By Seven Senders - As Senior Sales Manager Benelux at Seven Senders, the leading delivery platform connecting e-commerce retailers with Europe’s best local last-mile carriers, Richard Hartlief leverages over 13 years of experience in the parcel delivery industry to drive growth and customer success. Combining in-depth market knowledge with a passion for logistics and strong client relationships, he plays a key role in expanding Seven Senders’ presence across the Benelux region.
In this interview, Richard shares insights into his approach to sales, his strategies for building lasting partnerships, and the logistics trends shaping the future of B2B e-commerce in Benelux.
Please describe your job as Senior Sales Manager Benelux at Seven Senders!
As a Senior Sales Manager, my primary focus is on acquiring new business for Seven Senders. With nearly 13 years of experience in the parcel delivery industry, I’ve built a network where I can introduce Seven Senders as a strong alternative to current logistics setups (warm acquisition).
In addition, I attend networking events and fairs, give presentations, and conduct extensive outreach - via LinkedIn, email, and other channels - to connect with new potential customers (cold acquisition).
The best part of my job is seeing a potential customer get as enthusiastic about our logistics solutions as I am about forming a new collaboration.
I’ll never forget one particular meeting I once had with a prospect. During the conversation, he picked up my business card, looked at it, then looked back at me and asked, “Is it your company? You talk about it with such passion - as if it’s yours.” That was a real compliment and a moment that stuck with me.
In your experience, what are the key factors that drive a successful sales strategy in the logistics sector?
One key factor is understanding an online retailer’s needs from multiple angles. During different phases of the sales process, I often interact with people from various departments, each with their own priorities and stakes in the process. This might include logistics, marketing, or finance/procurement teams.
Each team has its own goals and targets, which can sometimes even conflict with one another. The challenge is to fully understand all these perspectives and still deliver a solution that works for everyone involved.
"The key to a successful sales strategy is understanding every angle of an online retailer’s needs - logistics, marketing, and finance. It’s about finding the best solution that aligns with all their goals, even when those goals may seem to conflict."
What will be the major differentiators for e-commerce companies (and their logistics partners) by 2026 in terms of customer experience / delivery offering?
Also, for 2026 it is to be expected that budgets are still very tight, so online retailers need to make sure to make wise decisions without compromising the customer journey. I still see a lot of online retailers, both small and large ones, only offering home delivery. With adding pick-up point deliveries in the check-out, you provide more options to your customers and keep control of your costs, simply because carriers offer lower rates for pick-up point deliveries. So, this will add value to the customer experience and have a positive impact on the shipping costs.
What trends are currently shaping the B2B logistics industry, and how do you see them affecting the Benelux region?
Compared to other European regions, online retailers in the Benelux have long focused on serving European consumers. While COVID-19 accelerated online sales growth - particularly in cross-border markets - many Benelux e-commerce shops had already started exploring Europe years before the pandemic.
One major trend, I see, is the increasing use of local carriers in countries with significant volumes. This strategy helps retailers stay ahead of the competition by improving service levels, pricing, and delivery speed.
Another trend is the renewed interest among Benelux online retailers in re-entering the UK market. After many retailers closed their UK operations around late 2019 or early 2020, there’s growing recognition of the market’s huge potential. With the right partnerships, customs no longer need to be as challenging as they were in early 2021, shortly after Brexit.
Thank you for your time, Richard!
About Seven SendersSeven Senders is the leading delivery platform for parcel shipping in Europe. By connecting retailers with a vast network of local carriers and offering services such as customs, claim.me, parcel protection, and returns solutions, Seven Senders simplifies international shipping and enables seamless delivery experiences. www.sevensenders.com
