She shows - with her way of working and particularly in this interview - how we work in our family-run company in addition to what personal and professional development opportunities MENZEL offers its employees. So if you feel inspired by the following interview and are not yet a Menzelian, you should always take a look at our open jobs here. Please note that knowledge of the German language and a residency permit are required.
Dear Heike, what is the best thing about your work with us?
That it is so varied; that I can use my foreign languages; that I have nice colleagues. Whilst I can assure you life is never boring.
What are your tasks at MENZEL?
Well, the first task, which I also fulfil according to my employment contract, is to support the sales department. That means writing offers, following them up, maintaining customer contact, etc. . Then - as is the case at MENZEL – I gradually gained other areas of responsibility. I like it best the way it is today. As I said, my field of work is always exciting and varied.
To get a complete picture of your field of work: What else is involved?
In addition to the sales-supporting tasks, I have, over the course of time, landed a bit of a job in the area of technical documentation. The technical documentation or operating manual is a document our customers receive together with the delivery of their motor. For us, it consists of a data sheet, test report, circuit diagrams and dimensional drawings as well as maintenance information and how to look after their new investment. If it's a very complex project, there can also be extensive complex additional documents. I was simply interested in gaining more technical insights. To this end, I was trained how to compile the contract information by the colleague responsible for technical documentation. At that time, this was still done on the basis of paper test protocols; today, everything is more streamlined and digitalised. I like this field of work very much and I find it a nice extension to the sales tasks – particularly when there are not fifteen identical motors in a row and each one has its own individual documentation (laughs).
Besides that, I sometimes feel like a travel agent: Among other things, I make sure that our technicians can successfully and time-efficiently carry out a motor commissioning or inspection on the other side of the world according to the customer's wishes. To do this, I think through the travel plan, organise visas, flights, hotels, etc. Following such a trip, I often also write the reports in cooperation with our test field team.
In addition, in my early days I also supported the Marketing and Corporate Communications team, which for a long time consisted of only one person. There was a lot to do, e.g. revising catalogues, helping out at press meetings and events, etc. . Now that the team has expanded, I do less of that. However, what has remained is that I like to be close to marketing and still enjoy working with the team. For example, I support the marketing work with concrete technical facts and figures that help explain our products to potential customers.
Of course, I also have active points of contact with the colleagues from the IT department, who continue to advance digitalisation at MENZEL and rely on our feedback. I also enjoy working with them very much.
To what extent do your tasks reflect the fact that MENZEL is an employer that operates internationally?
We look after customers all over the world. In concrete terms, that means for me: I have more correspondence in English than in German; in any case, I also communicate a lot in French, whilst also trying to incorporate Spanish even more - as long as I don't exclude other colleagues who can't read the language. I have always worked in an international environment and find that very enriching.
How did you come to MENZEL?
I started at MENZEL in August 2017, the year in which the company celebrated its 90th anniversary. I was able to directly help with the organisation of the anniversary celebration. Before that, as I said, I had always worked in a very international environment. My first job was with the French armed forces in the Quartier Napoléon, when they were still stationed here in Berlin. There I worked in the international personnel office and later in the telecommunications department in purchasing. After the fall of the Wall, the barracks soon disbanded. From then on, I worked exclusively in small owner-managed companies in a wide variety of sectors: in real estate, telecommunications and the clothing industry.
What qualities do you need to have for the job you do today?
Being open to customers of all kinds, friendly and being able to write and communicate effectively.Being curious, so for me, it's important that I also understand technical contexts to a certain extent. That's where Kurt Menzel (who ran the company in the second generation before his son Mathis Menzel joined the management in 2007) was and is still happy to provide me with explanations, often. Then of course our project engineers, from whom I feel very supportive when I have technical queries. Being able to work well and happily with different departments is therefore definitely another important quality that you need at MENZEL. This goes hand in hand with strong communication skills - not only within the company, but also externally, because we sell individual motor solutions, which means we are a service provider. This should also be reflected in the contact with the customers. Another very specific characteristic that concerns my job: I receive a lot of information. I try not to keep it to myself, but to pass it on. I don't believe in keeping any information under wraps that might give me an advantage. Ideally, it can help other colleagues learn or support them in their work.
What do you value and what do you wish for the future at MENZEL?
MENZEL is diverse, multicultural - not only among the customers but also among the staff. There is no routine and always something new. I think all this is great! With the move to our new motor plant in Hennigsdorf, I would like to see more flexible home office arrangements and perhaps also the possibility of a company scheme for an e-bike.
Thank you very much for the interview, Heike!
October 2023, Lisa Ernsting