Where are you from and who are you?
I'm Udo, born in ‘52 and grew up with my mum and three siblings. Originally I come from the Ruhrpott, more precisely from Wanne-Eickel - my home town. Who doesn't know Wanne-Eickel? After all, that's where the biggest Cranger Kirmes fair in the Ruhr area takes place!
The military eventually brought me to Münsterland. Today I'm married and the father of two children. My son is 47 years old and my daughter is 53. I will soon be 73. I have done my duty and obligation.
What is your area of responsibility at ECON TEL?
That is very comprehensive. Especially in the vehicle sector: car valeting, inspections and much more. I also do the delivery, collection, house, garden and removal service. So all round: girl for everything!
What has your education been like so far?
After leaving secondary school, I started an apprenticeship with the German Federal Railway, where I worked for six years. However, I realised that this was not the right path for me.
This was followed by my time in the Bundeswehr. I was one of the last ‘W18s’ to be called up. Originally, I wanted to join the police, but the Bundeswehr won me over. I really enjoyed my time there and stayed.
In total, my professional life spans 33 years in the Bundeswehr, 6 years in the Bundesbahn and 20 years in ECON TEL. That makes a total of 59 years married. Or rather, with ECON TEL, the Bundeswehr and the Bundesbahn. With my wife 54 years, full stop.
How did you come to be responsible for this area?
At the age of 52, the Bundeswehr could no longer use me. But I knew that I needed a new job. I thought to myself: you don't go home at 52. You need a job and you have to realise that society needs you.
One day I came across an advert in the newspaper: ‘We're looking for a sprightly pensioner for our fleet of vehicles.’ I thought: sprightly pensioner, vehicle fleet... that would be something for me. And cars were always my thing...let's start there.
What was the biggest change you experienced?
The biggest change was the move from the Bundeswehr, i.e. from the civil service and civil servants, to the private sector. That was quite a change.
In the Federal Railway and the Bundeswehr, nobody asked afterwards whether you had done anything or not. But here I had to realise that in the free economy - the bottom line - you have to do something. That you have to deliver something...that's how you're measured.
That was the biggest change I realised here. Then I said to myself: Man, you've had it good! Thank God I'm now working for the company on a freelance basis. I don't have to get up, I can. That's the nice thing.
What challenges have you overcome?
At ECON TEL, every day brought new tasks and challenges that I had never experienced before. Thanks to my time in the army, I was used to organising things, so I was able to deal with the various ECON TEL challenges, such as the pick-up and delivery service or the latest electronics in the vehicles.
As well as working with people, for example with the people in the car dealerships: That was always a speciality and made a lot of difference. I wouldn't want to miss that today. I'm grateful that I was able to experience that here!
I have seen many people come and go here. With one crying and one laughing eye. Where people have said: Oh, this is not for me. So please: listen to your gut feeling! I was right and I'm grateful for that. When I look up and ask myself ‘How much longer do you have?’ Then I think to myself: I'll keep going as long as I'm still well and as long as I'm in good health to do it all. Good luck, good luck, good luck!
How have your tasks and working methods changed?
In 20 years through technology...there have already been changes. Cars with an ignition key are no longer produced today. The start-stop function has become standard. Then electronics ‘to the point of no return’ and nobody knows exactly how it all works any more. You can already see where we're heading. If artificial intelligence now finds its way everywhere... I ask myself: do we want all this?
Corona has also brought a lot of change to the company. Where they said: Home office is very important to us...how do we do that? Especially in sales...we have to keep at it. Standing still means falling behind.
I have witnessed this from year to year. The company has not stood still, it has always done something about it. And that's particularly important in sales. If you look now: video studios, online presentations, etc., they are a must. These are a must in today's world, there's no other way. It also keeps me up to date. If someone asks me about the cars today, how something works, then I also have to ‘smell the ropes’... that's just the way it is.
What advice would you give to career starters?
The first thing I would say is that a good ego is important, as is tackling goals step by step. The will, the ambition and not giving up. That was the most important thing for me, that was always my motto.
I also started small in the Bundeswehr and developed step by step. But: it's up to each individual... what do I make of it, how am I?
‘Listen to your gut feeling!’ I say, nobody will give you anything. Nothing comes from nothing. You have to do something. (...) And think positively in every situation. Sometimes there are positive sides and sometimes there are negative sides. You have to put them away. Then you can move on!
Is there an experience you would like to share with us?
Every day was an experience where I had the feeling that you could help others with what you were doing.
During my time in the Bundeswehr, there was actually the same thing to do every day. It was a lot of fun - no question about it - working with people. It's the same here. In contrast, I've noticed that it has an immediate impact here. For example, when someone had problems with their car and I took care of it. And lo and behold: it worked! I could look at myself in the mirror every day afterwards. I enjoyed it more and more every day!
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