Hide and Seek in a Hostile Land | Business Development

Notre client fait appel à Skan1 pour appréhender les tenants et aboutissants relatifs au fort développement potentiel de son volume d’affaires avec un partenaire commercial de longue date - risque financier et réputation loi Sapin 2

Our client calls on Skan1 to understand the ins and outs of a potentially high volume business development with a long-standing business partner.

Mission Context :

A French industrialist specialized in food supplements suddenly receives a doubled order from a partner who had been buying large but relatively stable volumes for several years.

It is a priori a good news even if it puts the production under tension. This distributor, who works as a family, is also a packer and manufacturer of his own product lines and our client knows him personally. Nevertheless, he is located in a jurisdiction classified as risky, with an international activity on a regional scale identified in the neighboring countries, about which he remains generally discreet, even evasive.

Considering the high commercial, industrial and logistic stakes, but also the geopolitical context, our client wishes to be fully reassured on the identity, the scope of activities and the reputation of this high potential partner… With whom he wishes however to avoid any false step.

SKAN-4X seems to be the most appropriate framework for this situation: in addition to the 3 basic dimensions of the analysis (Identity/Governance, Operations/Activities, Reputation/Visibility), it adds a detailed focus on each of the main related parts of the subject that cannot be neglected in this context.

Result of our investigations :

At the end of our work, the profile of the subject studied seems ambivalent with certain elements of risk likely to counter-indicate a fully serene development of the relationship.

If the study carried out by Skan1 seems to confirm the identity of the subject and the activities in accordance with his statements, there remain indeed in him some shadowy zones, and like a will to blur the tracks.

In addition to the use of several pseudonyms within the framework of his business, it turns out that the international aspect of his activity seems broader than what he usually declares. In particular, he is present with one of his brothers in other areas considered to be at risk, contrary to the perimeter of activity he claims, which is restricted to neighboring countries.

In addition, it turns out that he also owns another brand of food supplements that he has manufactured in the United States in partnership with a competitor of our client… And that he markets in these new “risk” areas.

Benefit for the client :

Our research and the analysis of the results point out elements of risk linked to this partner and our client sees his doubts reinforced on the opacity of certain practices of the latter.

In view of the trust built up over the years of partnership, he nevertheless agreed to maintain the current contract between them, but without being able to commit to an increase in the volumes delivered. He prefers to take the time to obtain direct clarifications from his distributor concerning the undeclared activities before, if necessary, entering into concrete discussions on strengthening their collaboration. In this way, the company will initially avoid any additional financial or reputational risks that may have arisen as a result of the assessment.  But without compromising the future of this high potential relationship.

Reading suggestion(s) on SKAN1 Outlook :

Want to know more about our offer :

Want to order :