Service Engineering – Eric Voigt „Head of Engineering“ New development and further development of processes
Set corporate goals and implement them in the new branch. Service Engineering. Strategically bringing engineers, sales and existing partners together. Eric Voigt connects with negotiating skills. Building reliability and trust a thousand kilometres away.
If all work steps take place at the head office in the „own house“, there is an „imaginary simplification“. Colleagues experience short distances at work and, if necessary, can also make corrections through „fast official channels“. Colleagues in a branch office feel like they are „thousands of kilometres“ away. The tasks are more complex.
A sales manager’s years of „branch office sales“ bring additional challenges. If expansion with own production and staff is planned, the sales manager may develop a „sense of ownership“. Years of previous cooperation foster the feeling of ownership, that he has built up the branch. Thus, it has happened that a non-legitimate divestment took place.
People and emotions – balance with reality must be brought into harmony. Service engineering.
Identify grievances early. A valued tool: setting milestones. As already described at the beginning – in the head office there is the possibility to correct misunderstandings quickly. In a branch office, other laws prevail. At a distance, small mistakes are not immediately visible. One does not notice individual inconsistencies. When it comes to a visit, everything is well prepared and everything seems to be in order.
The head of the head office appears – all is for the good
We often find patriarchy in traditionally managed branches. The boss „branch manager“ is considered experienced, he has been directing sales for years. He is successful and because of his network, success and reputation he is the boss. In a „short“ visit, tensions and grievances are often not noticeable. They are well covered up by everyone – after all, their jobs are at stake.
Change release criteria – prevent wrong direction at an early stage.
The 4-eyes principle brings significant changes. It is a challenge to present an additional controller to a local Patriarch. That’s where Eric Voigt comes in. With his years of experience he diplomatically installs an additional „support“. The responsibility is shared and not everything rests on one shoulder. Pressure is taken off the cooperation between the branch and the head office. Trust can be further developed.
For the person in charge, it does not mean additional control – relief and relief are the goal. In some cases, partners or suppliers can be involved in the process. Feedback from an external control. Not directly visible to the boss who has been „experienced“ for years.
Internationalisation means standardisation – means change
Part of internationalisation is standardisation within the company. Standards are developed at the head office and serve as a guideline for all branches. A presentation and training takes place in the branch office. It also makes sense and is logical to involve partners and suppliers. These companies have been working successfully in the country of the branch for decades – they know the customs and entrepreneurial thoughts.
Internationalisation means change. e.g. the company does not remain „German“ – it belongs to the „Internations“. Multilingual. All departments must be prepared. Are there sufficient language skills – e.g. English.
Marketing department – corporate design – graphics, typo and pictures – graphic designer must know English, otherwise everything goes back to the boss or the person who knows English and it falters. Senior and middle management and the specialists in the individual departments must think and work internationally. Speak and write.
AI will become an essential part of communication. In writing, the translation app DeepL can be used. ChatGPT will also form an important basis. A number of apps will emerge.
But thinking into graphics/texts to bring product information to the target group/customers, as in the head office, must be thought of and designed differently in the local branch. This requires trained staff in 2023. Content is drawn from the last years/decades of what staff have learned. AI can support very well – provide templates.
Service Engineering – New development and further development of processes
Eric Voigt: „My personal experience in one of my supervised company branches of my partner „ept connectors“ in Sokolow Karls Bad in the Czech Republic. Communism lingers in many conversations. Values were conveyed completely differently to the western world. Political influences even go back centuries. Hostilities between France, Germany and Poland – for example, after the fall of communism in 1989, French companies invested in Poland and German companies in the Czech Republic. Sympathy between France/Poland and Germany/Czech Republic.
Branches of the partner „ept connectors“ by Eric Voigt – human central
Serbia Croatia Macedonia – people, politics and businesses see life and systems very differently from the rest of Europe. For decades, no planning and structure were possible. Everything promised has been broken again and again – promises, commitments, agreements, contracts and business goals are valued differently. It is imperative to deliver – promptly. If just a few small things are not delivered, trust is immediately damaged. Personal relationships are valued in the highest degree. These were vital for survival years ago. Those who did not have relationships sometimes had to fear for their lives.
Eric Voigt will move his home base to Munich in the near future. With this move, he can quickly become active in Switzerland, Austria, Italy and the Czech Republic. Events, incentives, training courses and staff meetings can be reached at short notice. Munich – Berlin – quickly accessible by train or flight.
I gladly recommend – your concierge Gerry
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