Fittings 1 by Patrick May

publication

No. 7

30 min. update

Summer 2013

Take the test 8

They Swapped

JOB for a day!

10 Things

you should know about ISB Win an

iPhone

5 Ta ho ke m m e e

Love/hate your job?

4 CFM fights back 8 HardTalk 16 Our value chain 22 My favorite spot 23 We dare to stick out

Inside Fighting to keep their position in the market CFM is going through a tough change process

6 8

Tobias Roser Chief Editor editor@fittings.nu

The power of clear objectives

Do you love (or hate) your job?

If you don’t know where you’re going, you will probably end up somewhere else.

Take the test

HardTalk with Patrick Headon

They swapped job for a day!

Our value chain

Before judging a man (or a woman), try to walk a mile in his (or her) shoes. A graphic snap shot

What surveys don’t tell you

22 23 24

My favorite spot

(But your customer will)

We dare to stick out Fittings Quiz

10 ISB: The French Connection

Ten facts for your quiz cheating sheet

USEFUL NUMBERS Tobler CFM Wasco

+41 44 735 50 00 +352 4995-1 +31 88 099 5000

OÄG +43 50406 0 DT Group +45 39559700 Wolseley +44 118 929 8700

I can’t really remember whether it was John Lennon who said this or whether someone else deserves the credit. It is definitely a quote that crossed my mind more than once in the past months. It applies to life in general I suppose. But also in a business context, there’s a core of truth in these words. You need clarity on where you are going. That way you can measure progress every day and get there. A good example is CFM in Luxembourg. Clear goals and objectives - together with the overall business plan, have brought back a positive spirit. You can read about the journey that they are going through on page 4. Making a plan and stick to it sometimes takes guts. As Wasco shows with their bold initiative, organizing a series of exhibitions for customers and suppliers (page

XX). Last but not least, you probably have heard that we got family expansion. CE got a new family member: French ISB. We of course introduce the company and our colleagues (page XX) in Fittings, both this time and next time around. I want to take this opportunity to thank Charlotte Gullach Büttrich for her contribution to make Fittings a success. I have the pleasure to take over her role as the responsible editor and I am looking forward to develop and produce an interesting magazine to all of you. Happy reading and have a great summer

Tobias Roser

You can write to Tobias at editor@fittings.nu Feel free to share your ideas and comments – both positive and critical.

Fittings issue 7 · Distributed July 2013 · Fittings is the employee magazine for Wolseley CE staff in Austria, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Luxembourg. Publication by Wolseley CE. Circulation: 2,300. Available languages: English, German, Dutch, Italian and French. Editorial responsibility: Wolseley CE/Tobias Roser. Journalistic production and project management: Radical Communications/Patrick May. Design and layout: Appetizer.dk/Simon Johnsen. Photography: Martijn vd Griendt & Günter Wohlschlager. Print: CoolGray. Editorial committee: DT Group/Charlotte Gullach Büttrich, editor@fittings.nu; Wasco/Sacha Büchele, s.buchele@wasco.nl; ÖAG/Markus Woegerbauer, Markus.WOEGERBAUER@oeag.at, CFM/Cedric Faivre, cedric.faivre@cfm.lu and Wolseley CE/Tobias Roser, tobias.roser@wolseley.com

Grand Opening

CFM pushes

Comfort CFM recently has refurbished its showroom in Luxembourg. The Comfort line has got its very own place in the showroom.

To get the attention of customers, CFM organized a grand opening in January. 110 customers accepted the invitation and visited the showroom. “The response was

really very good”, says Carlo da Silva. “We invited 180 customers - so 110 visitors is a great result. We used the day to mingle with customers, explain our products in

the showroom to them. Comfort got extra attention. They like it. We feel it in our sales figures as well.” CFM also pushes the brand to end customers - 6 buses in Luxembourg city drive around with large Comfort advertisements. The line was first introduced in autumn 2011. After a lukewarm start, it seems like Comfort now is gaining popularity. Both internally among staff, but also externally among customers. At the moment, CFM is looking at how they can price the line to make it attractively for

large customers because here’s where the volume should come from. But since Comfort is still a lesser known brand, it is difficult to compete with Hans Grohe and Villeroy & Boch. It takes time.

Fittings 7 · 2013

Jean Yves Luxembourg

Fighting to keep their position in the market CFM is going through a tough change process With 103 colleagues, Comptoir des Fers et Métaux – or simply CFM – is the smallest business unit in CE. But in Luxembourg, a country with 460.000 people, this is large enough to be the market leader. Keeping this position, in a rapidly changing business environment, requires extra ordinary efforts from everybody working in CFM.

Fittings 7 · 2013

CFM

throughout history has been the preferred partner for pretty much all important players in Luxembourg. In the past years however, it has been difficult for CFM to maintain its position. The company’s development slowed down, while at the same time changes in the market speeded up. For German and French competitors, neighbour Luxembourg is an attractive market. Aggressive German competitors are offering extremely low prices in order to get a foot in the door. As a result, customers’ requirements towards service and prices have increased.

Unfortunately, CFM did not react adequately which lead to customers punishing the company. One of the service elements which was criticized most was distribution: they got catastrophic grades in the 2011 customer survey.

Distribution improved Last year CFM initiated an extensive change process to make the company competitive and profitable again. One of the areas that got special attention was distribution. The entire fleet management got reorganized as well as the service around logistics. Customer’s

Market position

Sara & Selma Dina Palma satisfaction about CFM’s logistics has gone up with 80%. This has a positive effect on sales. Jean Yves XX, outbound sales, confirms this. “Two years ago, when I visited customers, I had to spend a lot of energy to solve delivery problems. This fortunately has changed. n top of this, we got a customer service department, dealing with inquiries about deliveries,

supplies and our terms. This enables me to focus on sales opportunities.” Martin Root, CFM’s Sales Director for sanitary, heating and tube is confident about CFM’s competitive muscle. “We probably can’t beat the Germans on price. But we do have other arguments. Like proximity, cultural understanding and flexibility. We launch new services, offering customers something special, something our competitors don’t have. Like our return goods service. And of course, we do what we can to bring down prices. We

Martin Root

The people

Cash collection is a necessary evil You find CFM’s headquarters in Luxembourg city, on a ten minutes drive from the historical city centre. The main warehouse as well as the showroom are situated right next to the administrative offices. The showroom has undergone a thorough renovation. There’s a pick up stand where customers can pick up their supplies. Twenty kilometers south from Luxembourg city, in Esch-sur-Alzette, you find CFM’s second branch. The branch is well equipped and here too customers can pick up their supplies.

Angels of service Customer service, the department earlier mentioned by Jean Yves, is popular. In the latest survey customers rated it the best department. “We sometimes receive gifts from happy customers”, says Sara Leistenschneider, one of the two colleagues in Customer service. “We always try to give an optimal service, no matter whether a customer is large or small. We’ve been more than once called service angels by our customers. A label we’re very proud of.”

11 76 40 XX 42 27 XX

103

Amount of colleagues

focus on increasing organizational efficiency, which should reduce errors and bring down costs.” “We’re still in the middle of the change process”, Martin says. “We’re not entirely there yet. For example in the exploitation of the relations we have with our customers. We can become better to map their needs and requirements and get even closer to them.”

Back at the headquarters we meet with Dina Palma, responsible for cash collection. She on a daily basis has contact with customers that have not paid their invoices. “Times have been tough, also for our customers”, Dina says. “The amount of customers that have difficulties paying their invoices in time has increased. When they’re late, I typically call them. It might be that they can pay 50% of the invoice now and the remaining 50% in two weeks. Something you find out only when you talk to them personally. I of course approach them with respect. Cash collection is a necessary evil. Customers understand this.”

Average age

Average amount of years people work for CFM

Female staff

Logistics staff

Male staff

Sales staff

Administrative staff

Fittings 7 · 2013

e v Lo Do you

(or hate) your job?

Take the test

1 You don’t talk about other people; you talk about the cool things other people are doing. When you love your job you don’t gossip about the personal failings of others. You talk about their successes, because you’re happy for them – and because you’re happy with yourself.

you’re Did you know that your life literally sleeping u spend away? 26 years! yo You think, “I hope I get to…” inuse u Yo . ng stead of, “I hope I don’t have to…” pi ee sl d in be When you love your job it’s like peel30 d en sp u ing. Yo ing an onion. There are always more up 120 weeks kiss months x si , layers to discover and explore. ns ai tr r fo g tin days wai When you hate your job it’s also 43 days in like peeling an onion – but all in queues of which in you discover are more tears. . You wait 3 years! telephone queues ht. front of a traffic lig ss some more busine Now for a fact with end You see your customers of your life you sp relevance: 4 years ring not as people to satisfy but de on w re u’ yo se nd in ca simply as people. ars! sitting on a toilet. A life - working. 11,5 ye They aren’t numbers. You ur yo of s ar ye ,5 11 lps you to - you spend think of them as real unscientific test he tle lit s hi T it. e people who have real lik r y! jo En b. You bette jo ur yo needs. uch you really love determine how m

Engagement 2013: Sneakpreview All responses from the 2013 employee engagement survey are being gathered, analyzed and discussed and we of course will, in the next edition of Fittings, report the outcome. But two small results we can’t wait with sharing with you now:

Fittings 7 · 2013

The response rate - again - has been extreme high. Wasco staff tops with a staggering 93%. CFM is number 2 with 89%. The KPI ESI (loyalty and motivation) score as well, again is high. The average is 76,5 (compared to last year 77%). Here Tobler respondents score the highest with 82,8% (from 77,8% last year).

Take the test

You enjoy attending meetings.

You don’t think about surviving. You think about winning.

No, seriously, you enjoy meetings. Why? Because it’s fun to be at the center of thoughtful, challenging discussions that lead to decisions, initiatives, and changes – changes you get to be a part of.

You don’t worry much about losing your job. You’re more worried about not achieving your potential. Not being as impactful as you can.

You would recommend working at your company to your best friend…

You see your manager as a person you work with, not for. You feel valued. You feel respected. You feel trusted.

In fact, you can’t stop talking about how great your company is and the fantastic work you’re doing.

9 You don’t want to let your coworkers down. Not because you’ll get in trouble or get a bad performance review, but because you admire them – and you want them to admire you.

You leave work with items on your to-do list you’re excited about tackling tomorrow.

You enjoy your time at work.

Many people cross the “fun” tasks off their to-do lists within the first hour or two. You often have cool stuff – new initiatives, side projects, hunches you want to confirm with data, people you want to talk to – left over when it’s time to go home.

When you love your job, it’s a part of your life. You feel alive and joyful not just at home – but also at work.

11 You don’t think about retirement… because retirement sounds boring… …and a lot less fulfilling.

How many of the above statements apply to you and your job?

If you said:

You may want to find a new job. Life is too short. You don’t hate your job... but you don’t love it either. What can you do differently? 5-8: You really enjoy your job and the people you work with 9-11: You are deeply, madly in love with your job! (and your friends are jealous!) 0-1: 2-4:

Fittings 7 · 2013

HardTalk with Patrick Headon

ÖAG has a new Managing Director meaning that you no longer have to fulfill a double role. What does this mean for CE?

In my double role I had to divide my attention between leading ÖAG, which was very operational, while on the other hand driving the strategic development and performance at CE. This meant that I had to prioritize and focus on the most pressing issues. I am looking forward to be able to dedicate more time to develop CE to answer the question; where do we want CE to be in three years? I also definitely want to spend time on getting closer to key customers, understanding their needs and requirements and learn how we can support their businesses in the best possible way.

Fittings 7 · 2013

We have a new family member, ISB in France, focusing on wood products and manufacturing whereas the existing business units focus on heating and plumbing. How does this make sense? We are not in similar markets nor do we have similar products. What we do have in common are the challenges we’re facing. ISB is going through a significant restructuring process - a process similar to what we have gone - and still are going through. Besides this, we have the same challenges and priorities when it comes to customer service, driving performance, margin management, pricing and we have the same people agenda. We can learn from each other. What is new for us is that ISB has manufacturing units in their business. I believe that ISB will be an enriching experience for CE.

HardTalk

In an enterprise with more than 6,300 employees and 260 branches, the top management may seem very distant. With HardTalk, you get close to top management, because here we put you in contact with DT Group’s most senior manager. Patrick Headon answers you and your colleagues questions, however searching they are.

What is the focus going to be in ISB in the coming months?

and requires for a company to be efficient in all its processes, cost conscious and deliver upon customer promises.

ISB is a big business. It has production sites, distribution centers and branches all over France. People wise it is the largest operation in CE. The company is a result of the merger of several brands and companies. There’s a huge potential to continue to optimize the business in a tough market. In distribution, it is about getting the basics right by understanding the customer needs and deliver upon this. It’s about rationalizing the distribution structure. Looking at wood solutions, it’s equally about nailing the basics of production but also about expanding into higher margin product areas and adding more customizable features. Like for example allowing customers to choose the colors they want. The French market is tough

With on line business increasingly gaining importance, how do we serve the new generation customers who are on the net 7/24 and want to do business on line?

To start with, internet is not exclusively for young people. The internet has moved from early adapters to become main stream. We already have great b2b sites in several of our markets and penetration rates of over 25% in both Wasco and Tobler. We will drive this further. To do this we need to understand the preferences of customers: how do they like to shop, how do they want to deal with their suppliers? We have to find out where we

want to go. My key question is what is in it for our business? How do we get more than 50% on the net in three years? We recently have very useful sessions attended by our top 3 e-business markets. We have a shared agenda and will be working together closely over the coming years. Within Wolseley we got also a good example in b2c space: build.com. The site is successful in the US. They launched it now in the UK as well. We’re looking at these results and what they mean for CE’s businesses.

How much of our local strategies is dictated by Wolseley and how much influence do we have ourselves? Wolseley strategy works at two levels. At a corporate level we allocate resources and set the overall direction of the total business. We have target

levels of profitability and businesses which do not meet these levels have generally been disposed of, but there remain some problem areas to resolve. At a business unit level we then determine the right strategy for that business based on local market conditions, local customer culture and competitive situation. Increasingly we find that we have very similar issues in all markets so the approaches to improve performance, efficiency and customer satisfaction are similar. There’s huge potential to share best practice. This is a big advantage Wolseley businesses have over competitors. Consistent approaches in measuring performance, customer satisfaction and employee engagement means we can compare outcomes easily across markets. What we must do in the coming year is to get better at sharing across markets.

Fittings 7 · 2013

ISB: rench

The F n o i t c e n n Co

Ten facts

for your quiz cheating sheet 10

Fittings 7 路 2013

1 February On February 1st. this year, Importation et Solutions Bois, ISB, became a member of Wolseley Central Europe, CE. Until then, ISB used to be a part of Wolseley France, an organization with 5.300! employees, 293 branches and 22 productions sites. Considering the volatile French market, Wolseley has concluded its strategic review. ISB, the industrial side of the business, is market leader with opportunities to develop further and is therefore placed in CE. Ending a period of uncertainty and speculations for our new French colleagues.

Market position

Bois

is French for wood

Wood? Yes, WOOD. But ... we’re a plumbing business? How does that make sense? Well, seen from a product perspective, we might not have that much in common really. But looking at the challenges we are facing, the sizes of our operations, the maturity of the market and the businesses - we have far more in common than you think, like the focus on customer satisfaction and employee engagement. What we certainly have in common is the pride and respect we have for the companies we represent and the products we cater.

ISB is, with a 20% marketshare of the French market, the unrivaled market leader for wood import and wood transformation. The company is also the market leader in trusses - with 19% of the entire French market. With the current market situation,

1.000.000 ISB imports 1.000.000 cubic meters! of timber and panels a year. A tantalizing figure. If you would load all that timber into large trucks, it would take roughly 18.000 trucks. If you would line these trucks up, your line would get around the world 4 times. This is 12% of the entire wood consumption in France.

1.000

We welcome 1.000 new colleagues into the CE family. Quite an expansion. In fact, ISB is the biggest business unit and makes up for 1/3 of our entire headcount. It’s organized in different business units, representing different brands, work in sales, productions and logistics and cater to different customer groups. One thing though, they all have in common: they know their wood.

making a solid profit is a challenge - even for the market leader. The focus for ISB therefore is to gain operational efficiency merge production and distribution facilities where it makes sense, bundle energy and resources to improve the impact on the French market.

80%

1.000.000 cubic meters of wood - you don’t transport using trucks only. 80% of all wood is transported by boats - huge boats. These boats are gigantic - size cruise ship - with a capacity of 3.500 cubic meters. Most of the boats come from Russia. Which is not so strange if you know that 29% of all the wood processed in ISB, comes from Russia. 19% from Finland, 16% from Sweden and the Baltics. You find ISB in four harbours: SaintMalo, Nantes, Honfleur and Bordeaux. Fittings 7 · 2013

Continued

The smell of

wood

ISB’s modest head quarters are situated in Pacé (Bretagne) - but if you want to get a flavor of the business, you should drive 80 km north. To Saint-Malo to be precise. Entering the old harbor of St. Malo, you find two huge boats - both from Russia - with one cargo only: WOOD. On the docks - there’s timber everywhere. At first

glance, it looks like massive chaos. But first impressions are deceiving - everything is labelled, scanned and accounted for. The huge forklift trucks don’t have to drive far to the production facility where (some of) the wood is being sawn, treated and bundled. Then there’s the smell of fresh wood. Nothing can beat that smell.

ISB manages seven different brands. They’re organized in roughly two different business activities: wood solutions and wood structures. Wood solutions includes Silverwood, Savare, Sinbpla and Carib Cerland. This activity is responsible for roughly 75% of the revenue. Wood structures adds the remaining 25% and includes the brands Charpentes Francaises, James and Solution Pose. In the next magazine, we will give you an introduction of each one of them.

11.000 ISB has 11.000 customers - everyone from whole sellers, construction companies to private builders. In 2012 these customers generated a revenue of € 275 million.

Fittings 7 · 2013

22 ISB currently has 22 productions sites, 7 on the Wood Solutions side, 15 on the Wood Structure side - concentrated mainly on the west coast of France.

12 years ISB consists of different brands, has different activities and caters to different customer types. A passion for wood is the common determinator. Or as Nicolas Challe, the manager for Silverwood in Saint-Malo, says: “The constant challenge for us is to find different ways to cut the wood, process the wood - so we’re our customers preferred supplier. ISB is the best. That is what makes working here so rewarding.” People working in ISB are proud. And loyal too. The average colleague has been with the company for 12 years.

In the shoes of ...

They

Swapped

JOB

for a day!

Before judging a man (or a woman), try to walk a mile in his (or her) shoes. All too often, we judge people without knowing their reality. Both in our private lives, and at work. This can lead to misunderstandings and frustrations. The question is, how can you avoid this? We decided to take the quote above literally and give it a try: we took two colleagues, each from different departments, and had them switch job for a day. Before they swapped, we asked them about their expectations. After the swap, we returned to ask them about their experiences.

More...

Fittings 7 路 2013

They

Swapped

JOB

for a day!

I’ll think twice next time I contact logistics with a problem Alex Luinge Wasco – since 2007 Inbound sales

My job

er. I truly ... is all about the custom I have but s love working in sale ome bec has job my t tha to admit crithe e sinc slightly more difficult My . ago rs yea few a sis started endous customers are under trem e is a pric ult res a as and pressure at I wh e tak I key factor for them. scrapans me t tha if also , can get er so I ing bits and pieces togeth way. To any er ord per pro a can get it is ss, ine bus get the customers’ r someoffe can we t tha nt importa valuthing special. Something itors pet com our ing eth able. Som can’t offer.

Fittings 7 · 2013

... is all about the customer. I truly love working in sales - but I have to admit that my job has become slightly more difficult since the crisis started a few years ago. My customers are under tremendous pressure and as a result price is a key factor for them. I take what I can ge t, also if that means scraping bit s and pieces together so I can ge t a proper order anyway. To ge t the customers’ business, it is important that we can offer someth ing special. Something valuable . Something our competitors can ’t offer.

My swap

What surprised me is that their workplace is just as hectic as ours. They have a lot more tasks then I thought they had. The time you have to solve the individual cases is limited. The telephone is ringing all of the time. They have contact with the entire organization - and the drivers. I didn’t know that. They also check mistakes in the stock in the warehouse and deficiencies in customer orders. It’s a lot wider and more complex than I thought. I could easily imagine swapping jobs - as I like solving problems and I am impressed by their approach. At the same time, I like it a lot where I am so I think I will stay.

My expectations

My learnings

I gained more respect for their job. When a customer calls me because he didn’t get his supplies or some of his supplies, I normally jump to the conclusion that we have made a mistake and I try to solve it for him as soon as possible. I got a different insight thanks to this swap and next time I will probably ask a few more questions before I draw my conclusions. I will no longer just close my eyes and forward the problem to logistics. That’s for sure. It’s very educative to experience how colleagues work. It opens your eyes and supports mutual understanding.

In the shoes of ...

Sorry Alex, but I like my job better Ingmar Koekerits Wasco – since 2001 Logistic Service

My job

... is about providing service by solving problems. When customers don’t get their delivery, or get the wrong products, it is my job to find out what went wrong and to make sure that they get their orders as soon as possible. It also happens that customers in the middle of the process want to change the delivery address or date, which means that I have to figure out where their order physically is and make sure it is taken out of the planned truck and put into a new delivery route. Sometimes it feels like solving a jigsaw puzzle.

My expectations

I know inbound sales is about selling products by phone. But I know little about their work processes. I have no idea what it takes to create an order or in general, how they deal with customers. I sometimes can feel their frustration when they want to help a customer. For example to speed up their delivery and we have to tell sales that we can’t make it happen. Sometimes there’s a difference between what we would like to promise to customers and what we actually can deliver upon. That can cause friction between our two departments. I am looking forward to get an insight in the sales part of the business.

My swap

ised me I had a perfect experience. What surpr for cted, expe I than more lot a do is that they You also example the contact with suppliers. product need quite a large knowledge of our wildest inrange. Customers call you with the ate in that quiries. Amazing that they can navig program chaos. I was rather fascinated by the am. It’s a progr ort supp sales a VIS they use level the great tool that tells you on customer of all orentire history and the current status insight in ders. It’s impossible to get a perfect to see htful insig very was it but only half a day I swap jobs another side of the business. Would own job with him permanently? No, I like my too much.

My learnings

Customers are demanding. They call at five o’clock with an order and want us to deliver if possible the next morning before eight o’clock. I’m quite impressed by the patience my colleagues in inbound sales have. I got an even better understanding of the kind of pressure that they’re under. Their main focus is maintaining the relationship with the customers and sales must work hard to get an order: I knew it was though but I didn’t know it was that though.

Fittings 7 · 2013

They

Swapped

JOB

for a day!

We always joke about IT, that they probably have nothing to do Thomas Mitrovic ÖAG – since 2006 Logistics

My job

e our ... is all about making sur t suptrucks leave with the righ I’m the fiplies to our customers. p of the ram nal checkpoint at the . I do nna Vie in ter cen distribution goods are the final check before the into the being stacked and packed ving lea ks truc truck. We have XX son sea h hig the In . day ry here eve ks. The job this can be up to XX truc Especially can be quite stressful. ’re only huin the high season. We mistakes, ke ma can we man and can forget like everyone else. We or pack certain items in an order, ng cuswro the the wrong things for go ies iver del ny ma w Ho tomer. w. Under wrong I don’t exactly kno 5% I think.

Fittings 7 · 2013

My swap

It was a very positive experience. I had no clue what they did. You know how people always are joking about that they probably have nothing to do. I was one of them but I got wiser. They’re a lot busier than you think. We started the day with setting up new computers and telephones in other departments. After that, we went back to Christian’s workplace and he introduced me to the support line. People call with all kind of problems. The phone hardly ever stops ringing. It was quite a stressful experience to be honest. I got deep respect for the competence in the department. They know what they’re doing. Most of the problems - they can fix right away - on the phone.

My expectations

I don’t really know what to expect from working half a day in the IT department. In the warehouse we of course use SAP (the warehouse system) and the only contact we have with the IT guys, is when we have problems with the system. Working in the IT department hopefully will give me a better idea of SAP’s functionalities. I hope I will learn something I can use in my own job. It won’t be difficult for Christian to work in my department. My job doesn’t have a high level of complexity. Physically however, it can be quite demanding. That might be an issue if you’re used to sit in an office all day.

My learnings

I learned how to set up a computer and after the introduction I got from Christian, I think he can expect a lot less phone calls from me and my colleagues. I learned a couple of tricks on how to solve the most common problems. For example how to reboot when the computer freezes. I was a bit afraid that it might get boring. Don’t get me wrong but IT i5s not my biggest interest. The truth is, that it was not boring at all. On the contrary. It was great fun. Really. If I got the chance to swap again, I would do it. I think it is a good idea. It supports mutual understanding for each others work.

In the shoes of ...

It’s a hectic affair at logistics Christian Groher ÖAG – since 2012 IT

My job

puter ... is all about fixing com colfor ms ble and system pro I e tim the of st Mo s. league t over spend providing suppor t the phone. This is my firs my ‘real’ job after I finished hip studies. I did my interns d to here at ÖAG and decide opthe n give s wa I en wh stay bpro of portunity. The kind varying lems people call in are solve can I m but most of the en we bet in ne pho the r ove To be five or fifteen minutes. need able to do this job you mon com the of to know most ivdel can you so ms pto sym what er a proper diagnose of set could be wrong. We also new up working stations for colleagues.

I have had a proper introduction and know pretty much what the different departments in ÖAG do. I also have a pretty good idea about Thomas’ job. I don’t think it’s all that easy. I’m looking forward to get to know the processes in logistics better. To learn more about the kind of problems he runs into, how to solve them and so on. The physical part of it doesn’t bother me too much. I am young and in good shape.

My swap

I have never been in the warehouse before. It was massive. I was impressed. Also by all the tasks Thomas has. He’s team leader too. I didn’t know. The working climate was very good thanks to the colleagues. The pace is high though and I, after having been here half a day, can better understand how mistakes can happen.

My expectations

My learnings

I got a better feeling of what they do and how dependent they are that all their IT systems function. Next time they have an IT problem, I for sure will prioritize them because if the system is down here - they cannot do anything. I thought swapping was great fun and I would love to try it again. This time though maybe in a department that is more job relevant for me. The day was over in no time.

Fittings 7 · 2013

Our value chain

I T

We are 3000 colleagues in CE — doing different things — but with the same objective: Deliver relevant value for our customers. That is what all our efforts, whatever we do, one way or the other, add up to. This graphic is a snap shot of our value chain.

Fittings 7 · 2013

Our value chain

XXX

WAREHOUSES IN XX COUNTRIES

XXX

WOLSELEY CENTRAL EUROPE

DAILY INBOUND TRUCKS

OUTBOUND SALES

XXX

COSTUMERS

XXX

00 40.0 ’S

SKU

XXX XXX

INVENTORY

INBOUND SALES

XXX

DAILY CALLS

XXX XXX LOGISTICS

XXX

DAILY ORDERS

XXX

TRUCKS DRIVING A DAY

Fittings 7 · 2013

s y e v r u s t a h W don’t tell you (But your customer will)

Customer surveys are indispensable. They give us a real good picture of how customers perceive us. The results - the numbers - tell the story of what we do well and where we can improve. And because we conduct them continuously, they show us how we develop on the service parameters that we want to improve upon. But there’s a different kind of story behind the numbers as well. The story of the individual customer who wants to tell us why he prioritizes as he does.

Fittings 7 · 2013

e’ve been a customer forever. As long as I can remember. 20, yes, maybe even 25 years”, says Daniel Wüthrich. He’s the owner and the managing director of Pärli AG in Biel. Not just any company. The company is founded in 1892 and with 70 people, Pärli AG is the largest company in and around Biel. Everybody in Biel knows the company and they have a reputation to pro-

Wasco exhibition

73,4%

percentage of respondents considered ambassadors for Tobler

1% improvement compared to the survey before

tect. When they make a promise to their customers, they have to work hard to keep it. They cannot afford to damage their hard earned reputation. Therefore, they choose their suppliers carefully. “We see them as our partners because they have to support us living up to the promises we make to our customers”, says Daniel Wüthrich.

Volume for convenience “We have both an excellent service and deliver excellent quality. We need our suppliers to understand that when they don’t keep their commitments, we have a problem keeping the promises we made to our customers. At the end of the day, this damages our image and we can’t have that. We need to be able to rely upon our suppliers. We have good experiences with Tobler. Very good

experiences actually. What we value in particular in Tobler is their large stock and their reliable distribution network. We know that when we need a product in a large quantity, that Tobler can deliver. We also know that we can have the products delivered within 24 hours. Sometimes we have invested a lot of time to pitch on a customer and when they finally make a decision, they often want us to start immediately. Knowing that you have a partner that can deliver the supplies to get started the next morning, especially in cases like these, is worth gold. This is, if you ask me, what makes Tobler unique in Switzerland.” Tobler is not the only supplier Pärli AG works together with. “They’re not good in all areas. Take their sanitary line (Comfort). Not very well thought through I think for the Swiss market. So

here we won’t use Tobler. Then we also work together with local suppliers. We have very strong and long term personal relations with some of them. Sometimes they provide us work because they refer us to customers. So of course we shop with them as well. We use Tobler where they are strong.” What about price? How does Pärli AG’s Managing Director rate this parameter? He argues that price of course always is important. Money needs to made, in good but also in bad times. Obviously the price has to be competitive but it seems like other parameters, reliability both in stock and delivery, prevail. But what about per-

sonal relations? “They’re not that important to us. It’s of course important to know whom to call for what in an organization with the size of Tobler. But as long as we keep the relations professional, I do not feel morally obliged to buy.” Finally - what impresses you most in Tobler? “They worked hard to professionalize and systemize their business. I think they succeeded brilliantly. I have visited the distribution center in Däniken and wow, that is impressive. They’re in a league of their own here. You know, time is money and if you have a supplier that can help you saving time streamlining the delivery of your supplies - it’s worth gold.”

2,3%

percentage of respondents in the latest customer survey that rated Tobler poorly 1% improvement compared to the survey before

Fittings 7 · 2013

Colleagues

Spot My favorite

Two colleagues ... and their favorite spot.

Groningen The Metropolis of the North in The Netherlands Population: 195.000 Founded: 1040 GPS: 53.2192°N 6.5680°E

Manfred Fekkes, Wasco Groningen – recommends ... the city of Groningen. “Yup. The city is a secret gem. Hidden far away up north in The Netherlands. Groningen has it all.” It’s a lively city, mostly thanks to the 55.000 students. “If you like good food and good beers, you’re at the right place. We have an excellent choice of small pubs where you can eat a fantastic meal, often for a few euros. The people here are friendly and very helpful, in a typical country like style, which is hard to find in large cities like for example Amsterdam. Groningen is also great if you have kids or if you’re looking for a refuge away from your hectic job. You don’t have to go far to enjoy the silence and spectacular views. The city is an excellent base if you’re planning a trip to the Wadden Islands. Groningen has a lot of cultural offerings as well. We have the Groninger Museum, a lot of popular festivals - and ... space. Lots of space.”

Fittings 7 · 2013

Hovelange

Population: 285 Founded: 1678 GPS: 49.7225° N 5.90

72°E

With the Ardennes Forest in my backyard Carlo da Silva, CFM in Luxembourg “Taking a long evening walk in the dens e forest of Hovelange is an excellent way to clear your mind after a hard days work in the city”, says Carlo da Silva , showroom manager CFM in Luxembourg. “I live here and love it here. It’s green. There are horses. A lot of them. The bicycle trails here are breathtaking. One of them includes an old 700 meters long tunnel, a left over from the train service that ran next to the place. Ther e’s a water well here and a small but very picturesque restaurant in the old mill.” Carlo has been with CFM for 8 years, but with a break. “First time around I was with CFM for 6 years. I came back 1,5 years ago. It’s really nice to be back. It’s important to me that the people I work with are willing to fight for the company. We got a perfect challenge, to with the refurbished showroom, get CFM under the attention of a larger public. We have a great team in the showroom, competent and with a good spirit.”

Wasco exhibition

We dare to stick out Wasco exhibition for customers ‘Wasco neemt de leiding’ is the name for a bold program of four exhibitions that Wasco organizes to bring customers and suppliers in to one room and of course, to consolidate their role as being a supportive partner to their customers. The concept includes four locations, 40 carefully selected suppliers, 13.000 invited customers and a competent team of Wasco staff that helps customers to get the most out of their visit.

an Bijnen, who’s responsible for the business side of the exhibitions is proud of the initiative. “To organize something of this magnitude in our industry takes guts”, he says. “We take a big risk doing this. But both customers and suppliers appreciate the initiative.” “We do this especially for the smaller customers who typically visit our

branches to pick up their goods. We want them to meet 40 of the finest suppliers the Netherlands have to offer. This is a unique opportunity to get to know each other better, learn about demands and requirements and consolidate partnerships. In these times, we need each other more than ever so we can make sure we get as much business as possible from end cus-

Jan Bijnen tomers. Offering the right solutions, the right products and the right prices.” Erwin Tuithof is one of the sales people working on the exhibition, inviting, welcoming and showing customers around. “We got a special training focusing on how to deal with customers visiting the exhibition. We did some role playing and in the beginning we were so eager to introduce the customers to suppliers that we totally forgot to welcome them properly. We had some good laughs but in the end we

got it nailed.” Wasco of course has their own stand as well, introducing customers to services and product ranges most of them are not familiar with. Wasco has put a lot of effort and resources into the organization and the suppliers paid for the out of pocket costs of the exhibitions. “It’s not a party event. It’s a business event. Wasco is not the company to blow its own trumpet and tell the world how fantastic we are. With this exhibition, we make a lot of noise on the market.”

Fittings 7 · 2013

Dominik Paher, ÖAG Kematen

Win an

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