The anonymity of global trade is demotivatingYou need to see the results of your work with your own eyes

"The most important thing is the ability to listen," says the CEO of the Czech wholesale company EURO NÁŘADÍ Martina Pěčková. "Our team is made up of both men and women, despite the often demanding manual work. It is crucial for me that they keep friendly relations within the team, besides achieving good economic results."

The team conveys the friendly atmosphere also to relationships with customers. "For twenty years, our customers have regarded us not only as a supplier, but above all as a reliable partner who helps them build their own business. Our lives are not only made up of work, and everyone’s profession is naturally reflected in their overall lifestyle. Our twenty-five salespeople go to stores every day, where together with partners they discuss their current needs. They know every inch of their stores very well, so they know exactly what goods need to be ordered. They provide expert advice, present interesting innovations, help with the store layout and remodelling, offer help with marketing, and listen to customer needs. And last but not least, they also bring a smile," says Martina Pěčková, stressing the importance of the human element in work communication.

Being a long-standing partner, the company is particularly interested in the prosperity of its customers, whether they are small independent retailers or large retail chains. The product department continuously seeks interesting innovations and searches for market gaps. Under a premium brand, it has Czech and European companies manufacture products with high quality guarantee, inspired by customers and its own insights. As the first in the market, the company introduced high-quality, durable all-over-printed Gripline Enpro buckets, among other things.

To ensure timely delivery of goods to customers, the company's drivers cover an average of five thousand kilometers a day

No concerns or doubts. Every crisis eventually ends

After the covid pandemic and the energy crisis, most Czech companies remain cautious in their investments. "We are optimistic and plan for growth. At the moment, we have halls with 5,500 square meters of storage space with more than nine thousand pallet places, four Kardex Remstar towers with storage space of 431 square meters and two large-volume tents. However, space is what limits us the most in our business development. That is why we are preparing projects to build new halls.

At the same time, we are considering investment in robotization, which could solve the current lack of warehouse staff. Our warehouse workers are paid based on performance and their salaries are higher than the average pay in similar positions within our region. However, we do see lower work morale and inconsistency particularly in younger staff. People who are over forty and approach their tasks more responsibly are the most effective for us," the CEO sums up.

EURO NÁŘADÍ employees ship orders with a total value of almost 2 million crowns every day

WMS grows with the company

Modern warehouses cannot do without proper software. This is an investment for ten or more years, and logistics may change a lot over such time. "That's why we have developed our own warehouse management system (WMS). Our developers regularly upgrade it and constantly adapt it to our requirements," the CEO emphasizes, adding that the WMS is a key contribution to the company’s operation.

The company is eager to integrate various technological innovations into its activities. For example, using smart glasses combined with tablets and readers would literally free the hands of warehouse staff and thus make the preparation of individual items more efficient.

Written by Věra Vortelová

Photo credits: EURO NÁŘADÍ