Noordhoff
See how SalesQuarters helped transform Noordhoff's sales leadership team into a structured, results-driven organization ready for a new business model.
The Challenge
Noordhoff, an educational publisher with almost 190 years of experience in the Dutch education landscape, faced a major commercial transformation. The company, known for learning materials such as the Bosatlas and the Binas reference book, had to adapt to a rapidly changing education market.
When Jeffrey Raskeyn (CCO of the Year 2025) joined Noordhoff as commercial director, bringing a background in SaaS and infrastructure IT, he immediately identified the structural challenges within the sales management team.
The education market was undergoing major changes. Digitalization was creating more transparency in the supply chain, new subscription models were emerging, and schools were increasingly purchasing through tenders. Noordhoff transformed from almost 100% indirect business through distributors to 80% direct subscription sales and 60% tender processes.
This shift to a direct business model required a completely different sales approach and structured leadership development. The sales management team - eight managers leading a team of 160 employees - needed further development in their leadership.
When I joined Noordhoff in 2019, I saw a lot of knowledge of the education segment and the team, but there was room for further professionalization of the sales management team, and honestly, just the way of working in general.
Jeffrey Raskeyn - CCO Noordhoff
The Approach: Leadership Transformation
Jeffrey firmly believes that sales is a craft, not an art, where structured working is the norm. In this philosophy, he found a like-minded partner in Bart.
Over a period of three years, SalesQuarters organized various sessions each quarter as part of Sales Leadership Development:
- Workshops and masterclasses for sales managers and high potentials
- Hands-on training based on case studies and current topics
- Individual coaching of sales managers by Bart
- Off-sites and sales kick-off presentations
Concrete topics covered included handling objectives and sales coverage, productivity measurement and improvement, team management and motivation, contact matrix strategies, and the OGSM methodology for clear objectives.
Help me co-develop sales management within Noordhoff. Make sure we move to the next level with structured working. Help develop talent to reach the next role.
Jeffrey Raskeyn - CCO Noordhoff
The Result
The collaboration with SalesQuarters resulted in a transformation of Noordhoff's commercial organization. The development program delivered measurable improvements in three strategic areas:
- Stable, energetic team: transformation from a team that simply got things done into a functioning, genuine team with high energy and stability
- Structured way of working: implementation of a clear sales cadence, OGSM methodology, and a systematic approach applied across all levels
- Measurable satisfaction: concrete improvement in employee satisfaction scores through better-functioning sales management
When I look now at the energy within the sales team, but also the stability - we've built that with this program. I also see it in employee satisfaction scores, which have gone up.
Jeffrey Raskeyn - CCO Noordhoff
The SalesQuarters Added Value
SalesQuarters developed Noordhoff's sales leadership team from a group of individual managers into a far more structured and productive leadership team. The added value of the approach lay in:
- Theoretically grounded practice - translating academic knowledge into concrete, applicable techniques such as the "reverse butterfly" contact strategy
- Layered development - sales managers and high potentials received tailored development within a coherent program
- Continuous coaching - alongside group sessions, individual guidance for personal leadership development
- Strategic partnership - from a three-year program to a structural collaboration for ongoing professionalization
For Noordhoff, this systematic approach to leadership development meant a successful transition to a direct business model and the development of a commercial organization ready for the future of the Dutch education landscape.
Ready for more grip on growth in sales?
Approach your sales leadership decisions as investment decisions and achieve maximum returns with SalesQuarters. Contact Bart Dietz: bart.dietz@salesquarters.nl or +31 20 226 90 00
Want to discuss your situation?
Call or email Bart Dietz
Partner at SalesQuarters
