Pilot Corporation of Europe case study: change management for Amazon
Strategic consulting for the pan-European Amazon transition
Interview with Marie-Charlotte Bez :
Key Account Manager and Area Manager
Context
Pilot Corporation of Europe (PCE) is the European branch of the Japanese group Pilot. PCE is responsible for the logistics, commercial, and marketing support of several subsidiaries and distributors in Europe and North Africa, covering around 30 countries. It has historically operated with a very decentralized organization, which created challenges for managing international accounts like Amazon.
Amazon Vendor strategy Pilot
|
Marie-Charlotte Bez, Key Account Manager at PCE, was in charge of leading the transformation of Amazon account management toward a centralized European Vendor model and managing the account pan-European afterward. Amazon Vendor strategy Pilot |
 |
Challenges before the collaboration
- A decentralized Amazon management structure with multiple administrators and points of contact.
- Heterogeneous catalogs, content, and strategies.
- Significant investment disparities between countries.
- Issues related to transshipment (sell-in in one zone and sell-out in another).
- Difficult negotiations with Amazon due to a lack of coherence in the approach.
- Willingness to implement actions that never came to fruition due to overly decentralized decision-making.
“We wanted to standardize our actions, but we remained dependent on local decisions.” – Marie-Charlotte Bez.
As Amazon’s requested PCE to move to a pan-European model, Sellingz supported them with a feasibility study, interdepartmental coordination, and implementation of the new model.
Solutions provided by Sellingz
- A structured monthly follow-up with checklists and meetings to secure each step.
- Feasibility study: anticipate all internal changes related to the transformation, analyze the model’s viability from an economic standpoint and its feasibility operationally, and mitigate internal risks related to the transition.
- Preparation of team briefings to ensure interdepartmental coordination (finance, logistics, marketing).
- Strategic advice and responses to questions regarding the changes.
- Structuring of the offer, marketing & sales policy.
- Identification of critical errors (e.g., catalog mapping issues) that helped improve reporting accuracy and restore expected order volumes.
“I used to feel it was a mountain of things to handle. With the support, it was much smoother than if I had faced it all alone. It was a real help in the sense that we tackled things one by one, set up a schedule, a roadmap, and took it step by step.” Marie-Charlotte Bez.
Why Sellingz
A “solution provider”, a “strategic hotline” available to guide Pilot in its decisions thanks to experience with other similar accounts.
“What I appreciate most is the availability. When I have a doubt, I send a quick message and get a reply or even advice. This flexibility and responsiveness really made my work easier.
Today, if I had to name the benefits of this collaboration, it’s that I work more calmly”. Marie-Charlotte Bez
Conclusion
The collaboration with Sellingz enabled Pilot Europe to successfully complete a major transition: moving from a local, fragmented Amazon management model to a unified, more strategic, and efficient one. Thanks to a mix of project management and operational support, the PCE team is now equipped to manage Amazon effectively.
Pilot continues to work with Sellingz through monthly workshops for training, strategic thinking, and resolving challenges inherent to managing a complex account like Amazon.
“Sellingz is, for me, a true partner: available, competent, and structuring.” Marie-Charlotte Bez
Tailored strategies designed for your brands
Contact us today for a personalized consultation tailored to your brand’s unique needs. Let’s discuss how we can help you succeed — book a meeting!