Novel Sales Methods on Lake Tiefer See

The old brick building built at the end of the 19th century was orginally used as a coke seperator. But the Industrial Revolution gave way to the Information Revolution and the building has a new lease of life as Oracle, the world’s second biggest software company, has turned it into a high-tech platform for its Internet Sales Division. Customers can learn about individual software solutions on the telephone or via the Internet. The product sales methods deployed by the Internet Sales Division span streaming media, online seminars and Internet-driven interactive product presentations.

“To give one example of how this works, via the Internet a customer account manager can view and discuss a presentation with a customer who is sitting perhaps in Nuremberg. What is more, the Internet can also be used to invite the customer to a meeting” explains sales director, Helene Lengler.

The magnificent view of the deep blue lake is actually far too lovely for anyone to think about work. But the 110 strong workforce remains fully focussed on the job in hand. And Helene Lengler is enthusiastic about the excellent working conditions:

“People love working on the waterside. It often happens when you are on the phone that you stand up, look out over the water, take a deep breath, and suddenly start to talk quite differently. And that has a positive effect on the whole conversation.”

By now the 60 strong staff from Ireland have settled into their new surroundings. The Sales Division used to be in Dublin until a decision was taken in 2002 to move the whole operation closer to the markets it served. Oracle was looking around for a suitable place from which to reach the German-speaking market. And Potsdam won through in the face of stiff competition from Cologne, Munich and Hamburg.

The decision tipped in Brandenburg’s and Potsdam’s favour because Oracle needed a vantage point in the new federal states that also had a first class infrastructure. But as Helene Lengler adds, “Other key advantages included a superb higher education landscape and low operating costs.” What is more, the new Internet Sales Division received funding of Euro 5.5 million from the ERDF.

The new Internet-driven sales concepts enables between 40-50 customer contacts per day – far more than with the conventional method of personal visiting. But customers have one major disadvantage – they can’t enjoy the magnificent panorama over the Tiefer See – they have to view it online as a streaming video broadcast.