“Aexus became our international sales engine”
Ephesia Consult is a highly specialized consulting firm operating at the interface between academic research and industry. The company focuses on research and development, as well as software solutions for natural resources evaluation and risk assessment. With an interdisciplinary team, Ephesia Consult facilitates the transfer of advanced scientific knowledge into practical, industrial-grade applications.
The company’s portfolio includes advanced software products such as GSM (Geoscience Stress Modeling Suite), DeeSse, PGS, SPDE, and IMPALA, tools that are widely used by specialists in geoscience, geomechanics, and reservoir modeling.
Philippe Pluyaud, CEO of Ephesia Consult, leads the company’s strategic direction with a strong focus on innovation, growth and business development. He explains why Ephesia Consult selected Aexus as the company’s international sales and business development partner and how the partnership has evolved.
The challenge: from a strong local presence to international growth
Philippe Pluyaud: “We are quite a technically oriented organization. We are well-equipped to carry out commercial activities within our own network in France. We have the right contacts there and we know how to maneuver commercial processes. Internationally, however, that is a very different story.
We were looking quite intentionally for a sales and marketing agency that could help us. During our research, we noticed that there are many marketing companies, but not so many that also actively do sales.
I spoke with three to five companies that matched our initial criteria and scheduled meetings with them. After these conversations, it became clear that Aexus corresponded best with what we were looking for.”
Why Aexus stood out
“The main point was that Aexus had the capabilities to support us across the entire commercial process: lead identification, outreach, contacting prospects, organizing and managing meetings, writing meeting reports and following up; from initial contact all the way to closure. And all of that in an international context.”
“What I really appreciated is that they have a structured and proven process in place. On top of that, they have people who speak the local languages fluently and who are very comfortable doing business internationally.”
A balanced model and a global scope
“Aexus’ business model, which combines a fixed fee with a commission, felt fair and balanced. It creates commitment on both sides and provides clear upsides when results are generated. That alignment is important.
Another advantage is that this model can be implemented globally: within Europe, but also beyond.”
Understanding a niche, technical market
“Before the initial kick-off meeting, I was not entirely sure whether Aexus would really be able to understand what we do. Our domain is very specific, very niche, and quite technical.
Their onboarding process is well structured, and during the kick-off we immediately started working on selecting leads that matched our Ideal Customer Profile. Of course, it took some time for them to fully understand the specifics, but nevertheless we were able to start outreach activities quickly.”
From tools to execution
“In the past, we worked with a consultant who gave us tools to identify the right contacts, but we did not really know what to do next. We are simply not very strong in operational, international sales.
That is where Aexus really made a difference. They were selective in who they approached and how they approached them. Their outreach was highly personalized and thanks to their international experience, they were also able to take local business nuances into account.”
Aexus as an extension to Ephesia Consult
“Today, Aexus helps manage the entire sales cycle, which even includes sending out quotations. That is quite remarkable, considering that Ephesia Consult operates in a very small and specialized market that is not widely known outside a group of experts.
Naturally, it took some time to ramp up, but now the Aexus team has become very strong. They understand what we do, what our selling points are, and how to position our solutions. At this point, they are really an extension of our organization.”
Long-term commitment and close collaboration
“We have weekly meetings to discuss results, but in practice we are in contact even more frequently. We have quick chats on Teams and interact several times per week.”
Demos were set up relatively soon after we started and we also launched our first proofs of concept already. Sales cycles in our domain are typically at least six months, so this requires long-term commitment from both sides. Aexus understands this very well. We have trained and invested in their people, and they recognize that this is a long-term engagement that requires stability. The team should not change; it has to be a stable relationship.”
Senior involvement and governance
“On top of that, Aexus’ senior management is actively involved. We have a monthly call to monitor progress and, if necessary, adjust our approach. In those calls, members of Aexus’ senior leadership team also participate.”
“It’s a good team that’s working with us.”