“Argon & Co adopted a thorough approach that provided valuable insights,” says Sven Voeten, director of operations at CB. “First, they spoke with a range of people at our organization—from management to internal experts. This provided them with a qualitative understanding of our challenges. Then, they extracted all relevant data to perform a quantitative analysis. When they combined the qualitative and quantitative outcomes, the puzzle pieces started falling into place. What I found powerful was how they quickly switched between conversations with our people and hard data. It gave me confidence that we would really get to the core—and we did.”
This resulted in an overview of processes and IT in the supply chain—along with some surprising conclusions. Sven explains, “Going into this, we had an idea of where bottlenecks might be. Some of our assumptions were confirmed, but Argon & Co’s work also gave us some surprising new insights. These have led us to change the way orders are processed. Traditionally, we sorted by postal code. Now, we sort based on customer ordering behavior. From this moment on, this has been our standard day of working.
“They maintained a helicopter view”
“Argon & Co combined qualitative and quantitative analyses, leveraged the knowledge of our internal specialists, and enhanced it with their own expertise,” says Sven. “That made for a solid approach. It allowed them to pinpoint the issue, identify bottlenecks, and determine the best solutions. What was also critical to Argon & Co’s success was CB’s ability to collaborate with external experts and critically reflect on internal specialists.”
Besides Argon & Co’s structured method, CB greatly appreciated their ability to alternate between micro and macro perspectives. Sven explains, “While they maintained a helicopter view throughout the process, they knew when to dive deep, using our data and experts to refine their findings. That proved to be incredibly useful. We are knee-deep in the book industry every day, so it can be challenging to step back and take a broader perspective. Argon & Co was able to do this for and with us.”
“Argon & Co and CQM coordinated their roles effectively”
Initially, working with two external partners raised some concerns. “We wondered if it would complicate things,” says Sven. “Would there be overlapping responsibilities or friction? Fortunately, that never happened. Right from the start, Argon & Co and CQM coordinated their roles effectively. The process showed what external cooperation can look like: complementary, transparent, and results-focused. The consultation structure worked well, and everyone knew their role. This brought peace and created speed.”
The alignment between Argon & Co and CQM ensured that the process remained efficient. “Not once did we observe any miscommunication or tension over accountability. Actually, it was quite the opposite: we had structured steering committees, and both partners were in direct contact with our management. So, everything ran very smoothly.”
“Argon & Co’s personal, hands-on approach fit perfectly with our culture”
Sven believes Argon & Co’s approach delivered real impact. “What I really appreciated is that we didn’t just receive a thick report that would disappear into a drawer and collect dust for years to come,” he says. “We received concrete proposals that we could immediately implement.”
Beyond their expertise, CB found there to be a strong cultural match with Argon & Co. Sven says, “We don’t have a so-called corporate culture. Our leadership and employees have corporate experience but consciously chose this environment. If we had worked with a traditional corporate consulting firm, I think there would have been a disconnect. But Argon & Co’s personal, hands-on approach fit perfectly with our culture, philosophy, and way of working. Change only works if the approach and consultants you hire align with who you are as an organization. We consciously opted for a professional, people-oriented style—and Argon & Co has been a seamless fit.”
Looking ahead, CB remains focused on optimizing logistics processes. According to Sven, CB’s collaboration with Argon & Co and CQM has facilitated this. “The combination of these two firms is powerful,” he says. “They complement each other and provided exactly the kind of support we need. I would definitely recommend working with them. This collaboration has paved the way for further optimizing our chain. With the insights we’ve gained and the approach we have now adopted, we can accelerate and improve—both structurally and sustainably.”
“Consultancy requires an investment. In the case of Argon & Co, it’s definitely worth it. They’ve enabled us to take concrete steps that help tackle our challenges and create added value, and we are already seeing that in practice. Plus, they’re very easy to communicate with!”
Team working on this project
Argon & Co: Martin Mommersteeg, Lore Keijzers, Suzanne Huijskes, Ruben Braas
CQM: Jannet van Zante, Minou Voortman, Bart Post
Share:
Nina
Head of Marketing & Recruitment
