Stories
Bulent Erkmen from Ikea Turkey about Trust, Knowledge and Dedication
22+ years of collaboration with IKEA Turkey and K3 Global Accounts
When Bülent Erkmen, IT Manager at IKEA Turkey, looks back on more than two decades of working with K3 Global Accounts, one thing stands out above everything else: trust built over time.
“We never looked at you as a supplier,” he says. “We always looked at you as part of ourselves.”
Bülent joined IKEA Turkey in 2005, during the opening of the very first IKEA store in the country. The collaboration had already begun, back in the Landsteiner days, long before the name K3, Global Accounts or XBSG existed. “When I started, you were already there,” he recalls.
Those early years were demanding. Localisation, long working days and nights, constant pressure. “It was blood, sweat and tears,” Bülent says without hesitation. “A lot of work. But at the end, it was always good” Despite the intensity, there was also room for connection, going out together, eating, drinking, building relationships beyond the project plans.
Every store opening still stands out in his memory. “Long nights,” he says. “But then the doors open, customers walk in, everything works.” There were occasional hiccups, but never the kind that threatened confidence. “We always managed to pull everything off. No major problems.”
What Bülent values most in the collaboration is history and the knowledge that comes with it. “You know IKEA globally, but you also know IKEA Turkey. That combination matters.” After more than 20 years, that understanding goes far beyond systems or contracts.
Over time, the world around the partnership changed. “The world has changed. Technology has changed. The way we do business has changed,” he says. Where IKEA once operated in rigid frameworks, only the big blue boxes, today it works across apps, websites and omnichannel environments. “If you don’t evolve and follow the market, you vanish.”
Asked what makes K3 Global Accounts, now XBSG different, his answer is straightforward: “Knowledge, understanding and dedication.” Especially during challenging periods, what matters most is knowing someone will answer the phone. “Every time there is a challenge, we look to you to solve it with us.”
Looking ahead, he sees a major decision approaching: the choice of the next ERP system. “This is one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced so far,” he says. It’s a decision that will determine where the organization is heading and one that requires close cooperation at management level.
Even after all these years, the relationship still feels personal. “It feels like a family,” Bülent says. A triangle of trust between retailers, Inter IKEA and Global Accounts one that works best when everyone stays connected and aligned.
The technology will continue to change. The challenges will remain. But according to Bülent, the foundation stays the same: people who understand each other and show up when it matters.
When Bülent Erkmen, IT Manager at IKEA Turkey, looks back on more than two decades of working with K3 Global Accounts, one thing stands out above everything else: trust built over time.
“We never looked at you as a supplier,” he says. “We always looked at you as part of ourselves.”
Bülent joined IKEA Turkey in 2005, during the opening of the very first IKEA store in the country. The collaboration had already begun, back in the Landsteiner days, long before the name K3, Global Accounts or XBSG existed. “When I started, you were already there,” he recalls.
Those early years were demanding. Localisation, long working days and nights, constant pressure. “It was blood, sweat and tears,” Bülent says without hesitation. “A lot of work. But at the end, it was always good” Despite the intensity, there was also room for connection, going out together, eating, drinking, building relationships beyond the project plans.
Every store opening still stands out in his memory. “Long nights,” he says. “But then the doors open, customers walk in, everything works.” There were occasional hiccups, but never the kind that threatened confidence. “We always managed to pull everything off. No major problems.”
What Bülent values most in the collaboration is history and the knowledge that comes with it. “You know IKEA globally, but you also know IKEA Turkey. That combination matters.” After more than 20 years, that understanding goes far beyond systems or contracts.
Over time, the world around the partnership changed. “The world has changed. Technology has changed. The way we do business has changed,” he says. Where IKEA once operated in rigid frameworks, only the big blue boxes, today it works across apps, websites and omnichannel environments. “If you don’t evolve and follow the market, you vanish.”
Asked what makes K3 Global Accounts, now XBSG different, his answer is straightforward: “Knowledge, understanding and dedication.” Especially during challenging periods, what matters most is knowing someone will answer the phone. “Every time there is a challenge, we look to you to solve it with us.”
Looking ahead, he sees a major decision approaching: the choice of the next ERP system. “This is one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced so far,” he says. It’s a decision that will determine where the organization is heading and one that requires close cooperation at management level.
Even after all these years, the relationship still feels personal. “It feels like a family,” Bülent says. A triangle of trust between retailers, Inter IKEA and Global Accounts one that works best when everyone stays connected and aligned.
The technology will continue to change. The challenges will remain. But according to Bülent, the foundation stays the same: people who understand each other and show up when it matters.