Industrial Auctions is a specialist online platform for auctioning food and beverage industry machinery, giving the equipment a sustainable second life. Each online auction is managed by the company’s own (assistant) project managers based at the headquarters in Eindhoven.

They photograph, measure, and write commercial descriptions of the items on offer; organize viewing days; liaise with (potential) buyers and arrange transport. In short, they handle the entire sales process for the client. Four of these team members frequently deal with buyers and sellers from German-speaking countries who do not always speak English (or speak it fluently). They received training from Eva de Graaf, a language coordinator and German trainer at STE Languages.

Expressing themselves better

Industrial Auctions Director Jeroen van Kollenburg and Senior Project Planner & Trainer Pim van der Velden explain why: “We were looking for a local provider capable of delivering customised in-house training. The initial course with STE Languages went very well, and their training style matched perfectly with what we were looking for.” Did the practical training sessions pay off? “Yes, absolutely. They address the situations employees encounter in their day-to-day work. We notice that employees find it easier to strike up conversations and are better able to express themselves in German.”

Valuable

Do trainees Gwen, Martijn, Wouter, and Niels feel the same way? “We sell globally, and the machines come from all over Europe. We’re on the road a lot. Friday is the only day we can all be at headquarters. Eva took that into account, as well as our busy schedules. The first training course lasted ten weeks, two hours a week plus homework. That’s where we learned the basics, including grammar and specific vocabulary. The shorter follow-up course focused more on standard phrases and typical conversational situations with customers, clients, and hauliers, plus, of course, more vocabulary. We could even suggest topics ourselves.”

Their final verdict? Positive: “Highly recommended. Eva did her best to provide practical support and adapt to our needs. Standard conversations are a piece of cake now. More specialised communication regarding dismantling, for instance, is also going much better. The training was worth the time investment. You know exactly what to say so that people understand you. You’re quicker to pick up the phone instead of struggling to draft an email using a translation app. Customers appreciate it when you communicate in their language. It’s a form of service, too.”

Photo: Trainees Gwen, Martijn, Wouter, and Niels are proud of their achievements and their certificates.