ACONEXT:
Hello Andreas, congratulations on your new position. You are a salesman in every sense of the word, but how much professional experience do you bring to the table altogether?
Andreas Holzinger:
I have been working full-time since October 2014 and since then I have worked continuously in service sales for the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors.
For how long have you worked for ACONEXT?
For almost three years. I started at ACONEXT in October 2021 as Head of Sales and Business Manager.
What are you passionate about?
Personally, I’m a fan of all kinds of things; at work, I enjoy variety. Every day is a little different. But above all, I am passionate about client confidence. In sales, I offer a colorful array of consulting and services. I like being close to my clients, being in touch with people. I always try to listen carefully. I’m not just interested in offering specific services, but also in helping with difficulties or satisfying specific needs, to ensure individual advice. This is not limited to temporary employment, work, or service contracts. It is essential for me to be seen as a reliable and committed partner.
If my clients need an assessment of the market and industry situation or the skilled labor situation, it is not initially about selling something, but about exchanging ideas with them. I see successful sales as an authentic, competent, and transparent all-around service.
I perceive sales holistically, and even my bachelor’s thesis focused on engineering services. My passion for sales, in the broadest sense, led me to become an industrial engineer. As a student, I started as a ‘runner’ in retail, at a men’s outfitter to be exact.
Thanks to my then-supervisor Tanja Blattner, who recognized my potential and indirectly pushed me in the direction I am in today, I moved into sales and thus into consulting. My first real boss was in fact also my first mentor.
What are your ambitions?
To be successful for the company and to live up to the liberties I enjoy at ACONEXT.
What are your plans in your new position?
For me personally, things don’t change that much. Of course, the direct responsibility for the success of our business will increase. However, my goal is still to continue to help ACONEXT Engineering grow and to broaden its professional base. It’s about continuing to be relevant for the future and to stay innovative – increasingly in the direction of IT. Our areas are currently being redefined even more sharply, with a strong focus on expanding software/hardware development and electrical engineering.
Exactly, what have you done at ACONEXT so far?
In comparison to my previous employer, especially the last position I held there, I am much more active in direct sales today. I also enjoy much closer and more regular contact with the approximately 50 employees in my team, for whom I am directly responsible. At ACONEXT, the focus has been on employee care from the very beginning. Whether it’s team events or regular joint lunches, I try to stay close to my team through initiative, and enabling regular exchange. It’s important to stay on top of client concerns, and who knows better about this than my colleagues on the project? Similarly, actively listening always offers potential to expand our service portfolio.
During the two last years at my previous employer, I was given the opportunity to take on interim responsibility for the HR department. That was the turning point for me. I decided to transfer jobs completely because I realized that I was more passionate about HR work. Ultimately, however, I continue to benefit from my many years of marketing experience as an HR manager, because for me, good HR work goes hand in hand with marketing.
Do you feel you have a good work-life balance?
Oh, definitely! The level of trust and freedom at ACONEXT is not something you take for granted! Thanks to the flexibility, I can, for example, start my week with a workout on Monday mornings. Typically, my workday begins around eight, but on Mondays, it starts at ten. This motivates me to open my laptop at home the evening before and plan my upcoming workweek on Sunday.
What would be a success for you in your new position within the next 12 months?
When we as the Sales and HR team manage to integrate new areas and lead them to success. In October, we will be attending the ITCS in Munich, to name just one example. I’m really looking forward to the IT networking there. We like to try out new formats at ACONEXT. After all, if you want to try new things, you have to be open to trying them out. In this respect, no obstacles are put in your way here, regardless of your position. You can try out new methods, learn new things, continue to develop and look for new solutions. Even if it turns out that an idea or partial strategy did not lead to success in the end, you have learned something new. It is important to push the intrinsic motivation of our colleagues and to demonstrate that participation and creative freedom are not only desired, but encouraged.
What motivates you when you hit a “slump”?
My espresso, which I get from the coffee machine in the kitchen, is sacred to me. I simply stop for five minutes in front of the window, look out onto the field behind our office and do nothing: no phone calls, no conversations, no screens. My espresso is more of an express meditation on caffeine.
How would you describe the working atmosphere at ACONEXT?
We laugh a lot here. The atmosphere can sometimes be almost playful. However, I particularly appreciate the successful balance between business and fun. As a leader, it can be challenging to draw a clear line between operational work and interpersonal relationships. I’ve continuously developed myself in this regard, benefiting from a solid education and various sales training sessions from coaches like Melanie Swirzina, Hans-Peter Wimmer, Thomas Lockert, and Hendrik Krämer.
Through this, I’ve enhanced my leadership skills to create a healthy mix of closeness and distance with my employees. The real skill is being approachable and trustworthy, yet also serious and firm when necessary. Growing into a leadership role doesn’t happen overnight. It’s all the more impressive that my colleagues, especially in my direct, everyday environment, manage this so well. As a team, we have a good sense of when to have fun and when seriousness is required.
The interview for ACONEXT was conducted by Magdalena Zalewski.