As part of the 30th anniversary of STE Languages, a special edition of FRITS magazine was published titled ‘Medelanders’, featuring an interview with Michiel Kuijs European Sales Director at DAF.

After spending nine years travelling the world for his job, good communication with clients and dealers became essential for Michiel Kuijs. That’s why, as European Sales Director at DAF, he took both one-on-one English and German courses at STE. According to Michiel, understanding the language is even more important than speaking it.

“Being able to speak and understand these languages properly has quite literally taken me around the world,” Michiel says.
“It gave me more self-confidence and allowed me to build not only business relationships, but also personal ones.” In sales, he explains, personal connection is key to building strong professional relationships.

More confidence
Michiel first took an English course at STE in 2010. “For me, language is a tool that helps me do my job well. In 2009, I became Director of Sales Operations, which meant I was responsible for all marketing and sales outside Europe. It’s impossible to learn all the
languages spoken in those regions, so English became our working language.” He took the course on his own initiative and in his own time. “The course gave me more confidence, which made me feel more comfortable when engaging in conversations with clients.”

Understanding the culture
Although his English course didn’t focus specifically on the cultures of the countries he was doing business in, it still helped him
connect on a cultural level. “When you go to England, your goal is to speak English fluently. But when you travel to other parts of the world, your main focus is on understanding others. That helps you receive more from them — and that allowed me to better understand their cultures. I gained a deeper insight into how people think and behave, which made it easier for me to open up as well. That’s how you build stronger relationships.”

Connection with clients
When Michiel became responsible for several European countries, taking a German course at STE quickly moved to the top of his to-do list. “In countries like Austria, Switzerland, and of course Germany, German really is essential. Learning the language brought me closer to my clients there as well. I remember having dinner in Austria with a dealer who started the conversation in English out of respect for me. After a while, I switched to German . I felt my German was actually better than their English. That gesture was genuinely appreciated.”

Putting it into practice
“There are many ways to learn a language,” Michiel explains. “But what I really appreciated about my courses at STE was that I learned English and German that was directly relevant to my field. You truly learn a language by using it in practice and because my teachers at STE had taken the time to understand my industry, I could apply what I learned directly in my role.”

(Source: FRITS magazine ‘Medelanders’, text by: Emma van der Geer, photo by: René Manders).