With in-house tradespeople, small repairs in the stores can be carried out more quickly, reliably and cost-effectively. PENNY has therefore launched a pilot project that is now being rolled out nationwide.
Replacing a broken light bulb or fixing a dripping tap - many repairs that occur in stores are small, technically simple cases. "Hiring a tradesman to do these jobs involves a lot of organisational and financial effort," says Marc Offermanns, Project Manager Construction, Retail Germany. "This is because, in addition to the time-consuming search for and commissioning of tradesmen, there are often high costs for travelling to and from the site. We have looked into this in the construction sector and come to the conclusion: It has to be quicker, easier and cheaper! The idea of permanently employed regional tradesmen was born."
Marc Offermanns
PENNY now has a total of 16 permanently employed tradesmen in all five regions who travel to the stores to carry out such small repairs. What was initially tested as a pilot project in the West and Southwest regions was expanded to all five PENNY regions from the end of 2022. "We will have a total of 28 regional craftsmen across all regions at PENNY in 2023," says Marc Offermanns. However, the concept will not only be rolled out at PENNY - it will also be launched at REWE in six regions from mid-2023. Further regional tradespeople are to be recruited for this purpose.
What are the advantages of a regional craftsman? What are the typical repairs that occur in the stores? one spoke to two regional craftsmen and two PENNY store managers from the West and Southwest regions.
Marc Lumma
Marc Lumma has been a regional craftsman from the very beginning, as he has been employed in the West region since the start of the pilot project: "After my training as a carpenter, I was employed or self-employed in smaller craft businesses for a while. Since 1 September 2020, I have been employed as a regional craftsman at PENNY. Together with my four colleagues, I look after around 360 PENNY stores in the West region. What I particularly enjoy about my job is dealing with people - after all, I have to deal with different contacts in the stores almost every day. My job is also very varied, as I have to carry out a wide range of repairs. Anything is possible, from a broken tile to a faulty water tap. For me, the biggest advantage of being a permanent employee is that I can organise my work flexibly and thus achieve a good work-life balance."
Store manager Thomas Gillmeister
Store manager Thomas Gillmeister from the PENNY West region is happy to have Marc Lumma as a reliable craftsman in the region. "Our PENNY store in Essen was remodelled into a market hall. During the remodelling, there were several small defects that had to be repaired. These included a broken ceiling panel or a refrigeration unit that was leaking coolant. At that moment, I was very happy that I no longer had to make long phone calls for every small repair to find a tradesman who had the time. Our regional tradesman Marc Lumma completed the repairs quickly and without any problems."
The regional craftsmen of the West region: Dominik Matzutt, Christian Cleve, Björn Ebel, Markus Romlau, Marc Lumma (from left)
Andreas Heid
Andreas Heid is a trained electrician and has been part of the pilot project in the South West region since its launch: "When I started at PENNY in September 2020 as the first regional tradesman in the South West region, I was literally starting from scratch. This phase was very exciting on the one hand, but also very challenging on the other, as all the processes had to be set up first. As the pilot project went well, five more tradespeople were hired, including four electricians, a carpenter and a locksmith. Since then, I have been working more in the office as I lead the team, but I also continue to take care of repairs in my area. Each regional craftsman looks after an area with around 80 stores. The most frequent repairs that occur in the stores are the replacement of defective light bulbs, door handles or fittings. The response from PENNY store managers to the regional craftsmen is consistently positive - they really appreciate the quick and uncomplicated help they receive so that they can concentrate on their job - selling."
Store manager Emre Kaya
Store manager Emre Kaya from Bürstadt in the south-west region is delighted to have Andreas Heid, a competent regional craftsman in the region, at his disposal: "When small repairs are needed in our store, Mr Heid is there and takes care of them quickly and easily. A big advantage is that he often notices other defects, which he then also fixes. Recently, the roof of the store was leaking and water was dripping in. The regional tradesman is not responsible for this type of damage, nor for sensitive technical installations. A plumbing company was then sent out, but unfortunately they were unable to help in this case. The costs for travelling to and from the site were still charged. Something like this would not have happened with a regional tradesman."
Joker for job interviews
Commissioning the regional tradesmen is very simple: the store managers initiate a damage report via the PENNY repair app in the MDE device, with certain trades already predefined. The report is sent to the repair departments, which then assign the orders to the regional tradespeople by email. These can then plan their routes independently. The regional craftsmen are also responsible for procuring spare parts. "The job is characterised by a high level of personal responsibility, which is an important wild card in job interviews in view of the shortage of skilled workers," reveals regional craftsman Andreas Heid.
"Anyone who knows suitable tradespeople, for example electricians, carpenters or locksmiths, who are interested in a permanent position at REWE or PENNY is welcome to contact the regional construction departments at PENNY or REWE," says Marc Offermanns.
Both German and English comments appear here.
Great idea! It actually makes sense to employ your own tradesmen for small repairs. I, and I'm sure many others, didn't realise that this didn't exist before.