We must not allow ourselves to be dismissed as mere screwdrivers”

We must not allow ourselves to be dismissed as mere screwdrivers”

Automotive industry: Mr. Keglovits-Ackerer, you have deep insights and are in constant contact with numerous companies: How do you think our industry will fare in 2022? 

Roman Keglovits-Ackerer:The environment is challenging. Short-time work is still an issue in many companies, especially larger ones. Anyone who trades in vehicles is also confronted with manufacturers' delivery bottlenecks. 

But at least workshops were open even during the lockdowns...

Yes, that's right. And compared to some other industries, we can't complain anyway. But we still felt the effects of the pandemic. Annual mileage has decreased due to lockdowns and home offices. And the decline in new registrations can also be felt in the workshop. Because every car sold takes around 1.5 hours to complete the entire preparation process and contributes to the workshop's capacity utilization. On top of that, there is a trend that smaller, cheaper vehicles are often no longer repaired after an accident and are instead classified as total economic losses. 

In autumn 2021, you took over the role of Federal Guild Master for Vehicle Technology from Josef Harb. What are your most important long-term goals?

I would like to help the state guilds work even more closely together. A lot has already been achieved in the past, but we have to push this further. We have to act across borders in order to be able to master the challenges of the future. 

What specifically has been or is being done to achieve this?

We are in constant communication with the state guilds. Through the structural reform with the creation of our competence centers, we can filter out the most important topics and bundle the competencies of all federal states. This prevents us from getting bogged down and keeps us focused on what is important. We are currently optimizing communication in the member service area. With a new podcast and a new newsletter system, we can bring information to members more quickly and directly. 

You previously mentioned the challenges of the future. Many workshops fear a loss of sales as a result of the switch to e-mobility. How do you assess the situation?

It is of course true that classic service work such as oil changes are no longer necessary for electric cars. But new areas are opening up. For example, there are people who believe that the insulation resistance of electric vehicles needs to be checked regularly for safety reasons. There is also a great need for information and advice about electric cars. For example, around the topic of charging infrastructure, batteries or the topic of subsidies. That creates additional work for us and why shouldn't such advice also cost something? There is a need for information among customers and with it the opportunity for additional customer loyalty. I think we shouldn't complain, but accept these challenges and take advantage of the new opportunities. 

The classic screwdriver will then be phased out and the requirements will be completely different in the future...

Well, one thing shouldn't be forgotten: traditional cars will be with us for a long time. But we must not allow ourselves to be labeled as mere screwdrivers. We haven't been that way for a long time anyway. What we have learned over the past 20 years is enormous. We are no longer just screwdrivers. Just think about dealing with modern assistance systems. Our industry has also mastered this change with flying colors. That makes me confident for the future. 

Doesn't the reform of training and further education also take the change into account? 

Exactly. It's about promoting lifelong learning and enabling specializations based on solid basic training. If you look at the developments, I can promise one thing: we certainly won't get bored! But as I said, you have to keep your eyes open, recognize new opportunities and use them accordingly.