From business managers to freelancers: in this new edition of Frezza Partner Insights we get to know Quentin Rouaud and Bertrand Lauvernier, founding partners of Qubex. The agency has been working for Frezza in France since 2020, covering the whole territory, thanks to the support of two collaborators.
Qubex is known for the high selection of its partners, chosen for their strong know-how in their specific fields of expertise. Working with companies from different but complementary sectors allows them to give a complete service to architects, interior designers, decorators and distributors in the realisation of their furnishing projects.
In this interview, we briefly review the evolution of Quentin and Bertrand’s careers, delving into the agency’s role in the market and their expectations for the future.
1. What are the reasons that led you both to interrupt your careers as managers to embark on a new adventure as freelancers?
Creating and sharing this project together was a natural choice from both a personal and professional point of view.
The opportunity to create our own structure in this sector that we appreciate so much was a challenge that we could not refuse.
Being self-employed has enabled us to create a tailor-made job, dealing with our manufacturers and partners (distributors and architects) in an environment in which we enjoy working.
The diversity of our daily life and our autonomy are the main reasons for this change of professional life.
2. What are the expectations of the market in which you operate with regard to agencies?
Our role as an agency is to ensure the link between the distribution circuit, the specifiers and our factories. We have therefore created our agency taking into account the expectations of our partners and manufacturers.
Our partners expect factory representatives to provide real support and expertise on the products they recommend. We have to be at their side, as colleagues, to help them win their projects.
On the other hand, manufacturers are keen to find people they can trust to represent the brand, its values and the people who work there every day. Our past experience and our predisposition to speak fluent English and Spanish helps us to guide them in the French market.
3. Do you think there is a role for the agent in the future distribution strategies of manufacturers operating in your sector?
The agent profession, because of its demands, its technicality and the travel it requires, is neglected by the new generation. However, every company needs to be represented in order to be promoted. The agent is an ageing profession in almost every sector, including furniture and construction.
This is one of the main reasons why we created our sales agency. The fact that we represent several brands that complement each other allows us to create a synergy and to accompany our partners in the totality of their project by reducing the number of interlocutors and offering them transparent, technical and responsive support.
Acting on the national territory, our mission goes beyond the commercial one. In addition to looking after the distribution network and its development, we are responsible for the proper implementation of the commercial strategy. Another part of our mission is to collect and provide information to manufacturers so that they can adapt more easily and quickly to the French market.
The impact of new technologies might make us think that our work will disappear, but we believe that our presence in the field and the close relationship we have with our partners are indispensable. In addition to the human relationships that we consider essential, we are the guarantors of a fundamental bond between our partners and manufacturers, which is a role that no technology can replace.
