Working instead of travelling – being personally available for the customer
Alf Gericke and Sebastian Göb talk about their work in the Berlin and Frankfurt offices
Being personally available for the customer – isn’t that just a marketing slogan in times of digital media?
AG: Good communication is the most important thing in project controlling – that sounds trivial, but it’s still true. The personal contact is what counts, not a call or video conference via Skype or other media. I need to be on short call for a meeting outside the regular schedule.
SG: Of course I need to travel regularly, but working on the train or the airplane is not that effective. And no one can focus on a topic when regularly checking one’s watch. From my experience, being relaxed and having a reasonable amount of time is valued by customers. And in fact: It increases effectivity.
AG: Many of the constructors are not from our industry. They need us to be there, both as a specialist and in person. Having someone’s back not only means finalising airtight contracts but also encouraging large-scale investments and (un)popular decisions – against experienced partners and in case of unexpected problems.
SG: That’s what makes our job so interesting: Being right there in the action, taking part in important decisions. Our aim is to advance the project. That’s what doing a good job means to me.