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Todays Sales and Service Culture in Germany

Written by: Hans-Peter Holzwarth

Article Overview: "Service desert Germany". This article in magazine "Focus" was published more then 10 years ago. But are there really recognizable changes? The following article should provide an impression where we stand today.

Todays Sales and Service Culture in Germany

Today's Sales and Service Culture in Germany

Salesmen in Germany understand themselves in reality as "Supervisor of merchandise". This conclusion has been drawn by a Japanese consultant as he has been asked for his opinion by the TV-magazine WISO concerning his experience being a customer in Germany.

There are complaints everywhere that the sales and Service culture would be poor in Germany compared to other countries, especially to the US. This opinion is also reflected in the poor social acceptance of the sales profession which, at relevant surveys, regularly emerge at the end of the hierarchy.* This has various; cultural-historical reasons that date back very far.

"A good product is selling from alone"; this is a widespread opinion. This Statement is particularly true if the product doesn't have any competition. In Germany exists a very long tradition to eliminate competition. A classic example of that are the craftsmen's guilds of the Middle Ages.

The first three decades after the termination of the Second World War were also particularly characterised by a strong demand for products and Services and less by national or international competition.

The development of a traffic infrastructure as well as the opening of the frontiers result in an increasing mobility of people and goods. Deregulation and the growing together of Electronic Data Processing and telecommunications lead more and more to the continuously discussed term "globalisation".

All of these factors cause above all the following:

A constantly growing competition on local, regional, national or international level. Often, this growing competition is discussed because of its risks, much less because of its chances. Therefore the following should be considered:

"The complaints about this growing competition is nearly always an indication of the lack of good ideas!"

It is obvious that for a customer - no matter whether he buys goods and products as a private person or for his Company - the price for goods and Services is the prevailing factor.

Therefore, it is always important and correct to confront its competitors also in regard to the price. However, if the price - as often can be observed - is the only competitive argument, then this is an expression of the lack of imagination.

In a sales and Service culture formed by the competition, the personality of the salesman or service person, i.e. the "human factor" is therefore becoming more and more important.

"In our Company the customer as human being is the focal point" - and therefore Stands often in our way. The author obtained this impression during many occasions he attended in companies, when he inquired about the Status of sales or the salesman within the respective companies. How pleasant would be the Professional life if the customer would not always disturb us at work! It's described ironically here, but this is often the reality.

To change this behaviour - together with you - is our most important objective! * It is a challenging task to help employees and executives to understand that the most important goal of companies is to win products and Services for customers - and that this is not only an isolated task of the sales staff.

When all employees in a Company, starting from the switchboard to accounting to manufacturing think of themselves as being part of sales; when Management considers itself as "Integrated Sales Management", then this is really the Start of a new, forward-looking sales and service culture that also will help to create Jobs!

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