Isabelle on the left and Alice on the right.

Meet our Customer Sales Support team

Isabelle has been working at Cartec for 2.5 years and is the mother of a young daughter. Her career began in the travel industry. First as a tour guide abroad, followed by roles at a travel agency, a car rental company, and in Customer Service. “In my current role at Cartec, everything comes together: the international aspect, customer contact, sales and marketing. It’s a perfect fit.”

Alice is the mother of two daughters and has been with Cartec for almost three years. She has a background in retail and previously worked at her father’s gas station, handled administration in the sports industry, worked for a cattle breeding company, and in the orchid sector. “You learn something from every job. Entering orders is something I used to do years ago and I still do it here today.”

Why choose to work at Cartec?

For Isabelle, it started with a reorganization at her previous employer. She wrote an open and honest LinkedIn post about her search for a new job, which almost went viral. “Mariëlle from HR responded to it. I had an interview and it immediately felt familiar. Almost everyone here has a family, the company is family-oriented and there’s real understanding for your private life. I felt welcome and after 2.5 years, that feeling hasn’t changed at all.”

Alice joined Cartec when the company she worked for shut down. “I actually didn’t want to work in an office, but I decided to have the conversation anyway.” In the beginning, it took some time to define her exact role due to several changes within the team. “I started with the BNL activities, and when Isabelle joined, we began handling export together. Isabelle still had to wrap up her previous job, so we gradually grew into the role as a team.”

They now alternate working days and only work together on Thursdays. “That’s the best day,” they laugh. “We have to discuss everything in just one day.”

What does Customer Sales Support do at Cartec?

“Everything,” they say almost simultaneously.

From order processing for BNL and export to customer communication, shipping, invoicing, price lists, safety data sheets and training certificates. “It’s not just ‘thank you for your order’. We guide the entire process. From ‘when can I expect my shipment?’ to ‘can I add anything else to my order?’”

They work closely with Sales (BNL and export), Expedition/Logistics and Purchasing. Since the move to the new building, they share an office with the Sales team. “It works so much faster. You quickly align on something and move on.”

What does a typical workday at Cartec look like?

“We start with the inbox and setting priorities. Everything that is entered into the system before 12 noon is shipped the same day.” After that, it’s time for export orders, certificates and administration.

And then there are the day’s surprises. “You never know in the morning what’s going to come in. You have to be able to switch gears quickly.”

Customer contact at Cartec: clear, personal and solution-oriented

They are in daily contact with dealers, customers and colleagues. “We’re actually in touch with every department, and we really enjoy that,” they say.

What do they consider important in customer communication?
“Clear communication. Professional, but not distant. We treat customers the way we would like to be treated ourselves.”
“And we always remain friendly,” Alice adds. “Sometimes we’re not delivering good news. Still, we receive responses like: thank you for the explanation.”

Occasionally, they encounter unusual situations, which they handle just fine. Like the shipment that wasn’t ready to be sent, yet a truck still departed. Later it turned out the driver was in Limburg with a trailer full of spices from the neighbors instead of our products. “First, we had to figure out what he actually meant. In the end, it turned out he had taken the wrong shipment. The next day everything was resolved, and the correct shipment went out after all.”

The difference between Sales and Sales Support

“Sales closes the deals and makes the agreements,” Isabelle says. “We carry out what they’ve agreed on.”
“You ask, we deliver,” Alice summarizes.
“Yes, just hand it over, we’ll take care of it!” Isabelle jokes.

At the same time, they are increasingly moving toward supporting Sales more actively, for example with international contacts. “We enjoy that. But there has to be time for it.”

The biggest challenge in Customer Sales Support

“Getting everything done,” they say immediately. “Just when you think you’re finished, you open yet another mailbox, and off you go again,” Alice explains with a laugh. Accuracy is key. “Sometimes we check an order multiple times. We want to be absolutely sure everything is correct.”

They cover for each other during holidays to keep everything running smoothly. “There has to be someone available every single day to handle the work.”

What have you learned here?

Alice: “That everything I’ve done before comes together in this role.”

Isabelle: “That I’m worth more than I thought. Here, people really look at my strengths. I’ve grown in confidence. I didn’t have that to this extent before.”

Working atmosphere at Cartec: open, informal and involved

“The atmosphere within the company is good,” they both say without hesitation. “If the working atmosphere isn’t good, I really struggle with that,” Isabelle explains. “But here, everyone gets along. That’s quite unique.”

The organization is flat and communication is open. “You don’t have to walk on eggshells here.” They feel trusted and given responsibility in their roles. “No one is constantly looking over your shoulder. We’re treated as equals.”

Alongside hard work, there’s room for fun. AI-generated photos in carnival outfits, jokes on the work floor, walking together during lunch breaks. “We laugh a lot.”

At home, that sometimes causes confusion. “My daughter thinks I work in a circus tent,” Isabelle laughs. “With Christmas bingo, lollipops, Dutch donuts and presents. She thinks it’s always a party here. ‘Can I come to work with you again? It’s always fun there!’ she asks regularly.” The nice thing is that family days are occasionally organized, so she can actually come along and experience it herself.

What makes Cartec special?

“The appreciation,” they say without hesitation. From a personal message on a difficult day to attention for birthdays, milestones and holidays. “Without the people, the company wouldn’t exist,” Isabelle says. “You can truly feel that here.”

What qualities do you need for this role?

Patience, accuracy, the ability to switch quickly and strong social skills. And above all: the ability to go with what the day brings. “Go with the flow.”

Why work at Cartec?

What do they enjoy most about their job?

Alice: “That I have great colleagues and that we truly do it together.”
Isabelle: “I’ve never gone to work unwillingly. That really says it all.”