Cross your heart, Marc. Isn’t it exhausting sometimes to always have to structure your workday yourself?
I would lie if I said no. I need to carefully and sensibly plan each day. It’s not like I start working at seven in the morning and finish at 4 p.m. every day. Sometimes my day starts at five in the morning, sometimes I only start at eight. It all depends on when the customer can make time for me and what else I need to do. The job requires a great deal of self-discipline and yes, that can be exhausting at times.
So would a classic 9-to-5 job be something you’d be interested in someday in the future?
No, never! I’ve had some experiences with a “desk job“ and that was not my thing at all. Even though the constant self-management in the field service is exhausting sometimes, I really appreciate the flexibility it offers on the other hand! I am not only in charge of planning my workday, but also of determining my own success. I decide myself which customers I visit, how much time I invest in a project and where our product sales can be pushed more.
In addition, I can balance personal and business appointments really well thanks to the flexible working hours. If I have some free time in the afternoon, I can get other things done, like grocery shopping, working out or going to a doctor’s appointment. That’s something I definitely couldn’t do with a 9-to-5 job.
And even more importantly: I need to be on the road and in close contact with the customers. That’s what I love about my job. Phone and email contact just isn’t enough for me.
Nowadays, more and more aspects in the fields of sales and customer service tend to take place online. Why is the traditional field service still essential, in your opinion?
Admittedly, the field of online sales will become increasingly important in the future. And that’s a good thing. But it will – at least in our line of business – never be able to fully replace the field service, only to add to it. Our products require too much know-how and explanation.
Moreover, my personal experience is that especially new products can be introduced to the market much better with personal customer contact.