“The demands that we set ourselves are what give us a safe position in the market. This attitude is a guarantee that H-O-T will still exist in many years. It creates future-proof jobs.”
Interview with Herbert Nitsche, member of the Executive Board, head of the H-O-Tsales and logistics center.
How long have you been working for the H-O-T Group?
For over 21 years.
What was the deciding factor in your choice of employer?<br/>What made you decide to join the H-O-T Group?
From the very beginning I wanted to establish myself in sales, but I didn’t have any experience and therefore received many rejections. H-O-T gave me the opportunity to get started in this sector.
What opportunities has the company offered you?
How has H-O-T supported you in your personal development?
Everything I know about sales I learned from the senior boss, Jürgen Bach. Throughout my entire time at H-O-T, I have been supported, challenged and encouraged in my development – including with further training courses.
In your opinion, what do you need in order to achieve success with theH-O-T Group?
The saying ‘You’ve got to be faster than the greats’ has been successfully put into practice for decades. As a medium-sized company, we rely on this. Our employees need to rise to this, and that isn’t always easy. It requires the ability to work in a team just as much as flexibility. After all, unlike large companies, you need to be able to look outside your own discipline here every now and then. You need to be willing to take on special assignments. In addition, our employees know that cooperation is a must in order to be successful. Camaraderie therefore plays an important role. Motivation, good comprehension and reliability are at least just as important. Although many vacancies require you to have completed training or particular qualifications, it is not the top priority.
What do you like most about your current job?
What do you particularly enjoy at work?
The variety of my work. There is almost no branch of the metal sector that we are not able to serve. There is therefore a broad area where you can participate, and it is never too late to learn.
What do you like in general about your work for the H-O-T Group?
The way colleagues and bosses interact with each other – the interpersonal relationships. Another advantage of a medium-sized company is, of course, the fast decision-making processes. You can participate, and express ideas. If you are able to convincingly convey your proposal to the senior management and underpin it with evidence, there is nothing to stop it being implemented.
What do you think are the greatest challenges?
Over the last 20 years, the company has experienced rapid growth. When I started, there were around 50 employees. Now there are more than 400. The challenge with such a development is that not everyone can keep up – they fall by the wayside or give up. You have to be able to deal with that. Because I am convinced that this growth will continue, one of my challenges is building up sales so that it is positioned strongly in the future too, even without me – or perhaps even better.
What do you think makes the H-O-T Group different from other companies?
Why would you recommend the H-O-T Group as an employer?
Like other medium-sized companies, we do, of course, have certain advantages and disadvantages. Unlike others, however, we have been proving ourselves up against the big players for many years now, since we are always right at the forefront. We think and develop with the future in mind. The demands that we set ourselves are what give us a safe position in the market. We try to fully implement customer wishes. Only with this motivation can we maintain our growth. This attitude is a guarantee that H-O-T will still exist in many years. It creates future-proof jobs and convinces me personally most of all.
