trailer world Issue One 2013

Photos:ThomasWöhrle,AutoScout24GmbH be able to meet the increasing quality expec- tations of customers, Vladimir Lasic invested in new company premises a few years ago, and has also modernised the IT structures in the company on a gradual basis. After all, it is in- creasingly important to work more efficiently, offer a better service and be more attractive to customers, manufacturers and employees. “The lack of availability of qualified personnel in the truck sector is a major headache for us at the moment,” says Vladimir Lasic. “In the Munich area, for example, we are facing a par- ticular supply shortage, because we are una- ble to pay exorbitant wages. For example, the company has been on the lookout for a mas- ter motor vehicle engineer for some years now – but without success. Red tape endangers competitiveness Another problem which is encumbering the industry concerns the significant rise in bureaucratic complexity when exporting used vehicles and trailers. “Topics such as the introduction of the arrival confirmation as proof of delivery of goods, the regulation on issuing export plates or extended verifi- cation obligations regarding purchase of units is making our business more difficult and more costly, and for no purpose as far as I can see because there seems to be no spe- cific added value,” says Lasic. “If the costs of meeting such regulations amount to as much as 30% of the vehicle price, the busi- ness is simply not worth it any more – nei- ther for us nor for our customers.” Last but not least, of course, this also impacts on the speed of delivery because the customer may have to wait for two or three days until all the necessary documents are available. This problem, it appears, does not exist in most other EU countries, as a result of which the competitive position of German dealers in the international business would seem to have been weakened. And this in spite of the fact that vehicles and trailers from Ger- man-speaking countries continue to enjoy the best reputation. “Such regulations not only impact our margins. They also mean that we have lower sales and so we pay less tax, and ultimately they represent a long- term threat to our jobs,” says Lasic. And he believes this must be prevent- ed at all costs. (tw) For more information about the Lasic company, see www.lkwlasic.com »The Internet has significantly changed our business.« Vladimir Lasic, CEO of LKW Lasic »It is an international market.« Who buys used vehicles off the Internet? Philipp Schwenke: We are observing an extreme shift of demand towards East- ern Europe, the Arab world and Africa: Customers there are specifically searching for vehicles in the West. Although this is not a new trend, the crisis in Western Eu- rope has led to ever stronger dependency on this demand. Investments, including in used vehicles, are increasingly being post- poned in domestic markets, while sales to eastern and African markets are becom- ing more and more important for dealers to survive. At the same time, the crisis has not hit Eastern Europe so strongly, people there still have money to spend, and there is above all demand for keenly priced used vehicles. What is the role of the German market? Germany is a global key market for used commercial vehicles. The vehicles that peo- ple can buy here are usually in very good condition, well maintained and of high quality. The buyers know this as well. Of the current 100,000 adverts, more or less, on our site, 80 percent are from Germany and 20 percent from international advertis- Internet portals such as AutoScout24 Trucks provide a link between sellers and customers. Philipp Schwenke, the head of AutoScout24 Trucks, explains what online trading does. 26 Issue One 2013 Industry

trailer world Issue One 2013

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