Leon van Schie

Ronald den Dulk and Leon van Schie on the collaboration between Hyundai and Babbage.

“The personal contact also meant that we have knocked on Babbage's door more often.” – Leon

 

Making a team more digital requires more than just hiring "someone with performance marketing expertise." It requires a clear vision, the courage to think outside the box, and a collaborative approach where you can discuss what's truly needed. Marketing Director Leon van Schie and Manager Digital Performance & CRM Ronald den Dulk discuss how Hyundai collaborated with Babbage to increase digital power. And what that has brought the team over the past year.

The need: more digital clout

Hyundai is one of the largest car brands worldwide and operates as a challenger in the Netherlands: a brand with growth ambitions in a rapidly changing market. The electrification of the vehicle fleet is profoundly changing the automotive market. Combined with digitalization and lead-driven marketing, this places new demands on the team. Partly because of this, Leon noticed something was missing. "What I was missing was someone who truly lives and breathes digital," he says. "Performance marketing is becoming increasingly important and is partly responsible for business results, including sales. You don't automatically get that expertise from a traditional automotive team. That's why I deliberately sought someone from outside the sector, with experience in digital marketing in other industries." That search began with a meeting with Babbage. Not only to find candidates, but also to first define the role together.

I didn't feel like I was being pushed around, but they were investigating whether there was truly a match. They were transparent, honest, and attentive to my questions and doubts. – Ronald

From job description to sharp profile

"What you quickly do yourself is write a factual job description," says Leon. "Together with Babbage, we refined that into a profile that much better reflected what we were looking for and where we wanted to go. A long version for the content, and a short, sharp version that stands out on LinkedIn, for example." According to Leon, Babbage's added value lay primarily in their collaborative thinking. "The sparring helped us clarify: this isn't a classic marketing role, but one that touches on strategy, performance, and change within the team. Sharpening that focus was crucial." Babbage also played a key role in the selection process itself. "The first resumes we received were immediately high-quality. That strengthened the content of the interview and allowed us to choose from truly strong profiles."

The ambition was clearly evident

Ronald came across this vacancy through Babbage's LinkedIn campaign. At the time, he was in a good place and wasn't actively looking for a new job. Yet, the role immediately caught his attention. "The ambition just leapt off the page," he says. "I saw room for growth and innovation. It felt like an almost blank canvas where digital performance could truly be taken further." Ronald's lack of automotive experience wasn't a drawback. Quite the opposite. "That fresh perspective was a plus," says Leon. "He brought experience from other sectors and looked at our business model with a different perspective, with dealers between us and the end customer. That makes digital marketing more complex here, but also more interesting." What was the deciding factor? "The balance between strategy and action," says Leon. "Ronald thinks about where we want to be in three years and how we'll get there, but at the same time, he's hands-on."

Have you tried it?

“What convinced me was the freedom I was given,” says Ronald. “I tried not to change everything immediately, but to take a good look first: what is going well, where are the opportunities, and what can we adjust together. That space to experiment and learn felt right from day one.” That approach really fits Hyundai’s DNA, adds Leon. “The founder of Hyundai in the 50s had the motto: have you tried it? So our culture is really: try it first. Don’t come with ‘that can’t be done’ or ‘we’ve never done that’. Ronald aligns perfectly with that philosophy.”

“I am absolutely convinced that with a good agency you get a better quality professional, and for the long term.” – Leon

A collaboration that works

Looking back on the past year, they both cite the same elements: trust, openness, and a clear connection. They also agree on Babbage's role. Ronald: "To be honest, I was always a bit skeptical of recruiters. But here, it felt different. I didn't feel like I was being persuaded, but rather, they were investigating whether there was a genuine match. Transparent, honest, and attentive to my questions and doubts." Leon recognizes this. "For me, the process naturally began before that, with taking care of everything and writing the vacancy text and job description. But what I found most special was the contact afterward. For example, they called me to ask how things were going. I hadn't experienced that from other agencies, but it makes all the difference. That's also why we've contacted Babbage more often."

A partnership to recommend

Would they recommend Babbage to others? They don't have to think twice. "Yes, 100%," says Ronald. "The entire process, from initial contact to starting in the role, was human, honest, and thorough. That, along with Hyundai, helped me get off to a flying start." Leon agrees. "I'm also absolutely convinced that with a good agency, you get a better quality professional, and for the long term."  

Rutger is happy to help you

“Need support from your team? I’d be happy to discuss it with you.”

Call +31 (0)20 441 47 07 or email rutger.severens@babbage.nl