Daylindo: Could you introduce yourself and your company?
I’m Hugo Montjaux, Sales Director for France at Moulins Soufflet for the artisanal bakery segment, a position I’ve held for two years.
Moulins Soufflet is a French company within the EPISENS wheat division of the InVivo cooperative, one of Europe’s leading agri-food players. Specializing in milling, the company transforms wheat into flour and is renowned for its expertise in producing high-quality flours tailored to various uses, especially for the passionate world of artisan bakers.
Moulins Soufflet emphasizes innovation and sustainable development, integrating environmentally friendly practices throughout its production chain. It is also committed to product traceability, ensuring consistent quality for its customers.
Daylindo: What challenges do you face?
In the milling and bakery industry in France, a sales team must navigate a strategically complex environment shaped by key challenges:
Digitalization and technological innovation: With the rise of digital tools, sales teams must adopt new technologies to optimize sales processes, enhance customer relationships, and remain competitive. This includes using CRM systems, e-commerce platforms for streamlined ordering, and data management solutions for better decision-making.
Sustainability and responsible practices: Growing commitments to sustainability drive sales teams to promote products that meet these expectations, such as organic, sustainable, and/or locally sourced flours.
Adapting to consumer trends: Dietary habits are changing, with increasing demand for healthy bakery products, gluten-free options, and local goods. The sales team must stay informed about these trends to adapt their offerings and meet the needs of both consumers and bakery professionals.
Training and skill development for the salesforce: To address these challenges, sales representatives need a high level of technical knowledge about milling and bakery products, as well as strong sales and negotiation skills. Continuous training is essential to maintain the team’s efficiency and adaptability. This is where we collaborate with our partner, Daylindo.
Daylindo: How does Daylindo help you meet these challenges?
Using a tool like Daylindo to enhance the skills of the salesforce provides several key benefits:
Personalized training: Daylindo enables the creation of tailored training pathways based on each salesperson’s specific needs. This targeted approach improves training efficiency and boosts the team’s overall performance.
Flexible, on-demand access: Sales representatives can access training resources anytime, anywhere, without disrupting their busy schedules. This facilitates continuous learning at their own pace and convenience.
Enhanced communication and negotiation skills: With modules designed to improve communication and negotiation capabilities, Daylindo helps salespeople better understand and respond to client needs—crucial in a rapidly evolving environment.
Tracking progress and performance: Daylindo’s analytics tools allow managers to monitor the effectiveness of training programs and individual progress. This helps identify skill gaps and adjust training plans accordingly.
Boosted motivation and engagement: By investing in the professional development of their salesforce, companies demonstrate their commitment to their employees, which enhances motivation, engagement, and loyalty while reducing turnover.
In summary, Daylindo equips the salesforce with the tools needed to navigate a complex market while fostering a dynamic and adaptive learning environment that maximizes commercial performance.
Daylindo: What are the results?
The company has adopted an innovative approach to evaluating and developing employee skills, replacing traditional evaluation grids with personalized training pathways. These pathways are designed to address specific field challenges faced by employees, integrating both technical (“hard skills”) and interpersonal (“soft skills”) competencies.
Since January 2024, all regional managers in the service division have completed their first training pathway and are now beginning a second, focused on supporting merchandising efforts for bakery partners, following a targeted preparatory course.
This method not only allows for tailored skill development but also fosters more open and constructive dialogue with managers. Employees are encouraged to demonstrate the practical application of their newly acquired skills in real-world scenarios, shifting from merely following directives to actively showcasing their expertise.