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The European Opel dealer network is characterized by a great tradition and loyalty. In the series “Opel for ever” we present long-time companies and employees.
It is said that the automotive industry will change more in the next five years than it has in the past 50 years. If so, Opel sales consultant Georg Pelz could be one of the very few who experienced the complete transformation “live” at his workplace.
The 77-year-old has been active in the automotive industry for more than 50 years, since 42 as a salesman at Auto Jacob in the Opel hometown Rüsselsheim. The desk in his office is littered with paperwork (“So much bureaucracy these days”), an open pack of heavy cigarettes (from the brand in whose cartoon ads a small angry man appeared) and an Oscar-like figure (“For the best grandpa in the world “).
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“I’ve always been an Opel man.”
“I’ve always been an Opel man,” Pelz says in a low, hoarse voice, adding with a wry smile, “And as such, I’ll die too.” He grew up with his brothers and sister on his parents’ farm on where he sharpened his sales talent by selling fruit and vegetables. After his older brother took over the farm, fur worked for several years on the assembly line in Rüsselsheim. However, before he could start his long career as a car salesman, he still had to serve in the Bundeswehr.
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“At home, you need a strong woman to keep your back free. And you have to hear the grass growing.”
In 1977 he finally joined Auto Jacob. To date, he has sold an estimated 25,000 cars – which makes him probably not only the oldest, but probably also the most successful Opel seller. “Every car sold was an Opel, each one from Auto Jacob.”
SUCCESS RECIPE WITH TWO KEY INGREDIENTS
But what is the secret of his success, for which he has received countless awards? Fur belongs to the old school of car salesmen: “At home you need a strong woman who will keep your back free. And you have to hear the grass grow, “he replies. “You just have to sell the right car to the buyer.”
One has to get to know the customer and talk to him: “For example, if I find out that grandma will be among the passengers, I would never suggest a car that you can not get in and out of. I would recommend one with a higher seating position, such as the Crossland X. “
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Fur’s strategy obviously works. There are customers who travel thousands of miles through Europe to buy an Opel from the “Furs Schorsch”, that’s his nickname. Customers appreciate that they can reach him anytime, even in the evenings, as his business card reveals: “Available anytime” – and he is, if he does not have lunch break, these two hours of food and nap are sacred to him Part of his recipe for success.
WITHOUT CONTENT, WITH COMMISSION
At Auto Jacob fur is one of the first to take up work in the morning and usually the last one in the evening
goes. Six days a week. Would he recommend a young person to learn the profession? “Nobody can teach you how to become a good seller,” he replies. “If you want to be successful, you have to have it in your genes.”
With all his experience, fur can afford to skip the training sessions when a new Opel model hits the market: “For me, it’s almost painful what you hear there sometimes,” he laughs. “Guys like me are a dying breed anyway,” adds Pelz, who does not earn a salary and makes his living solely through sales commissions. Always. To be successful in the future, you have to tackle things differently, he is sure.
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“If you want to be successful, you have to have it in your genes.”
Testimonies of the past: A pillar in the sales room of Auto Jacob is adorned with documents and photos of the long-time Opel sales consultant.
“I’m sure I’ll sell electric cars soon!”
“If I was 20 years younger, I would settle in a large supermarket and sell cars there. These days, you do not need a showroom full of cars, but a computer with a good configurator, “he says, pointing to the monitor on his desk. Or he would buy a van, for example the new Zafira Life, and turn it into a mobile sales consultancy. “It would take me from city to city and sell the cars right in front of people’s homes. Everyone would know, ‘There comes the furs-Schorsch’! “He would show all options on screen, the whole family would be involved – grandma and grandpa included. “You have to stay one step ahead of the competition,” he adds with a wink.
“Second home”: Georg Pelz on the sales site of Auto Jacob, where he has sold over the years estimated at more than 25,000 cars.
Despite his age, fur – at the height of his career he sold around 800 cars a year – has no plans for early retirement. “I love the job too much,” he admits, adding, “Besides, what else should I do?”
Georg Pelz believes in Opel. “It’s a strong brand with great cars. I also think that the company is the
has taken the right path by relying on electrification. I have no doubt that Opel will achieve its goals for the turnaround. And I am sure that I will sell electric cars soon! “And until then there will be room for new documents on his desk.
April 2019
Text: Andrew Marshall, Photos: Georg Pelz; Andreas Liebschner