SCENE AND PEOPLEIalways act as if it was my own company”. This is a typicalstatement by Verena Heyder. Or: “We just talk differently on<strong>the</strong> phone!” Anyone <strong>who</strong> has already had <strong>the</strong> pleasure to talkto <strong>the</strong> new call center manager on <strong>the</strong> phone, knows that <strong>the</strong>sestatements are not lip service, but <strong>the</strong> true opinion of a successfulexpert <strong>who</strong> sometimes works 16 hours a day and seven days aweek – if <strong>the</strong> situation requires. Verena joined <strong>the</strong> <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong> teamin August 2007. Since <strong>the</strong>n Verena, <strong>who</strong> is very friendly, eloquentand extremely committed, has been managing <strong>the</strong> new <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong>call center located in <strong>the</strong> Swabian town of Pfullingen. She bringsa lot of valuable experience to this job – not only to <strong>the</strong> call centerbusiness, but also to direct sales of room cleaning systems.One appointment after ano<strong>the</strong>rEloquent expert!Verena Heyder is <strong>the</strong> new <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong> Head of <strong>the</strong> Call Center.She combines eloquence with h<strong>ones</strong>ty and commitment with empathy.She started her career in field sales with an American competitorof <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong>. This was eleven years ago. Since this companyalways struggled with scheduling appointments, eloquent Verenaleft <strong>the</strong> field service and started to work in <strong>the</strong> office where shetook care of <strong>the</strong> business by phone – very successfully. Verenasoon began to enjoy <strong>the</strong> contact with customers by phone. It hasalways been a great challenge for her to change to a resolute NOon <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r end of <strong>the</strong> line into an enthusiastic YES when it comesto making an appointment. By <strong>the</strong> way, she is supported by threecolleagues – only. We are intending to expand <strong>the</strong> call center. Within<strong>the</strong> next few weeks, more than seven women will be workingwith Verena Heyder at <strong>the</strong> customer interface. And <strong>the</strong>y will makeone <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong> appointment after ano<strong>the</strong>r.48 • <strong>The</strong> sales force magazine 01/2008 www.pro-aqua-gmbh.de www.pro-aqua-gmbh.de <strong>The</strong> sales force magazine 01/2008 • 49
SCENE AND PEOPLEA matter of passionGiuseppe – Pino – Madonia. His career through<strong>the</strong> direct sales business to <strong>the</strong> top of <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong> International, where he was promoted asManaging Director to <strong>the</strong> Head of Sales at <strong>the</strong>beginning of September 2007, is equally unusualand extraordinarily successful.<strong>The</strong> smart, very polite, articulateman representsan exciting combinationof gentleman and linguisticgenius. He speaks five languagesfluently: Italian, German,English, French, and Spanish.His bright smile, his winningcharacter, and <strong>the</strong> au<strong>the</strong>nticway of communicating are <strong>the</strong>essential gifts for his success.Moreover, he is a good listener,and when he starts speaking hisarguments are well founded.Pino was born in Germany, bu<strong>the</strong> soon moved back to Sicilywith his parents, and his youngerbro<strong>the</strong>r Domenico. He was14 when he returned to Baden-Württemberg in Germany. At<strong>the</strong> age of 16 he started a vocationaltraining as “precisionmechanic”, at <strong>the</strong> age of 21 hetook over his first leadershiprole: he worked as a machinesetter and was in charge ofmore than 30 employees.“I really wanted to achieve something,change something,and make a difference” saysPino Madonia when he talksabout <strong>the</strong> time when he was stu-dying Mechanical EngineeringTechnology while at <strong>the</strong> sametime catching up on his Germanuniversity entrance qualificationand earning his livingby working in a fitness studio in<strong>the</strong> evenings. He had to earn hisliving by himself. He couldn’texpect financial support fromhis parents, particularly, becausehe had already left home at<strong>the</strong> age of 17. At <strong>the</strong> age of 28he had made it sucessfully. Hehad finished his studies withtop grades. But where to gofrom here?. He got in contactwith a distributor of room cleaningsystems by chance. Hewas soon fascinated by <strong>the</strong> ideaof “direct sales” and focussed,right from <strong>the</strong> beginning, on<strong>the</strong> work abroad. He had <strong>the</strong>chance to know <strong>the</strong> EasternBloc with <strong>the</strong> Commonwealthof Independent States, Lithuania,Estonia and Latvia froma direct sales perspective, alsoFinland, Sweden, Italy, Spainand North America as well asLatin American countries suchas Chile, Mexico, Colombiaand Ecuador.Diagnostic systemHe says that he approached each “new” country with some sortof diagnostic system. Finland has been a “model country” in hisopinion. He spent at least one complete week per month in Finland,“often also a second week”. “When I took on Finland, I had elevensales a month. After three and a half years, turnover increased by900 percent”. Overall, Pino Madonia took care of twelve countriesfor several years. A purely personal decision resulted in <strong>the</strong> factthat Pino Madonia’s life took ano<strong>the</strong>r direction in mid 2007.He aimed at a completely different industry. “However, my wifewas <strong>the</strong> first to tell me that room cleaning systems were an integralpart of my life”. Being from <strong>the</strong> south of Italy this wasn’t only amatter of profession, but it was also a matter of passion. He feltuncomfortable, being <strong>pull</strong>ed out of <strong>the</strong> context. <strong>The</strong>n he went onvacation. He wanted to travel to Apulia (Italy) with his family, andon <strong>the</strong>ir way towards <strong>the</strong> south he met with some Italian friends.<strong>The</strong>se friends were Andrea Weger and Sergio Coletti, leading expertsin direct sales of room cleaning systems, <strong>who</strong> disposed ofa great experience regarding <strong>the</strong> demanding Italian market. PinoMadonia knows <strong>the</strong>m from a previous job.A contact to rememberWhen Andrea Weger and Sergio Coletti talk about Pino Madonia,<strong>the</strong>y say: “It was a real shock to all of us when we heard that Pinowould no longer be our contact”. <strong>The</strong> good relationship betweenPino Madonia and his foreign business partners had been based onmutual confidence. <strong>The</strong> fact that this friendly business relationshipshould be over now, was not a minor problem to <strong>the</strong> two Italians.However, <strong>the</strong>re was more water under <strong>the</strong> bridge when Andrea Wegerand Sergio Coletti have also signed contracts with <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong>International – like Pino Madonia, <strong>who</strong> in <strong>the</strong> summer of 2007,met his Italian friends at Munich airport where he was “converted”to <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong>, so to say. After thismemorable meeting, <strong>the</strong> two smartItalians made a contact with <strong>the</strong> Presidentof <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong>, Jürgen Wehner,<strong>who</strong> showed up at Madonia’s place inApulia only 48 hours later. <strong>The</strong>y spoketoge<strong>the</strong>r, and soon afterwards <strong>the</strong>yagreed upon cooperation.Giuseppe – Pino – Madonia, Managing Director,is <strong>the</strong> new front man of <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong>International for foreign sales. His experienceconcerning direct sales of roomcleaning systems is decisive.50 • <strong>The</strong> sales force magazine 01/2008 www.pro-aqua-gmbh.de www.pro-aqua-gmbh.de <strong>The</strong> sales force magazine 01/2008 • 51
Change language