Maelanne Bonnicel
Valérie Jambart
Charlotte Measures
Deborah Neuberg
Guillaume Laboureix
Paul Conquet
FedEx
• Leader on the international delivery andfreight market
• 23 billion $ turnover, more than 3 millionparcels and documents transported everyday
• First came to France in 1985 = failure
• Second attempt in the 90’s = SUCCESS
COMPANY SERVICES
• International delivery (no national service)
• Delivery within 24 to 48 hours
• Transportation of merchandize worth up to 100000 $
COMPANY’S CLIENTS
• Firms implanted worldwide or having high contact with foreign companies
• Firms with a high turnover
• Small and medium sized businesses
• Very few private people
FedEx’s ASSETS (1)
• Innovation
1973: FedEx is the first company to offer deliveries within 24h, in the USA
1986: FedEx is the first transportation company to offer a reimbursement if the deadline for the delay is not respected
1994: FedEx is the first company to receive the ISO 9001 certification for its worldwide operations
FedEx’s ASSETS (2)
• 1996: FedEx is the first transportation company to offer deliveries before 8 A.M in 5000 places in the USA, coming from 10 European countries
• 1996: FedEx decides to expand its network to Europe with the new service EuroOne.
• 1999: inauguration of the CDG hub
Avant-garde
FedEx’s ASSETS (3)
• Acting for the general interest
Cooperation with the Ministry of Defence Deal struck with the ANPE Partnership signed with Orbis
CORE VALUES
• The values of FedEx France = classic FedEx values :
PSP (People, Service, Profit) Solidarity Reliability Quality Flexibility, Adaptation Reactivity->Tennis and F1 sponsorship
WHY FRANCE ?
• FRANCE = base for European transport:• Chosen for mainly operational reasons
• HUB:• Opened officially in 1999• ASSETS of ROISSY- CDG
ASSETS of ROISSY CDG
• Mild weather• In the economic heart of Europe• Huge growth potential • Great infrastructures• Serviceable customs• Night flights are legal• Cooperation of government and ADP
CONSTRAINTS
• 35-hour working week :
Not expected Lack of flexibility
• A rigid labour market• Language
Managing cultural differences
• “Ils sont tous des managers FedEx”
BUT FedEx acknowledges cultural differences
• French employees are reluctant to give their opinion on their bosses.
• Lack of mobility =>Lack of openness.
• The French are very critical and
complain a lot…
But they are efficient and
CREATIVE
ADAPTATIONS (1)
• At FedEx everything is STANDARDISED …
• Standardized commercial activities and objectives for all European countries
• Standardised productivity requirements.
• Similar compensation and advancement rules.
• But slight adaptations are made to fit in with
• France and the French.
ADAPTATIONS (2)
• Attempts to adapt recruitment to neighbouring situation of unemployment.
• Train French employees to manage their 35 working hours in an optimal way.
• GFT (Guaranteed Fair Treatment) is seldom used by French employees.
• Agreement with the French Post
KEY CONSTRAINT COSTS
• Though considerable, the problems linked to the 35-hour working week are difficult to measure.
• The same goes for HR costs:
Recruitment costs Training costs
KEY BENEFIT NUMBERS (1)
• Roissy-CDG : • Huge capacities…
3 200 ha big More than 943 000 tonnes of freight
…that can still be extended.
• ADP’s contribution: $100 million invested.
KEY BENEFIT NUMBERS (2)
• Labour costs are 15% to 40% lower than in North European countries.
• 2nd highest productivity of labour in the EU.
ESSENTIAL ADVICE
• Question: HOW to succeed in France?• Answer:
by studying the characteristics of working in France and anticipating the constraints
by working with a French team, if possible with employees that are familiar with another culture
THANKS TO
• Alain Chaillé, Regional Vice president operations, Europe-south region.
• Nathalie Amiel, head of the Marketing Department, Europe-south region.
• Philly Teixeira, head of the Global Sales Department, and her team.
• Sylvie Lanes, External Communication.• Stéphanie Biabaut, Internal Communication.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
www.fedex.frwww.fedex.com
www.investinfrance.orgwww.adp.fr
www.achievement.comwww.forbes.com