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Leen Bakker Number one with design for everyone.

Debbie Klein, CEO since 2018: "Leen Bakker is more fun than you might think, always close at hand, offers pleasantly surprising service and is always competitively priced."

"Leen Bakker had been part of Blokker since 1988. However, the Group’s focus seemed to have shifted in recent years to other retail formulas, which is perhaps why Leen Bakker managed to retain its own DNA. Although a down-to-earth company with hard working employees, its entrepreneurial spirit had been diluted, its course was uncertain and the customer was not always key. A refocus was clearly overdue. Nowadays we actively communicate that Leen Bakker means design for everyone."

Breaking down walls.

"I wanted to give Leen Bakker a new identity, which necessitated a culture reset. We had to be more accountable, quicker, data-driven, and less remote. Concerning the latter, we’ve developed an app through which we can share results, celebrate successes and exchange information between branches and employees. At the office we stream canteen updates every month and, as the management, we are much more visible.

Last Christmas, for example, we visited all 170 branches with a treat, which was great fun. We are also breaking down walls, both literally and figuratively, lending a more open character to the workplace. And we work in multidisciplinary teams. Shorter lines of communication mean we don’t do something because that’s how it’s always been done, but because it works better for the customer. Slowly but surely we are clawing back our entrepreneurial spirit."

“Shorter lines work well. With Gilde too. If we propose a sound plan that delivers, it’s quickly sorted.”

Debbie Klein, CEO, Leenbakker

Leen Bakker is buzzing.

"We also set up an independent webshop, an essential element in our multi-channel proposition. Within six months our new team constructed a world-class site, a real achievement. This is important because almost 20 percent of our turnover is generated online and 70 percent of our customers orient themselves there. The website makes it possible for all touchpoints to work together smoothly. You can do anything, from shopping online to garnering information before visiting a nearby store. There is a distinct buzz around Leen Bakker. We appeal to better-educated young women online who realize how much fun we are, and we’ve also invested significantly in advertising. It’s all having the desired effect, externally and internally. Our employees have regained their pride and are retaking ownership. It’s a wonderful thing to collectively put your shoulders under something and see it raising off the ground."

Opening doors, with Kwantum.

"I’d like to move even faster, but in the retail business you have to do a lot of juggling. Gilde serves as a sounding board. It’s up to us, but they are always there if we need them. The combination with Kwantum and the associated economies of scale are a huge bonus because we can really complement one another in the area of home furnishings. But first we’ll need to get our house in order, improve our performance and make sure that Leen Bakker stays in the winning mood. Then, together with Kwantum, we can work on becoming a real alternative to IKEA."

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Leen Bakker Number one with design for everyone.

Debbie Klein, CEO since 2018: "Leen Bakker is more fun than you might think, always close at hand, offers pleasantly surprising service and is always competitively priced."

Breaking down walls.

“Shorter lines work well. With Gilde too. If we propose a sound plan that delivers, it’s quickly sorted.”

Debbie Klein, CEO, Leenbakker

Leen Bakker is buzzing.

Opening doors, with Kwantum.

See what growth and collaboration can do for a business:

99%

brand awareness

60M

visitors of which 37M online and 23M in store

13

football fields inventory

Team

Gerhard Nordemann

Daniel Winkelman

Hent van Heusden

Year of investment

2017

Industry

Retail

Location

Raamdonksveer, the Netherlands

Other investments

Socaz Entrepreneurship lubricates the wheels of success.