Looking back on his early years at Saur, Jonathan Guimard realizes he still benefits from that time. ‘In those days I got to know colleagues all around Saur. One of the best parts of the job then, was visiting a lot of different French departments. If you ask me what has made working at Saur so enjoyable, it’s definitely the people! Some are really good friends now. Over the years I’ve had quite a few different – commercial – roles within the company. And I see the same thing everywhere: people here are always evolving; they keep getting new opportunities and possibilities to grow. Being part of a company that prioritizes people in that way makes me proud.’
Teamwork is key in winning big contracts
For the last ten years, Jonathan Guimard has been the Commercial Studies Office head manager in Saumur, France. The success of his team, which has won many new and renewed contracts, has a lot to do with the team spirit, he says. ‘Before I started at Saur, I heard people here were really committed. All I can say today is: it’s true.’ Without teamwork, winning important contracts would not be possible, Jonathan explains. ‘In 2021, we won the contract for the management of drinking water in the Mauges Communauté. Actually, it was the second tender for this contract. We won the first time, but it was cancelled due to a legal issue. Winning twice is difficult, so it was a tough fight with many late hours. Aiming for an even better offer with the best technical solutions in this second round, our team of twenty people gave everything we had. Happily, our commitment and hard work were rewarded with an eight-year contract.’
Look at people’s needs
Just two or three years ago, our focus was delivering water to resident’s houses. However, with rising IT possibilities, the focus is shifting, Jonathan Guimard says. ‘We want to meet those needs. If collectivities, municipalities, and citizens want digital information, we will provide it. That is why we are working on two new user websites with transparency as the main objective. Clients will have access to all our data, with live information on the progress of projects, water consumption and water levels. It’s a huge change, for end users as well: they will be able to make appointments online and see their daily water use. We want to keep responding to new needs, it drives us to be more and more innovative and agile all the time.'
