• [00:01:08] What exactly does Revalio do?
• [00:01:48] How did Revalio get started?
• [00:02:34] What sets Revalio apart from the competition?
• [00:03:24] How do you win clients over and build loyalty?
• [00:04:23] What works well, and less well, in the sales approach?
• [00:05:22] Do businesses feel a sense of environmental urgency?
• [00:06:42] What tools help manage the sales pipeline and follow-ups?
• [00:07:18] Does artificial intelligence pose a threat to jobs?
• [00:08:33] How much time do attention to detail and technical analysis require?
• [00:09:05] What is Revalio’s next business development ambition?
• [00:09:53] Why choose PHCom for business development?
• [00:11:17] What time savings does working with PHCom bring?
• [00:11:54] How would you describe the collaboration with PHCom in three words?
• [00:12:43] What can we wish Revalio for the future?

[00:00:13] Stéphane Depaepe: Hello and welcome to this new episode of the "Performance, Harmonie & Commercial" podcast, produced by PH Com in the "transforma bxl" studio with technical support from "The Podcast Factory Org"

[00:00:23] Nadia Ben Jelloun: The "Performance, Harmonie & Commercial" podcast is intended for marketing and sales managers, as well as business leaders with commercial responsibilities.

[00:00:32] Stéphane Depaepe: Every month, we share best practices in prospecting for new clients for businesses operating in business-to-business.

[00:00:38] Nadia Ben Jelloun: You can find every episode on the PHCom dot be P.H.C.O.M. website and also on all good podcast platforms.

[00:00:47] Stéphane Depaepe: You can support this podcast and boost its visibility by sharing it with as many people as possible with a like, a comment, a share.

[00:00:55] Nadia Ben Jelloun: The voicemail is always active so you can leave us a message; we will be delighted to reply.

[00:01:00] Stéphane Depaepe: You can also book an appointment directly with Nadia or Stéphane by visiting PHCom dot be.

[00:01:06] Nadia Ben Jelloun: See you soon.

[00:01:07] Camille de Meeûs: Hello Louis

What exactly does Revalio do?

[00:01:08] Louis De Muylder: Hello Camille

[00:01:08] Camille de Meeûs: We are delighted to have you on the PHCom podcast today. So, you work for the company Revalio—tell us a bit about what you do in concrete terms.

[00:01:16] Louis De Muylder: Actually, at Revalio, what we do is completely revolutionize our current way of managing water. That means we currently have a very linear approach: we pump quality groundwater, we use it, wear it out, and then, well, this wastewater is sent to a treatment plant, which discharges into a river, and then, to put it simply, it ends up in the sea. And what we want, well, is to recreate circularity in our own water cycle, that of human activity. That means we treat wastewater so it can be reused, giving it a second life. And we mainly work in industrial settings, because that's where there is a massive amount of work to be done.

How did Revalio get started?

[00:01:48] Camille de Meeûs: How did Revalio get started? What gave you the idea to launch such a concept, if I may put it that way?

[00:01:54] Louis De Muylder: The story of Revalio really starts with our very first project, which began before Revalio was born: water management at the Princess Elisabeth station in Antarctica. So it was truly an extraordinary project because you find yourself in a context where, as you can well imagine, this station—we can all picture it—is really lost in the middle of an immense white desert. And so obviously, well, what do you do with water? Wastewater? And where do you discharge it? But also, how do you produce this water? And so that's where the concept of reusing and upcycling water takes on its full meaning. And so we designed a system for this station that was capable of treating water directly on-site, let's say in the building's basement, making it possible to use yesterday's wastewater to power, well, tomorrow's shower.

What sets Revalio apart from the competition?

[00:02:34] Camille de Meeûs: Is there a lot of competition in this field? What sets you apart?

[00:02:38] Louis De Muylder: In fact, the water sector is as old as the hills, so there are indeed large companies, and the industry has often been divided between water treaters who focus on drinking water—high-quality water—and the wastewater treatment segment, those who work on sewage. But now, with the paradigm I've just explained, where we ultimately achieve circularity, we're starting to connect wastewater treatment to regenerate high-quality water. And that's just it, that's where our positioning becomes, shall we say, innovative: we close the loop, and on top of that, we actively focus on optimizing water usage itself for our clients. What that really means is: do you actually need to consume the water you're consuming? Namely, rethinking cooling processes, cleaning processes, and so on. To ensure we can do more while consuming less water, and on top of that, by reusing that water.

How do you win clients over and build loyalty?

[00:03:24] Camille de Meeûs: How do you currently manage to convince your clients to continue with you? Because these processes sometimes take time, how do you manage to build loyalty with these people?

[00:03:33] Louis De Muylder: Actually, what makes it very easy is that: we are all, individually, aware that water is a major issue; we all place importance on having quality water. We know that it is directly linked to our personal, physical health. But also to that of the environment—not a single tree or animal can live without quality water, so it really is the lifeblood of our overall environment. Therefore, the discussion always flows very easily. There is genuinely a lot of interest among our clients and with everyone we talk to in moving forward in the field of water. However, what is much less clear is that, yes, we know that at home we should turn off the tap when brushing our teeth, but how do we do that when dealing with larger or more complex industrial activities? And that is where our discussion becomes interesting, because we first explore with the client all those improvement opportunities they have in their plant or operations, in order to jointly define which priority areas to work on!

What works well, and less well, in the sales approach?

[00:04:23] Camille de Meeûs: On a commercial level, what is working well and what is working less well today?

[00:04:27] Louis De Muylder: In fact, we're an organization where we barely have a sales team. What we're trying to do isn't positioning ourselves by selling, pushing a product where we're trying to drive volume. What we mainly want is to co-create projects with our clients. As a result, the discussion is more of a collaborative dialogue rather than a pitch trying at all costs to convince people of the product's benefits and merits. The idea is that there is actually immense potential for improvement. We know this well with the energy sector, for example; it is under close scrutiny because of the challenges linked to climate change, obviously, renewable energy, but also geopolitics, which means energy is something we work on and optimize down to the finest details. Water, on the other hand, is still somewhat the poor relation; it isn't leveraged enough yet, so there is certainly no lack of work or projects. What's needed is to co-build them to realize that, yes, a return on investment is also possible in water. And yes, the impact is truly tangible and significant, and there are many quick wins within reach.

Do businesses feel a sense of environmental urgency?

[00:05:22] Camille de Meeûs: In your opinion, do people increasingly have this circular, ecological awareness? Do you feel that when you meet a company for the first time that has an interest in Revalio? Do they have—can we sense this urgency, perhaps?

[00:05:35] Louis De Muylder: There is awareness, that's for sure; an urgency really depends on the person. But in fact, when talking about practical cases, we need to go beyond awareness; we also have to show that it addresses an economic, practical, operational reality that will enable efficiency gains, better cost control, and greater business resilience to prevent reduced operations or shutdowns during droughts. To optimize costs on the water bill, on treatment costs. And also operational efficiency gains because ultimately, if we improve management—the way water is used in the plant, in cleaning and cooling processes—we can also achieve greater operational performance for the business. And actually, you need to be down to earth, and that's where we need to work together, with clients and partners, to really implement projects that make sense. Because nowadays, coming in to sell a project that looks all nice and shiny, as they say...

[00:06:20] Camille de Meeûs: ...but is completely meaningless!

[00:06:21] Louis De Muylder: That's just not enough anymore.

[00:06:21] Camille de Meeûs: Yes, exactly. So there is no longer that need to convince people; once there's interest and they want to meet with Revalio, that awareness is truly present.

[00:06:30] Louis De Muylder: Yes, I think the awareness is definitely there; what's needed is to work concretely on "OK, so how do we actually do it?" And how is the solution going to work? How do we connect the different parts of the plant or the operation so that it works?

What tools help manage the sales pipeline and follow-ups?

[00:06:42] Camille de Meeûs: Do you have specific tools or practices today to manage your pipeline, follow-ups, and appointments within Revalio?

[00:06:49] Louis De Muylder: Well yes, in fact I think the revolution currently taking place with artificial intelligence is massive. Obviously, we have the advantage of being a young company, so we have fully embraced artificial intelligence in our work, which means what we try to do is spend as little time as possible clicking around. And spend as much time as possible in person on-site with clients or developing—well, delivering the projects we work on. And that, I think, compared to how things used to be done, is a radical shift that allows us to have a much sharper focus and deliver far more value.

Does artificial intelligence pose a threat to jobs?

[00:07:18] Camille de Meeûs: Artificial intelligence in your industry—isn't it an obstacle? In your case, it actually helps you on a day-to-day basis. Are your jobs not at risk because of artificial intelligence, or is there still some fear underneath?

[00:07:29] Louis De Muylder: No, there really is no fear at all because artificial intelligence, well, first of all, it allows us to structure a team in our company that is entirely focused on water treatment and water reuse, so we will genuinely have the entire team composed of engineers specialized in the field. And then artificial intelligence, well, it's going to be the tool that helps them become even more productive in their work. On the other hand, there are two things: first, let's say, the capacity for judgment regarding solutions because, in the end, water is very complex chemistry, all water sources are different, and you also have to bring them to a quality level that is often variable, and that must be based on a successive layer of treatment processes. And there is also a sort of need for a capacity for judgment based on practical, hands-on experience. And on top of that, there is technical expertise on-site, in the field: you have to know how to calibrate probes, size pumps and basins, and dose chemical inputs with the right ratio and proper mixing capacity in the treatment process. So a major part of it is actually technical, because it really is technical engineering, so it's not just about brainpower; there is also judgment, and there are hands that have to follow through as well.

How much time do attention to detail and technical analysis require?

[00:08:33] Camille de Meeûs: There is also a lot of meticulousness in what you do; it must be hard. The patience, the attention to detail, the analysis you do—all of that takes time in the end, doesn't it?

[00:08:40] Louis De Muylder: Yes, it takes a lot of time. And so artificial intelligence is great for clearing the ground, for writing faster, for creating the whole framework, but ultimately the fine judgment of what will work and what won't, of what will actually have an impact—what seems like a good idea from artificial intelligence, but could have a negative impact on another part of the plant's operations, on energy, or otherwise—might not be taken into account. And that is where an individual's experience and technical expertise have tremendous value.

What is Revalio’s next business development ambition?

[00:09:05] Camille de Meeûs: What is the next big ambition or commercial goal for Revalio?

[00:09:09] Louis De Muylder: In fact, the first ambition we have is—our project was really born out of the Antarctic project, a scientific station, with truly advanced and highly refined water management. So, circularity, a genuinely continuous reuse of wastewater. And our primary ambition is to convince dozens, hundreds of industrial sites in Belgium, in our country, to embark on this journey. And it's not a complete process that can be done at the snap of a finger; there are many aspects where progress is needed, regarding the plant's water source, rainwater harvesting, wastewater management, and the optimization of internal processes. So, in fact, our goal is to embark together, to build long-term relationships with the entire Belgian industrial fabric to help them progress toward more efficient and sustainable water management.

Why choose PHCom for business development?

[00:09:53] Camille de Meeûs: Commercially speaking, you turned to a partner, PHCom, specifically to help you with this development. Why did you choose us, and how did it come about in the first place?

[00:10:04] Louis De Muylder: We were talking about artificial intelligence earlier, and there's one aspect that can't be replaced, and that's the human relationship. And that's also at the heart of the co-development work we do with our clients at Revalio. On the other hand, prospecting is a word with rather negative connotations, but which in itself, ultimately, is quite healthy—it's about introducing yourself and explaining that we'd like to build projects together. Well, it takes a tremendous amount of time, and we realized that by working as a team, in collaboration with PHCom, we were able to build far more relationships in a very stable, highly systematized way, and without, let's say, degrading the quality of the relationship being built. Because we unfortunately have this preconceived notion of harassment from telecom or energy bill callers (Camille de Meeûs: Cold calling), intrusive cold calling, whereas here we take an approach where we don't force anyone's hand at all. We introduce ourselves, draw attention to a topic that offers sustainability benefits as well as economic ones, and ultimately propose building a relationship, a dialogue. So even the meetings that follow up on calls, we approach them with that same mindset of: "We're not desperately trying to sell you something, meaning that if you're not ready to buy right away, well, we hang up and move on to the next person." We want to forge connections and see how we can continue supporting Belgian industry toward more sustainable water management.

What time savings does working with PHCom bring?

[00:11:17] Camille de Meeûs: Does working with PHCom save you time on a day-to-day basis?

[00:11:21] Louis De Muylder: Huge. The time savings are truly massive because one might think it's very quick to just go: "Yeah, okay, I have the phone number, I make a call, we talk for five minutes, and it's done." But first, the person isn't always available, you have to follow up, then you have to speak to their colleague who is actually in charge of the topic, and that can take a huge amount of time. Whereas, as I said before, the most important thing for us is to co-create projects with clients and, above all, deliver them. And that's where we want to invest our time, and that's where we add the most value, and this collaboration with PHCom allows us to focus on what matters most while nurturing and building this network of contacts in the industry.

How would you describe the collaboration with PHCom in three words?

[00:11:54] Camille de Meeûs: If you had to define the collaboration with PHCom in three words, what would you say?

[00:11:58] Louis De Muylder: Clearly: speed, efficiency in communication. There is also very interesting feedback, I find, an expertise from PHCom in the industry, in how to present solutions, etc. And then the third, I would say there is a professionalism in the way things are done. Sometimes, you feel frustrated having a call, someone on the phone doing outreach who ultimately doesn't seem to know the product or doesn't sell it and explain it with much passion (Camille de Meeûs: Without believing in it, yes that's it) and enthusiasm. And here, we feel that our partners at PHCom take the approach and the product seriously, and they also take seriously doing everything to protect the company's reputation. It's also very reassuring to entrust this first impression to a partner; it's very reassuring to be in hands that know what they're doing!

What can we wish Revalio for the future?

[00:12:43] Camille de Meeûs: What can we wish Revalio for the future?

[00:12:45] Louis De Muylder: Well, for Revalio going forward, I think for water management in Europe, it is to keep expanding our activities across the entire European industrial fabric, both to allow companies to be more efficient in their work, to stay focused on their core essentials and business, but also to ensure that we can continue producing in Europe sustainably—that's really what we wish for Revalio. And on the other hand, as a bit of a nod, we come from Antarctica, we love highly complex situations in truly extreme environments, and so we keep going—we can't announce it yet, but we are already working with two new bases in Antarctica and have other projects in the pipeline that are truly exceptional, advancing science, and truly bespoke. And that is genuinely exciting, so being able to continue driving this project is also something very close to our hearts.

[00:13:26] Camille de Meeûs: Thank you, Louis, for your time, and all the best for the future.

[00:13:29] Louis De Muylder: Thank you very much, Camille.