The Black Forest beckons...and (almost) everyone comes along.

The Black Forest beckons…

… and (almost) everyone comes along.

The sales conference for the parking division was a very successful event. Once more the combination of informative conference and relaxed get-together proved to be the ideal scenario. HecTwin, the new terminals for enclosed parking spaces, was the most talked about product.

There is no need to venture far if you have the Black Forest on your doorstep. This was the motto when Hectronic searched for a suitable conference location for the parking division sales conference. Why not simply invite the guests to Hectronic’s home region, so went the thought process of the managers - after all it is one of the most beautiful holiday regions in Germany. No sooner said than done. Hence, the event took place in the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Schluchsee, only twelve kilometres from the company's headquarters in Bonndorf. This decision, as it turned out later, was a stroke of luck, since the ambiance – both the surroundings as well as the hotel – was enjoyed tremendously by all the guests.

The guests must have suspected it since most invitees confirmed their attendance and arrived on the first day of the event. Stefan Forster, Hectronic’s Managing Director, welcomed about 50 participants in the hotel’s large conference room. He started off praising the great cooperation with the partners, which was the foundation for the success in the company’s record year 2008. Stefan Forster also looks forward to the future with renewed optimism despite the initial recession in 2009. "Sales figures are already on the way up again and quite distinctively so. We are therefore on course to achieve our goal of organic growth." He also introduced both the new company structure with its business centres and the new Head of Parking, Wolfgang Stanek. He got a bit nostalgic, when stating with a smile: “Parking is now in his hands, which means that I have hardly reason to see as much of you."

The new man in charge of parking then consequently took charge of the microphone and announced the first task for the participants. The participants were required to answer a detailed questionnaire about topics such as cooperation with Hectronic and chances, risk and potentials of the relevant partner market. "Your opinion is important to us," declared Wolfgang Stanek, when he pointed out the importance of the several page long questionnaire.

After dinner, everyone was on tender hooks regarding the outcome of the "Partner of the Year" competition. Hectronic's jury had a really difficult job coming to a decision, after all many of the company’s partners managed to close many successful business deals in the past 12 months. Stefan Forster took the opportunity to thank all the partners for the great work they do, but in the end there has to be one winner. And the winner was Electro Automation from Ireland. "They realised a nationwide project with great commitment and overcame all challenges brilliantly," praised the Hectronic boss the winner from Ireland in his honorific speech. Donal O'Hagan, Head of Sales, was simultaneously surprised and proud. He beamed even more when he was finally able to hold the trophy in his hands. No off-the-shelf model, but a custom-made trophy which was inspired by the parking ticket machine CITEA in its design.

And there was another prize to hand out during the evening – the best air gun marksman. After the official part of the evening came to a close, the group retired to the hotel’s shooting range. The later it got the better the aim of the person - this describes the further run of events during the entertaining competition. Heike and Jürgen Göbel (Hypercom) only just arrived and already managed to hit the mark. Their reward: a beautiful table clock and a telescope.

Back to CITEA. And this was explicitly the main topic on the second day. "CITEA – only for parking purposes?" asked Kleta Brugger and answered the question herself immediately with a resounding "No!". Her reasoning followed swiftly as the Head of Sales started to list a range of uses which are outside of normal parking applications. Visitor tickets in Berchtesgaden, tickets for Swedish ferries, payment terminals for electricity consumption on campsites … this list could go on and on - CITEA simply manages any access purpose.

The guest speakers were also an important part of the conference. Jürgen Göbel (Global Product Marketing) and Klaus Orthofer (Sales Manager) from Hypercom initially informed the participants about the range of uses for the products in general and specifically the applications for Hectronic's parking ticket machines. The Bad Hersfeld based company delivers PinPad, reader and Controller for the CITEA.

Alexander Schuemperli, Managing Director of ePark in Switzerland, spoke about the mobile phone generation, since “this is the future”. "Mobile phone parking" is the right tool for exactly this target group. He not only sees this solution as competition to the traditional parking business but also as an extension to the current form.

Paul Collins, Managing Director of Metereye, impressed everyone with a live link via internet to a car park in New Zealand. It is possible to see which parking spaces are occupied at present due to the sensors. And there is even more: The clever software offers a wide range of analyses options.

Stefan de Boor went far back in time. At least metaphorically, when he showed the development from the Big Bang via Australopithecus to the “Homo Cardrivernsis”. And this is when he introduced his roadmap. He listed the planned projects with the relevant schedules, pointing out, however, "that we are still flexible and open for ideas despite these guidelines". In his opinions the tasks are assigned clearly. "You are our eyes and ears in the market, and we will make our products even better, faster, more affordable and prettier."

All participants were together in the large conference room Ruhbühl for the speeches, but then the group split into four teams. The workshops gave space for in-depth discussions. In short: This form of communication was very well received. "It is much easier to engage in a smaller group and a real conversation can happen," summarised Robert Jokiel, Product Manager. He was responsible for the Software CityLine workshop. Stefan de Boor dealt with the topic of licensing and Kleta Brugger put the competitors in the spotlight. Paul Fratila, Burkhard Schmidt and Wolfgang Stanek presented a completely new product. The HecTwin, and it means that Hectronic is able to expand its product portfolio to private car parks. Both terminals organise the entry and exit of designated car parks and it was obvious that Hectronic hit the mark with this new product. "We already had a range of tangible enquiries during the conference,“ says a pleased Wolfgang Stanek.

he participants were ready for some distractions in the evening after so much hard work. A coach took the group to Henslerhof in Titisee. The participants found in the 450 year old farmhouse (restored with all its period features) traditional Black Forest ambiance, a delicious buffet, great music and last but not least the incomparable “Farmer Hoss”, who encouraged his selected helpers to saw wood, hammer and yodel. Very much to the amusement of the others.

The drive to Titisee is testimony that Hectronic is always able to react flexibly to unforeseen events. The coach broke down on the way - mysteriously at the exact location of a beautiful schnapps museum. The owner was begged to open the doors again since after all it was a rather unfortunate situation. And of course, the splendid Black Forest hospitality and the museum opened its doors despite it being after closing time, enabling everyone to have a taste of the local schnapps. Some felt that the breakdown was planned since this involuntary stop was such a good match to the overall program. "You planned this, I am sure!" laughed Ronald Spruitenburg from the Netherlands.

It was a great evening, a long night – little sleep. Still, the next day everyone appeared on time. On the program was a trip to visit Hectronic’s headquarters in Bonndorf. A finger food buffet completed the day and the overall event after a tour through the factory halls. And then it was time to say goodbye. But not without the ladies who returned on time for the buffet from their Black Forest tour in an historic coach. The ladies, who accompanied their conferring men, also had a diverse program. Wellness and Black Forest excursions, trip to Freiburg, which is for many, Germany’s most beautiful town, with much time for shopping and history. They also had lots of fun.

Everyone agreed that the days in Southern Germany were simply wonderful. We are already looking forward to seeing you all again.