On The Road

Thousands of people travel to Africa for business every day. Club Africa meets with and follows business travelers on the road in Africa and asks them about their experiences

Steelcase: “Showing off with the right furniture”

On the Road with Hicham Driouchec

Selling branded office furniture in North and Central Africa is very much like selling cars, says Hicham Driouchec (35), who is a salesman for Steelcase, operating from Morocco. Several times a month Hicham travels south, to countries like Senegal, Nigeria and even Congo, on sales trips that sometimes require unusual approaches and good salesmanship. His slogan, that works well ‘on the road’ in Africa: “Show your success, by owning the right furniture.”

Hicham is responsible for the sales for the American brand of Steelcase in a number of countries in West and Central Africa. In some countries, the company has its own offices, in others it is represented by local agents and resellers. “Going on trips to see prospects and to talk to clients is essential”, says Hicham.

One step further

Steelcase sells most of its products to mid-sized and larger companies that often have an international background. Hicham also tries to take it one step further, to tap into new customer groups of locally oriented businessmen. “There is competition from vendors that offer Chinese products at low prices. But even small companies have a weak spot for quality, and are becoming more aware of international brands. That is where I take them in my sales pitch.”

Hicham sees a strong resemblance with the car sales practice. “African businessmen want to show off. Some show off their car, others prefer to impress their clients with an office that looks clean, professional and international. I try to work with that.” Hicham knows that his sales pitch works well with the smaller entrepreneurs between Accra and Kinshasa: “If your company is trustworthy, you need to show it. Show your success.”

Doing homework

About the importing business, Hicham says “I try to neutralise our disadvantage of selling imported products by doing my homework. Timely delivery by ship or plane depends largely on good preparation of customs documents. We put a lot of effort in, doing it right the first time.”

How do Hicham and his colleagues find new clients? “In this part of the world, good references are crucial. New clients often come through referrals and introductions, from our network. It is also important to stay in touch with the best clients. I try to have lunch or dinner with them, and perhaps a bit of light entertainment. Last week I watched Champions League football with clients, which was great fun. A large part of the joy of my job comes from the people I meet. I truly enjoy meeting them, the social aspect, and discussing their plans and opportunities for my business.”