Jarola is a Dutch family-owned company and technical wholesaler specializing in water, air, and electrical solutions. The organization serves its customers through multiple sales channels: technical wholesaler Wildkamp, with 45 branches across the Netherlands, Bonaire, and Curaçao, and Jarola as an international trading partner.

Under the leadership of owner-director Gert-Jan de Wilde and with the active involvement of the third generation, Jarola is currently in an important transition phase. At this stage, the need arose to further professionalize the commercial organization and prepare it for the future, while preserving the entrepreneurial spirit that defines this family business.

The Challenge

Jarola’s growth and the increasing complexity of operating multiple sales channels created new challenges. The commercial strategy had not been explicitly defined for each channel, roles and responsibilities were not always clearly assigned, and commercial effectiveness partly depended on individuals. In addition, there was a need for more structure in account management, a more proactive customer approach, and improved measurement and management of commercial performance.

Jarola has been working with Sales Improvement Group for many years, including ongoing training programs delivered by Jeroen Santema and Roy van der Ven. By the end of 2024, the time had come to take a fresh, integrated look at the organization: where do we stand today, and are we ready for the next phase and the next generation?

The Approach

Together with Sales Improvement Group, Jarola initiated a comprehensive Sales Analysis, guided by Sepp van Loon and Ewout Den Hartog. All relevant aspects of the commercial organization were examined, ranging from strategy and structure to processes and performance management.

The findings were translated into a practical, phased Plan of Action. This plan provided clear choices for each sales channel, well-defined priorities, and concrete improvement steps that could be immediately applied in practice. By actively involving management, leadership, and commercial teams, broad support was created and improvements were jointly developed and embedded within the organization.

The Result

The project resulted in a commercial organization with greater clarity, alignment, and effectiveness. There is now a clear strategic framework for each sales channel, supported by well-defined job profiles and clearly established tasks, responsibilities, and authorities. Account management and customer engagement have become more structured, and the management of commercial performance has noticeably improved.

The impact is visible throughout the organization: a more consistent message to customers, better internal alignment, and a solid foundation for further growth and transition to the next generation.

What the client says

“We have been working with Sales Improvement Group for a long time. About twelve years ago, they helped us take an important growth step, and since then our commercial teams have continued to develop through their training programs.

By the end of 2024, we once again felt it was time to take a critical look at where we stand today and whether we are ready for the next phase. Especially with an eye on the future and the role of the next generation, we wanted more clarity, structure, and direction.

What I appreciate about SIG’s approach is that they first want to truly understand how we operate. The Sales Analysis was thorough, but above all practical. No theory for theory’s sake, but concrete insights we could immediately put into practice.

Their plan of action and guidance gave us focus: clear choices per sales channel, well-defined roles, and better management, while preserving our entrepreneurial spirit. That is essential for us as a family business.

Working with Sepp van Loon and Ewout Den Hartog was pleasant, sharp, and highly engaged. They hold up a mirror to us in a way that fits who we are. That makes the partnership valuable and future-oriented.”

Gert-Jan de Wilde,
Owner-director of Jarola