Alessandro Bianchi, Italian Sales Director, talks about his experience in the company and the fundamental elements of the domestic market, which served as the basis for success in the international market.
When did you join Multitel Pagliero, what was the process within the company and how long have you been Italian Sales Director.
I started working for the firm in 2001 and I can still clearly recall my first day. Even though I was completely new to platforms, I was excited and eager and had a very strong drive to learn and work. I started in the simplest way: from scratch. With a background in accounting and then a university degree in International Political Science, I started learning about the Multitel Pagliero world by studying the production of the various models, their technical aspects and fields of application. Eventually I arrived at what was my playing field and on which I had gained various experiences over the years: the sales department. After a lengthy amount of support I was able to understand the varied world of customers, and then I started managing the north-west area on my own as an account manager. In 2021, I was promoted to sales director, exactly twenty years after joining the company.
What responsibilities are part of your job description?
Quite a few. Apart from everything relating to the inevitable “numbers” – mainly turnover and units sold – there is also all the work that, based on complete knowledge of the Italian market and the competition, entails studying the best strategies to employ, planning communication actions, budget management, analysing and evaluating the results achieved and, above all, the goals missed. Many responsibilities also require good problem-solving skills, but fortunately we work exceptionally well as a team.
What are the functions, numbers and composition of the Italian sales department?
There are two individuals in the back office who work really hard and passionately: Federica mainly deals with order management, from corresponding with leasing firms to registering vehicles. Daniela is focused on offers via CRM tools and providing the various salespeople with all the resources they require. In reality, the activity of this department is much broader than that described, but here too there is a very strong and complementary team spirit, essential to be able to do an excellent job.

What is the structure of the Italian sales network?
The network is divided into 7 macro zones, each overseen by an account manager who may be direct, an agent or a dealer:
- the North West handled by an account manager
- Lombardy and Canton Ticino are followed by an account manager who also manages the Milan branch
- the North East handled by an agent
- Emilia Romagna, Marche and Umbria are under the responsibility of two agents
- Tuscany is managed by an agent
- Lazio is managed by an agent
- Southern Italy and islands is where Fimi SpA operates, the only dealer in Italy, with a well-established sales network and presence in the territory.
These are seasoned professionals who have been working with Multitel Pagliero for many years and with whom I interact virtually every day.
What personal and professional qualities do you think a sales director should have?
What do you think has brought about Multitel’s sustained success in Italy and abroad?
Trust. We sometimes take it for granted or think we can achieve it easily, but it takes a lot of hard effort to get. In my opinion, the trust that Multitel Pagliero enjoys stems from its history and the manifestation of a wide range of advantages that the company can offer: product quality, aftersales support, spare parts, technological evolution. Once conveyed, and when customers enter the Multitel world, they fully understand the meaning of MiM (Made in Multitel) and give us their trust. And this is the greatest reward we can obtain.
How have you seen the company change and grow throughout these years? In which aspects?
In terms of size, a lot. The first office I occupied was in the old entrance, where the spare parts department is now located. At the time there were only Manta 1 and 2, yet for me it was already a huge world. Then all the other “plants” were created with the consequent technological innovation, which allowed us to substantially increase output. A consequence of the supply chain’s industrialisation process, which saw a transformation from an almost artisan level to an out-and-out industry. Similarly, the company has expanded across all sectors, especially after 2021 when organisational changes infused fresh vitality and significantly accelerated both domestic and international operations. This together with the increased technological level of all sections of the company.
Multitel Pagliero is a company with a more international than national vocation. In what ways do relations with Italian and international customers differ? Compared to the latter, what do the former prefer and seek out?
Apart from the essential aspects of quality, professionalism and aftersales service, there’s no doubt that in Italy personal and human aspects are still a cornerstone of sales. Put it this way, Italian customers still prefer a dinner, while the foreign ones focus more on facts, numbers and objectives. A type of relationship where the rational aspect prevails more.
In Italy, which Multitel Pagliero models are the most popular?
The range of articulated platforms, including the MXE 200 and MZ 250, are unquestionably the absolute leaders. However, the trend in recent years is heading towards telescopic lifts such as the MTE 270, which breaks a taboo associated with the Italian market where this type of truck-mounted platform has never been fully appreciated.
Apart from with the owners, which additional department managers do you interact with on a daily basis?

Are the indications, requests and reports that customers and operators communicate to the sales network forwarded to the designers in order to improve the performance of the machines?
Yes, even if it is not an easy job. Very often the observations are extremely personalised, while others are already in progress. Regardless of how they arrive, we take note of all the indications and take great care and pay attention to listen to the needs of our customers.
What has changed in your work over the years, and what do you think will change further?
Human resources, in my opinion, will increasingly become the cornerstone. Being professional and working for a reputable firm go hand in hand. Otherwise, even if you can create the best product in the world, if you don’t have the right people to propose it, the results will be poor. Training, a good cultural base, knowledge of the market and experience are all characteristics on which to focus to ensure professional salespeople, without neglecting the human aspect so important to this market.

Italian Sales Department Director
For me, Multitel Pagliero is like the car you wanted to have once you were grown up. Taking on the role of Italian Sales Director makes me proud not only for the prestige of the brand but also because I work with an exceptional team. And by team I mean everyone, like a fantastic squad. Companies are made up of people, and here the individual is placed front and centre, which is definitely not always the case. The opportunities for growth in the coming years are as broad as the challenges that lie ahead. We’ve done an excellent job thus far, and we’ll keep working hard and being committed to achieving the goals. Despite having over 110 years of history, Multitel Pagliero has a forward-looking vision for a future that we are building day by day.