Frank Petznick, Head of Enterprise Unit Superior Driver Help Programs at Continental |
In these extraordinary occasions, we’ve reached out to elements of the worldwide auto business for views on present challenges and a tackle prospects for 2021. Particularly, we needed to get a variety of views and viewpoints. In this newest within the sequence we’re publishing this month, we hear from Frank Petznick, Head of Enterprise Unit Superior Driver Help Programs at Continental.
j-a: 2020 was a reasonably memorable yr for everybody and for all kinds of causes. In your corporation, what stand out as the most important challenges you confronted this yr?
FP: For us as an automotive provider the primary lockdown in March and the ensuing interrupted provide chains had been the most important challenges we needed to overcome. In fact, the event may go on with some minor limitations, however with out the chance to ship our merchandise, cashflow was turning into a problem very quick. Due to an agile group we had been capable of adapt ourselves fairly quick to this new circumstance and will setup the provision chain accordingly and not using a very lengthy brake.
j-a: What did you be taught that you just didn’t count on to be taught?
FP: That it’s doable to steer a worldwide group of a a number of thousand folks with out travelling across the globe just a few occasions.
j-a: And as we come to the top of the yr and looking out again on it, are you able to summarise how you are feeling?
FP: The yr 2020 has proven us how essential cohesion and solidarity are in our society. Solely with widespread values and an all for each other spirit had been we capable of grasp the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and alter to the brand new regular. Most spectacular for me was how briskly all of us had been capable of adapt to this by no means earlier than witnessed state of affairs and what we had been all capable of obtain regardless of a worldwide pandemic.
j-a: Particularly on prospects for 2021. It is clearly an uncommon time within the context of the uncertainties forward for all of us, however are you able to say one thing about how you might be approaching the brand new yr?
FP: We have now discovered loads previously yr about our potentialities to deal with huge and unexpected challenges in all areas of our lives. With this in thoughts and the data that creativity is pushed because of the new circumstances we’ve to take care of, I’m optimistic that 2021 will supply us alternatives to return to a life all of us can look ahead to.
j-a: Do you’ve gotten a message for the readers?
FP: Even in a yr like 2020 that pushed us approach out of our consolation zone, it will be significant that we preserve solidarity because the fundament of our society alive. If we accomplish that, I’m optimistic that we are going to give you the option in 2021 to beat all hurdles on the best way again to a standard state of affairs in our non-public as nicely enterprise lives.