who?

This followed – exactly as agreed – two weeks later. “The Rezolv Review resulted in three priority actions. The report not only emphasizes the urgency of these actions but also describes a plan of action and encourages thinking about who will take ownership of the new tasks. Additionally, Rezolv will soon conduct a Pricing Audit via the new business unit Yggra. For a complex matter like pricing strategy, we like to be surrounded by experts to further support us.”

The stick behind the door

In summary: the employees contributed the puzzle pieces, and Rezolv put everything together in a clear manner. “Insights were certainly gained, but the real added value lies mainly in structuring and daring to name things. Unlike many other consultancy agencies, Robbie and co do not stop with the report. After presenting their audits, they clearly outline what the next steps are and personally follow up on the formulated actions and timing. If something doesn’t happen within the agreed deadline, they immediately get on the phone. I sometimes jokingly call them our ‘stick behind the door’. But actually, I’m very happy about that. If you commit to this type of guidance, you need to go all in. Otherwise, it’s wasted time, money, and effort.”

Plates and balls

“That is also the advantage of an external party. You don’t get the chance to let things run their course. Robbie and his experts constantly keep all the plates spinning. In this way, we achieved a lot together in a short time. Both organizationally and strategically. My advice? If you really want to create change, engage a sparring partner like Rezolv. But then have the guts to take on the confrontation.”