Voices of TBAuctions: Finding purpose in unexpected places
Welcome to Voices of TBAuctions, an interview series spotlighting the people behind Europe’s leading multi-brand B2B digital auction platform. Through candid conversations with our leaders and team members, we explore who they are, their experiences, insights, and the passion that drives our success.
We are excited to highlight Baptiste Sauques, Operations Manager at France Médical Enchères (FME), a brand part of TBAuctions. You can watch the video above or, if you prefer, read the full interview below!
What does a typical day look like for you as an Operations Manager?
As an operations manager, I don’t really have a typical day, but it usually starts with catching up with my team at the warehouse and adjusting the activity forecast for the day and the rest of the week.
Then, it’s a mix of answering customers, preparing reports, monitoring KPIs, and managing disputes. Basically, it’s anything and everything related to customers and the auction side of the operation. I’m always following the projects because we’ve undergone quite a few changes recently at the warehouse. This takes up a bit of every day. We are also always trying to find new initiatives for customers and employees. So, yeah, I think the most typical thing about my days is that no two days are the same.
What are you most excited about in the future of your role?
Well, I’m now more excited about the perspective that AI has to offer, especially since I had the chance to meet with colleagues from all over Europe in Amsterdam. It really opened my eyes to the ways AI can transform our jobs.
I was a doubter at first, I’ll admit. Now, I often find myself trying to figure out how we could implement AI in my job or my colleagues’ jobs. In fact, I think about it in my personal life as well. I think it’s better to find a way to work with AI before it works without us.
What do you enjoy most about working at FME?
What I enjoy most about FME and life in general is learning new things every week. I think I’ve found my place at FME because we have experts in their fields and people who are passionate about their jobs. I’m always working and learning new things with them. That was definitely something I was looking for when searching for a new job. I’m really glad I discovered a new field and joined an auction house.
What’s something your team does really well?
I’m lucky to have a team that can adapt to anything and overcome every challenge. It gives me peace of mind knowing that I can rely on them every day. They don’t often get the spotlight, but they’re the ones who make sure the electricity flows.
What’s something you’ve learned here that surprised you?
I hadn’t realized that so much medical equipment was being thrown out when it could still be used to save lives around the world, including in France. It’s a bit of a shame. I think there would be public outrage if people found out that this kind of equipment wasn’t even given to charity but was just disposed of.
That’s one reason why I’m glad to work at FME. We offer a solution by giving this equipment a new life.
What hobby or activity helps you recharge outside of work?
I love to eat, and as they say, “You are never better served than by yourself.” In my case, though, that’s not true since I’m not a good cook. Still, I spend quite a bit of time in the kitchen trying to prepare difficult meals. This literally helps me recharge, at least when the meal is edible.
