What did you do before?
Elias: “After 16 years in hospitality, I wanted to change sector. At VPD, I found a fresh start.”
Claudio: “I used to do bicycle deliveries. Afterwards, I worked as a warehouse operative at VPD. After a stint in construction, I came back. They’d found the ideal colleague for me to go out on the road with. Together, we’re now a permanent team.”
Elias: “We spend a lot of time on the road together. We know what we can expect from each other, and we get on really well.”
He’s like a brother to me
What exactly do you do at VPD?
Elias & Claudio: “We almost exclusively handle installations. We deliver household appliances such as fridges, TVs, washing machines and dishwashers, and we install them at the end customer’s home as if it were our own. Everything is finished down to the last detail—just the way we’d want it ourselves.”
We deliver and install appliances as if it were for ourselves
How do you approach visits to end customers?
Elias & Claudio: “It’s all about the experience and the interaction. That’s what determines whether the experience is positive. We always arrive with a smile and a positive mindset. We put customers at ease. We explain the installation and how the appliances work, and we reassure them: we install as if it were for ourselves. If a problem does crop up, we try to solve it on the spot. That’s better than having to come back—it leaves a poor impression and costs everyone more time.”
Does it ever go less smoothly?
Elias & Claudio: “It happens. If an end customer is unhappy because we’re running late—say, due to traffic—we still try to keep the atmosphere upbeat. Humour always helps. And if something goes wrong during the installation, we stay calm. We listen, explain the issue and offer different solutions.”
Everything is possible—impossible just takes a bit longer
How do you prepare for potential problems?
Elias & Claudio: “Every day is different, even if the appliances are the same. We encounter all sorts of situations. A common one is end customers buying a fridge that’s too big. We then look for a creative solution. We always carry our toolboxes and check whether there are materials on site we can (re)use. Claudio is a bit of a MacGyver.”
It’s like free fitness
What do you enjoy about the job?
Elias: “For me, it’s the driving and the human contact with customers.”
Claudio: “We take pride in our work. The satisfaction of installing something properly and leaving the customer happy.”
VPD is very flexible
What works well at VPD, and what could be improved?
Elias & Claudio: “Communication and administration are an ongoing process—there’s always room to improve. But at VPD you can always speak up… the door is always open, people listen, they take suggestions seriously and they’re ready to adapt where needed. Over the past year, office colleagues have occasionally joined us on the road. That brought, for example, more flexibility in our administration. It’s a company that looks for solutions together with its employees.”
We have fun at work
Anything you’d like to add?
Claudio: “Outside work, I stay active: gardening, sport, always on the move. Sitting still isn’t for me.”
Elias: “When I worked in hospitality, I always checked out the catering at family events. Now, wherever I go, I look at how appliances have been installed. Did you know that six months before I started at VPD, I couldn’t even replace an appliance at home?”
Elias & Claudio: “We’re proud of each other and of our teamwork. We complement each other well, and we have a laugh on the road too. We all have to work—so we might as well do it in a good mood!”