What is a Business Development Manager (BDM)?

In my case at a startup called Logimate, a BDM is responsible for a company’s strategy and operational development. I need to continuously deal with how to develop the company so that our current and future customers are satisfied.  

What do people think a Business Development Manager is?

The name business development is quite obvious, but what some people miss is that we are not only looking for new ways to get business but also working with what we already have and looking to improve it. 

What it actually means to be a ”Business Development Manager”?

At Logimate being a BDM means a lot of things because it’s a startup. All of our processes and products are super new and there’s still a lot to improve on. Since we started we’ve been quite busy, we have to continually improve on our customer acquisition techniques.

What are some common terms in the ”Business Development Manager” workplace?

Words that come up a lot are planet, people, and profit, because we are trying to improve the business with these 3 items in mind, we’re thinking about how to make Logimate an attractive workplace for people. In the planet dimension, we focus on products that are environmentally friendly. And yes profit, which is obvious we need to make a profit to be able to operate in a sustainable way.

What does a day in the life of a Business Development Manager look like?

At Logimate we’re still super small, with 4 people full-time. I often have to do operation tasks in the morning, picking and packing, answering questions in the customer support department and then after lunch, I do the project work, like brainstorming around how to attract new customers. I also work on our social media presence and visit fairs and startup events to find customers or inspiration. 

Educational Path

Why did you choose to work as a “Business Development Manager”?

I didn’t really choose this, but when the opportunity arose I took it. The role of a BDM sounded interesting to me and the idea of joining such a young company was very appealing. 

Misconceptions in the Logistics industry?

These are my fav questions, there are so many. Some people think it’s a super dirty industry with just old men where everyone is working in a warehouse, they don’t see that it’s starting to change and it’s becoming well paid and companies in this industry care about their employees. 

Electronic trucks are popping up and a lot is going on behind the scenes that people don’t really see

What are some challenges in your role?

Customer acquisition, we tried with cold calls, in the beginning, you essentially say “hey do you want to learn about Logimate and they say no thanks and goodbye” or they just don’t take your calls at all. The challenge is to find an easier and less expensive way to get in touch with our customers.

One idea we had was to order things from places that looked good to us, then we ordered something and wrapped it really nicely and then put a note in a box and sent it back. It cost some money but much less than spending money to rank on the internet.  

What are some skills you need to perform your job?

I need to do a lot of unloading trucks and moving goods from one pallet to another. I also need to know how to use the warehouse management system. I work with a lot of students aged around 16-17 years old and it’s the 1st time in their lives that they’re working, it’s been interesting to manage these people correctly and gently show them what is appropriate in the workplace and what is not, without being too harsh. 

Some advice I would give to people who are keen to learn and join the logistics industry?

In this industry, you have to work really hard and be persistent, even if you are qualified, most people will start at the bottom. You need to be prepared to work hard. The industry is also filled with older generations and as a young person coming into the workforce with a modern take on the world, you may need a thick skin to cope with some of the older attitudes in the workplace.

Who inspires you?

In the logistics industry, my father is actually who inspires me, he started with a traineeship in a warehouse and he worked really hard and managed to get up to the head of contract logistics at Hellman.