About me
Professional Background
During my preparatory studies, I got into contact with SAP and worked for 6 years as an Applications Manager and then became a consultant. After working for 3 years for CSC Ploenzke, I started my own business and specialized in SAP-System logistic modules. I have been working in this field now for more than 30 years.
Having worked on many projects in the Processing Industry and the Automobile Industry, I can firmly say that the sectors of Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Food and Automotive are what I consider my “hobby” work.
Philosophy
My experience gained from many projects in the small firm production sector has shown me that SME-clients (SME = small and medium-sized enterprises) appreciate solutions from one or very few known people. My strengths lie in conceptual analysis, which includes taking the project definition to the stage of implementation and then follow-up. This method developed because of my deep and long-term experience working for the technical realization of the necessary in-house developments in the SAP environment.
SME clients appreciate holistic solutions that work after their implementation. Such solutions can only be found in cooperation with the clients. A functional project team, who has fun with the themes and project members, is an important factor. A project, in which one of the members – or an external consultant – doesn’t feel well, is doomed to failure.
A good consultant should discern what to work on, and know where his professional and technical limits are. He should communicate these points openly with his client, for even the best consultants are not all-knowing and this is not shameful in my eyes. That’s why I focus on my core competencies – and these are the logistics of the manufacturing industry.
Network
I have been self-employed in the SAP consultant business for roughly 25 years. Therefore my network of consultant colleagues who support me in special themes and foreign modules is large. This network thrives on group cooperation and that is why I don’t mediate amongst colleagues but instead establish good contact. When I consult colleagues from my network, then I do so for the success of the project and not with aims of commission. This principle has previously guaranteed me a clear list of references from clients and it should continue to work well in the future. That is the reason that I only work with specialists who I personally know and whose work I appreciate.
Personal
I was born in 1969, as a German citizen, and have two daughters. I devote my free time to paragliding, playing basketball on a team, riding my motorbike and trying to spend as much time as possible in nature.
And to close, something for contemplation and laughs
A pimped up Jeep Cherokee drives through a field. A man in a suit and expensive shoes gets out and looks out over an enormous heard of sheep that seems to spread to the horizon.
The man calls out to the shepherd and says: “Shepherd, when I tell you the exact number of sheep you have in the field, then I shall have one.”
The shepherd rubs his chin, looks out over his tremendous flock, and agrees.
The man goes to his Jeep and takes out several laptops, a printer, a GPS surveyor, a rangefinder camera, and a lot more equipment that is all unknown to the shepherd. Over an hour later, the man calls the shepherd and says, “Shepherd, you have exactly 4,138 sheep!”
The shepherd is astounded and says, “That’s exactly right”.
The man packs up all of his equipment, puts his promised sheep into the car, and is about to drive off. Then the shepherd goes to the driver’s side and says, “When I tell you what job you have, then I get my sheep back”.
The man ponders over whether or not he had said his profession, could not recall, but fairly sure he had not told it, he agrees to the deal.
“You are a business consultant!”
“Yes, that’s true!” said the man, obviously surprised. “Now tell me shepherd, how do you know that?”
“Very easy,” grumbled the shepherd. “First, you came here without any invitation. Second, you made an enormous effort to tell me what I already knew, and third, you took my sheep dog…”
And one more …
What do an optimist, a pessimist and a business consultant say when they see a glass half filled with water?
The pessimist says: „The glass is half empty.“
The optimist says: „The glass is half full.“
The business consultant: „You need a smaller glass!“