BRV General Assembly 2019: People and service are the keys to success

How can companies in the tyre business continue to ensure successful business in the future? The answer is: with market- and customer-oriented products and services. In this, customers and employees are actually the key factors for the positive development not only of individual stakeholders, but of the entire industry. The general meeting of the Federal Association of the Tyre and Vulcanisation Trade (BRV), which acts as the organiser and conceptual sponsor of THE TIRE COLOGNE, provided valuable impulses on this subject.

"Creating quality services together with people" - that was the motto of the specialist programme at the BRV general meeting on 24 May in Hamburg. After all, qualified and motivated employees are indispensable for outstanding market- and customer-oriented services.
How can customer service be optimised? “Have the right attitude”, advises Sabine Hübner, university lecturer for Service Management. Service is not only a technical, but also an emotional topic - and attitude shows itself precisely in what we do when nobody is looking. According to her, service quality means empathy, anticipating needs and going the extra mile for the customer.

This requires competent and highly motivated employees. But with the current shortage of skilled workers, they are hard to find and not always easy to keep. During the panel discussion, the participants highlighted all facets of the topic and presented possible solutions:

• Recruiting good trainees by help of creative concepts and attracting qualified staff through in-house training and targeted further training - this is what Gerd Wächter, Managing Director of the tyre trade cooperation TOP SERVICE TEAM KG, and Günther Ihle, Managing Director of the truck tyre retreading company RIGDON GmbH, rely on.
• Burkhard Rehn, consultant at the trade association "Raw materials and chemical industry" (BG RCI) recommends companies to introduce an occupational health and safety management system and to communicate it clearly. "In this way, companies show that they have optimised their work processes and offer their employees optimum conditions.
• Attorney Jan-Kai Jensen from the law firm JEP Rechtsanwälte which represents BRV explained legal aspects of apprenticeships and further training. His conclusion: "It is important to have employees on board when making decisions. This, too, is a form of appreciation and contributes to employee loyalty."