Our vendors expect us to participate at certain events. Annual partner meetings in each region, quarterly updates, »Global Summits« and so forth. If I attended each one, I would probably never be in the office (and I like my office).
Sometimes it is a lot of fun, but usually it is a good lesson in how to make wasting your time complicated.
Usually these events are set up to have one entire day filled with relevant content. However, you should plan to arrive one day prior in order to attend the opening ceremony and partake in the Welcome Cocktail. The third day is equally important, since that is the day that everything is summarized. On the second day your eyes are bombarded with PowerPoint presentations, and at such an early hour that you cannot plan your arrival for that day. Often these presentations are given by people who are unable to present (or who do not want to).
But it gets better: There is always a »fun« event, which is kept »top secret« ahead of time. It ends up either being a ride in an off-road vehicle, a brewery or winery tour, or something similar. The location is also top secret, of course. Its like a kids birthday party for adults! There is a bus to bring you and pick you up, meaning that you cannot escape earlier. These "fun" events are well intentioned, but should be placed optionally at the end of the entire event. Not everyone wishes to spend his free time with his competitors and suppliers.
And if so, then please make assigned seating in the evening, so that you meet the right people. How many times have I spent evenings with vendor partners from South America and vendor employees from North America They were all nice people, but they simply are not a part of our business region. Usually there is not even a polite exchange of business cards. That tells you everything about how your time was wasted. Generally even our vendors contact persons are not in attendance, because they do cut travel expenses and the time expenditure. Hark!
The main problem, however, is the location. We have been pleading with our vendors for years to please pick a location that you can easily reach via commercial airliner nonstop. There are plenty of them! The reality shows that event agencies always choose super exciting vacation destinations, and always either right before or right after the airline summer season.
If you want to go to Madeira, Malta, Faro or Jerez de la Frontera from Frankfurt during the off-season, there is only one flight a week, or you have to change planes. And that is just for Frankfurt if you are coming from Bremen or Seville then it is even worse, and it will probably take you seven hours to travel.
Why do people hold events at these locations? Its quite simple: because its inexpensive. In the off-season hotel rooms in five-star hotels are often ridiculously cheap, as are the travel costs for your block of attending employees. That is how destinations are chosen, since coincidentally a Ryanair flight from the corresponding headquarters happens to be flying to no mans land. Yet, how the customers will arrive remains secondary.
And why is the venue location so inexpensive? Precisely because nobody willingly wants to go there at that particular time of year. The more isolated the location, the less likely you can combine the conference with anything else. Frequently you will hear »Our customers like to arrive days ahead of time and spend time at the beach at the companys expense.« Hopefully these people do not forget to attend the conference. :)
Since everything is arranged with an event agency, it is often the case that no one from the vendors side has ever seen the location, let alone tried the food. Hotels also regularly make loud renovations during the off-season.
Normally there is no agenda available until just prior to the start, but rather a »Save-the-Date« for all of the three days of the event, so that you have no chance of being able to make travel arrangements ahead of time. But I want to make plans, and early enough too! I will not simply surrender three days of my time to a supplier without knowing for what!
What is even worse is when you realize that there is nothing worth discussing on-site, because perhaps the vendor did not finalize his partner programme in time, or pricing and delivery times of new products are still not yet determined and presentations contain many business formulas which ultimately say nothing. When we attend a vendor event, we want to know how we can make more money for ourselves or our customers by working with this vendor. The vendors maximization of profit does not interest us.
These meetings are of course intended for »top executives«, meaning that the general manager should attend. However, I do not know one general manager in our sector who gladly sits in a stuffy meeting room and listens to someone reading product data sheets aloud. So please provide a correlating programme! There are frequently also individual meetings with the vendors top level from the USA or Japan. We happen to be sitting across from each other, however the top dog has no earthly idea who Jarltech is or what we do. And where on earth is this strange place called Europe?
Plus, a partner programme is no good if I need 20 PowerPoint slides to explain it. Our reseller customers will definitely not even read it once.
But wait, the nice hotel on the beach only has conference rooms without windows. And because of the expensive »fun« event there is unfortunately only enough budget left over for a buffet with tomatoes and plastic mozzarella cheese. I wont even mention the wine in Tetra Pak. Frankly, if an event is interesting, then the guest will also gladly pay a portion, and can even pay for his meal. Are the vendors afraid that this would keep people from attending, because the costs would then no longer be in relation to the contents?
It also has become trendy for vendors to let customers pay for the events. We are needed to provide a buffet »sponsored by Jarltech« or a Jarltech banner in the breakfast room. Another favourite is spending 5,000 euros on lanyards (those cords worn around your neck to which you clip on your name tag). We often are able to pay for this from our vendors marketing budget, but up until that point it was »our money«. What does this mean in reality? I give you marketing money, but I tell you how you have to give it back to me. The marketing effect is supposed to be great, since only »the largest reseller partners« are present. However, there are only three pan-European distributors, and if the reseller does not know all of them, then he will not be comparing prices and services at all.
The worst: The quality of the above-mentioned buffet does not change because of our sponsorship (you are not able to make any changes or personalize it), and my competitors are also not happy if they have to drink a »Jarltech Breeze« the whole night. I have received enough malice for this: »Thanks for sponsoring the lunch, but I think you are trying to poison us.« Sorry, the event agency is responsible for the quality, and they must also take their cut from the measly food budget authorized by the vendor.
I have the impression that corporate group leaders often have to hold such an event once a year (to stay close to customers), and perhaps they even receive a bonus because of it. I would prefer to hold an event because there is something to say, not just because you have to hold an event.
Complaining – the national pastime of the Germans
Let’s be honest, we Germans love to complain – about the weather, football, the economy, politics, etc....
Let’s be honest, we Germans love to complain – about the weather, football, the economy, politics, etc. This unites us all – regardless of our social class or political affiliation. Complaining is a national pastime in Germany. We love to grumble about high prices, the shortage of skilled workers and the weakening economy, while at the same time discussing our next holiday or the four-day week. Please don’t get me wrong, I am all for everyone taking a lot of time off and having a good rest – the only thing that bothers me is the fact that we love to see everything in such a gloomy light! We have to start working together to find solutions, because what we forget amidst all the moaning are our own abilities.
No, Germany is not falling apart! Germany still has a lot of untapped potential. We have people with great ideas, curious and inquisitive people (yes, even among Gen Z), a high average level of education, a high degree of legal certainty, a consistently strong industry, very good research ... and yes, we also have the capital. But we have to stop complaining and focus on our strengths. We are capable of innovation, we can be or remain market leaders in many areas, but, at the same time, we have to be open-minded. Even if one area collapses, we can successfully develop and expand a subsequent one. These are our strengths. However, we have to accept the challenge – be it in society, in politics or in the economy. Burying our heads in the sand won’t help us.
We are once again facing enormous opportunities for our future – whether in medical research, industry, the energy sector or, of course, across the board in the field of AI. And that’s just what comes to mind. There is, of course, much more. Let’s work together to develop new ideas that will advance us not only as a society, but also as a business location. There is potential out there, it just needs to be tapped! And by the way, we’ll have less reason to complain!
The road to success: do we really have to get worse at everything?
Last week I had a conversation with a customer that left me speechless....
Last week I had a conversation with a customer that left me speechless. Our sales department asked me to speak to a customer on the phone who doesn’t buy from us because we supposedly supply end customers.
No problem, I thought. I called and explained that this is exactly what we don’t do, and that this is a key promise to our dealers. There are extremely rare exceptions, – only if a vendor forces us to, or a retailer explicitly asks us to. But that almost never happens.
Then it turned out that there was a misunderstanding: the customer said that we also supply small retailers. My answer: »Yes, we do and we have to, based on our contracts with the vendors. Our competitors do that too.«
»All correct«, I hear, but then it got exciting: »Your large competitors are not interested in small customers, so they are poorly served. At Jarltech, the small dealers feel comfortable because you provide a great service.«
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry ... A customer doesn’t buy from us because our service is too good? I hadn’t expected that.
But don't worry, contrary to the headline: We will continue to endeavour to offer every customer the best service we can!
Why is good service so important again?
I'm writing to you today from China. Here I have learnt once again why good service is so important....
I'm writing to you today from China. Here I have learnt once again why good service is so important. If you want a customer to pay more than elsewhere, then you have to make the difference! You have to know what they like and anticipate their wishes.
Here in Shenzhen is the Grand Hyatt Hotel – I was here at least six times a year before Corona – and even stored some luggage in Shenzhen, so that I only had to fly with hand luggage. Liquids and such ... that was difficult on the plane.
It’s been over three years since I was last here, and I arrived to be greeted by an armada of hotel staff. My beloved Coke Zero was waiting for me in the car outside the airport. My luggage, which I hadn’t expected to see again, had been stored for three years and completely cleaned for my new stay. Everything was hanging in the wardrobe and the bathroom was neat and tidy. My razor was charged and my chargers stood on the desk. Of course, the fridge was full of Coke Zero and the white wine I had last drunk three years ago. Even the room service knew what I liked to eat.
That’s what hospitality really is. And we have to do the same at Jarltech. Always write down what our customers want and like. And when I go out to dine with a customer, I need to know whether they are vegan or if they don’t like pork, for example. Some customers want to be called and courted on a weekly basis, whereas others find this rather annoying. Some still prefer paper catalogues, others believe it’s environmental pollution. And all the better if a customer returns after three years, and I still have it all written down somewhere. Jarltech may not be a hotel, but we are a service provider that has to differentiate itself The difference is always in the details.
The world's smallest chef gives a guest performance in Usingen
It's finally back on: Our 3D projection dinner show »Le Petit Chef« will be back in our restaurant »Uwe and Uli« (www.uwe-uli.de) from the 11th of October...
It's finally back on: Our 3D projection dinner show »Le Petit Chef« will be back in our restaurant »Uwe and Uli« (www.uwe-uli.de) from the 11th of October 2023 to the 30th of April 2024. Personally, I always have fun enjoying delicious food with a bit of a show. Come by sometime – it's also great for Christmas parties with up to 20 people. And if you're a customer of ours, why not have your sales contact invite you next time you visit Jarltech? 😊
Have fun with the little chef!