5 questions to leaders in consumer and retail: Michael Endress, Endress Motorgeräte GmbH
Michael Endress is CEO of Endress Motorgeräte and member of the advisory board at BaWü Handelsverband HBW. He is responsible for over 20 stores in Germany and various webshops. Endress is a top retailer for Stihl, John Deere, Honda, etc.
1.Where are you right now?
I am in a ICE train from Stuttgart to Frankfurt/Main.
2.What was your biggest surprise or positiv learning this year?
In this situation, which is new for all sides, I was particularly fascinated by the great team spirit and creativity of our employees. Despite high emotional strain, physical distance and a changed working environment, we have managed to pull together and remain the reliable partner our customers are used to.
3.Where is your company in the process of digitising the business? What’s next or what has been implemented lately?
Last year we restructured our IT: away from a server-based landscape to a purely cloud-based data landscape. At the same time, our previous collaboration platform was replaced by Microsoft teams.
As part of a digital workflow project, we are in the process of completely digitising all internal workflows. Aside from this, we are consolidating several online shops and preparing the way for the creation of an online marketplace.
4. What is your biggest client challenge post-covid?
Many people currently feel a great deal of uncertainty: what is happening to my job, if and when a second wave is coming. But also the fear of the virus and the disease itself is leading to a changed consumer behaviour.
According to our observations, consumers are increasingly appreciate values again. Consumers ask for higher quality products and brands and want a personal feedback from the seller. Remarkably, this can also be observed in the online channel, where telephone consultation or reinsurance has increased significantly.
In B2B business and in our business relations with the public sector, we are experiencing a sharp drop in sales: (replacement) investments are being postponed, budget freezes have been announced or already enforced, and finally some of our customers have already had to file for insolvency.
Against the backdrop of these conditions, we are in a process of continually revising and adjusting our range of goods and services and addressing new customer groups.
5. Thy WHY question on purpose: Why does your brand and business exist?
Our business is not an end in itself, nor is it a matter of course. It exists only because our customers challenge us every day and “evaluate” us with their sales. Only if we (over-)fulfil the demands and wishes of our customers, we can maintain our position in the market.
Our brand stands for offering a customised range of goods and services to our various customer groups through the right channels and in the right communication.
Thank you Michael and our readers to stay tuned.
Stay safe. Stay strong. Enjoy the summer, nature, garden or parks.
More interviews in this blog on www.2becontinued.de and linkedin.