Matthieu Devulder has been an Econocom sales agent since 2023. At the age of 46, after a long career in sales with IT distributors and manufacturers, he decided to take the plunge and set up his own business. Based in Lille, his agency now employs four people: himself and his partner, assisted by two sales representatives.
What made you decide to become an Econocom sales representative?
I spent many years working for one of Econocom's direct competitors, and then for followed by an IT hardware manufacturer. I was very familiar with this ecosystem and its various players. I'd been thinking about the idea of setting up my own business for a while, but I hadn't yet taken the plunge. An opportunity arose when a sales agent who ran a four-person agency retired. The agency's salesman and I bought out the manager's shares. Today, there are two of us running the agency. We've just completed our first year successfully: we've won the loyalty of the agency's customers, and we've gone out and found new ones!
In your opinion, what are the advantages and difficulties of being an Econocom sales agent?
The first biggest advantage for me is the entrepreneurial dimension aspect. There's something exhilarating about becoming the head of a company, and that's something I've wanted to do for a long time. But what I really appreciate about Econocom is that we become independent, while still being really supported. But what I truly appreciate about Econocom, is we gained our independence while receiving strong support.
The management is very attentive, and we can count on all the business resources at our disposal. We're not alone, which is very reassuring. And, of course, the remuneration package is highly motivating: there is no ceiling on commission. The better you do, the more you develop your business and the more you earn!
For a salesperson at heart, that's a key argument.
As for the challenges difficulties, I see one main one. It's directly linked to Econocom's internal organisation, structured around numerous subsidiaries andwith a broad offering. It's a rather complex organisation and, personally, it took me some time to get to know all the nuts and bolts, to know who did what.
In your opinion, what is the ideal profile to succeed as an Econocom sales agent?
It's a unique special kind of job, which requires both good business expertise and a very entrepreneurial DNA. You need to know the IT equipment and services market inside out, and have a solid network within this ecosystem. But yYou also need to be able to work independently and have a good dose of self-confidence. It's a job that requires seniority in the profession. Most Econocom agents are in their forties or even fifties. And, of course, you have to have a real culture of results and enjoy making money. And you have to be determined to do everything in your power to achieve results that match your ambitions.
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