ZOLLER | MAGAZINE 2019

53 Z.magazine 2019 DA I LY L I FE Selling capital goods is challenging – in particular for a product portfolio containing so many products requiring explanation, like those from ZOLLER. That makes it all the more important to present products to customers and stakeholders in the most simple, personal way possible. One of the 40 sales employees working at the Pleidelsheim headquarters is Michael Haas, Regional Sales Manager for the Baden- Württemberg Southeast sales region. Editors of the ZOLLER company magazine sat down with him to talk about his professional background, his work at ZOLLER, and his everyday duties. Mr. Haas, let’s talk about your personal background first. How did you come to us? What was your career background? After my training as an industrial me- chanic at Bosch in Feuerbach, I worked in the same company as a “Setter” for assembly systems. Then I went into the German army for twelve months. After- wards, I went back to work in maintain- ing large power plants at Neckarwerken Stuttgart. So I’ve always been in me- chanical engineering, in a way. After I completed my Master craftsman training as a technician and management expert in night school, I worked in tool and mold making for four years. I was able to gain a lot of experience there on the machine in programming with complex injection and forming dies. Then, 15 years ago, I came to ZOLLER. I started here in service, trav- eled around the world, gathered lots of experience with our products and gained good insight into our customers’ require- ments. After four years, I finally moved to the “hotline.” There as well, I was met with the new requirements and chal- lenges facing our customers every day. Finally, I moved to Sales – I feel like I’ve “arrived” here. I assume selling a capital good like a presetter is a little more difficult than selling a consumer good. Do you agree with that? What is your everyday work like in Sales? Informing our customers about our pro­ duct range and the products most inte- resting to individual customers – that is my primary duty. I have to identify the “needs,” ask about framework conditions and learn about resources and capaci- ties – only then can I create and present a package of solutions for the potential customer to precisely meet those needs. Of course, I also have to describe the benefits and added value our customers receive with ZOLLER solutions in a simple, easy to understand way – and I do all of it in the Baden-Württemberg South- East sales region, which ranges from Stuttgart to Lake Constance. “POWER IN DEVELOP- MENT, DESIGN AND IT, AND OUR ABILITY TO USE THE EXPERTISE OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO QUICKLY FULFILL OUR CUSTOMERS’ REQUIREMENTS – THAT’S WHAT MAKES ZOLLER UNIQUE.”