FireDos Insight: Employee interview with Melanie, Internal Sales in Woelfersheim

Hello Melanie, it's great that you're here today to give me some special insights into yourself and your work in Internal Sales at FireDos.
Melanie, could you please introduce yourself?

Yes, I would love to: My name is Melanie, I'm in my mid-30s and I live here near FireDos, in Hesse, Germany.
I've been supporting the Internal Sales team at FireDos as an employee since mid-2023 and I'm looking forward to getting started here.

Could you briefly outline your professional career?

After leaving school, I first trained as a church painter and worked in this field for a while.

From 'Michelangelo'...

If you're thinking of Michelangelo and painting in the Sistine Chapel: yes, that can be part of the job description - but that's certainly not everyday life. The profession itself involves the holistic restoration of cultural monuments. In addition to smaller objects such as sculptures and paintings, this also includes entire churches and half-timbered houses. First and foremost, the load-bearing capacity of the building must be ensured. As a rule, a new building site starts - quite unglamorously - with vast amounts of rubble and dust. The aim of a restoration is to restore the original appearance using traditional techniques and color recipes, not to create something cool and new. This requires a lot of patience, a good eye for detail and skilled craftsmanship.

...to the Velcro fastener...

My spirit of research then drove me on to study Bionics - an incredibly great course that I can recommend.

Um, Melanie, now you need to briefly explain what Bionics is.

Sure: Bionics combines biology and technology. The idea behind it is to tackle current technical issues by taking inspiration from solutions found in nature. These can be really specific developments, such as Velcro fasteners or paint with a lotus effect, but also certain procedures and algorithms. The Computer Aided Optimization method (CAO method) for optimizing technical processes is one example.

And what happened after you finished your studies?

After graduating, I took the opportunity to go abroad. I spent a little over a year in Chile on a work & holiday visa and a tourist visa.

...in the desert...

I devoted a lot of time here in the north, in the region around the Atacama Desert, and on the island of Chiloé. I've learned Spanish - well, not always 100% grammatically correct, but people understand me. I also speak English very well, and what school French I can manage.

...and the extinguishing technology at FireDos

Back in Germany, I started looking for a job. A poster at the train station drew my attention to FireDos: It immediately appealed to me because it was about 'something meaningful'. Namely the topic of protection & security.

Did you know about FireDos before that?

No, I had never heard of FireDos before. I then found the website really appealing (Thank you very much, note from Marketing) and the industry itself exciting, and wanted to know more about the company as a potential employer, so I got in touch.

From church painter to Bionics studies, to Internal Sales for extinguishing technology: Are there any similarities or skills that you need/needed for both jobs?

I can think of one thing in particular: Working with lots of male contacts and colleagues. But also, above all, project-related work, customer orientation and (occasionally) being on site with the customer. You have to have organizational skills.

 

Melanie, please tell us what an employee in Internal Sales at FireDos does.

Internal Sales at FireDos includes not only administrative tasks such as customer order processing, but also technical order clarification, which requires technical know-how. Here it is crucial to understand the technical needs and requirements of the customer and the industrial facility to be protected.

• Technical order clarification: detective work for individual customer solutions
  Customer inquiries such as "I need a foam proportioning system - can you please recommend one for me?" are followed by technical order clarification, which often involves detective work. Questions about the type of industrial system, choice of foam concentrate and maximum volume flow are crucial to recommending a suitable foam proportioner. Sometimes the industrial plant is inspected on site to gain a better understanding of the conditions.

• Similarity to the profession of church painter: grasping and analyzing
  Similar to the profession of church painter, it is important to first understand and analyze the situation in order to then present the customer with a suitable solution.

• Preparing quotations and processing customer orders: every project is unique
  Based on the inquiry, a detailed quotation is drawn up with all the specifications. If the customer accepts the quotation or an order is placed, the next step is customer order processing, which is an essential part of the process. Each order is carefully checked and converted into an article number containing all specifications and accessories.

• Individual production and dual control principle for quality assurance
  What many people forget: When selecting components and accessories, there are an incredible number of possible combinations when viewed as a whole. The devices are manufactured individually for almost every project, and there are numerous variants and variables. There is lively contact with sales representatives, design and production. At FireDos, the 4-eyes principle applies to ensure the quality of our fire protection technology: At least two employees review every project to ensure that it meets our high standards.

Melanie, what do you think makes a good employee in Internal Sales?

A certain technical background is necessary. Regardless of whether you are training or studying, metalworker & industrial mechanic, industrial engineer, mechanical engineer. Or simply an affinity for technology with a willingness to learn.

 

You can't be afraid of the phone.

 

Communicative strength is also required: firstly, in dealing with customers and secondly, of course, for internal collaboration. A certain flair for people is important. In addition, good organizational skills help you to work in a structured and goal-oriented manner.

Is there a typical customer question?

A customer question that is probably prevalent everywhere is the request for a delivery date: "Is there any way we can deliver earlier?"

So far, you are the only woman at FireDos in the Internal Sales department with technical order clarification. Are there any particular challenges here?

No, I wouldn't say so. The focus is primarily on technical background and expertise, regardless of gender. No one has ever made me feel out of place as a woman, either on the phone, via Teams or in person. Colleagues and customers are very respectful, and I feel fully accepted.
Especially at the VdS BrandSchutzTage (editor's note: important event for the fire protection industry in Germany), I was able to establish contact with many people from the industry:

The fire protection industry is such an incredibly friendly industry.

Nice, open-minded and all with the same goal: fire protection - safety of property & life.
In general, I think FireDos is very open to female applicants, regardless of the department. Unfortunately, technical professions are still not so popular with women. But Internal Sales in particular is very varied: you need both technical know-how and communication skills, and no two projects are the same because of the customers. "You stay in the swing of things." We also have a few examples of "strong women" among our sales partners who shine with their expertise and charm and are highly respected by their male colleagues.
As a tip for other women, I would simply say: Ladies, apply for a job with us! But I would give this advice to people of all genders. The industry is simply open.

Has there been a particularly great experience for you at FireDos so far?

The partner meeting with all our sales partners from all over the world in fall 2024! It was great to meet everyone in person. My first field visit to a customer to get to know the system on site was also a great experience.

What do you generally like about FireDos? What makes FireDos unique?

I like my colleagues. It's a pleasant working atmosphere: We have fun working together. There is an incredible amount of know-how & expertise here. You can really ask anyone. Everyone works together to find a solution, even when challenges arise. There is a high level of quality awareness, they really want to satisfy customers with customized solutions. They are also open to suggestions for improvement, and you can make a difference.
I enjoy coming to work! I also often say: "It's a feel-good company."

Melanie, imagine if your desk could talk. What would it say about you/what would it say to you?

Do you know the song from the 90s with the lyrics 'up and down, get up and down'? (Vengaboys: Up & Down, editor's note). My desk would say: get some exercise in between!

Melanie, here are a few either/or questions for you:

Homeoffice 😐 or Office 😊

Coffee 😊 or Tea 😐

Early Worker 😊 or Night Shift 😐

Chocolate 😊 or Potato Chips 😐

Team 😊 or Alone 😊 – both

Business 😐 or Casual 😊

Money/Career 😊 or Leisure 😊 – balanced would be great. 

Write an E-Mail 😊 or Make a Call 😊 – both, depending on your needs.

 

And at the end of the interview: What does working at FireDos mean to you?

Working in a really important industry - meaningful work.

 

Fire protection & saving lives is simply what counts.