The ROI story of Bernd Möddeken
Bernd began his role as Territory Manager for Wyma in Germany. His assignment reads:
Your mission is to take the company and its market position in Germany to the next level. You do this by further expanding market share through both cross-selling and new business development. You are a real ‘hunter’! Thanks to the high satisfaction with the new machines, customers automatically become ‘brand ambassadors’.
Naturally, we are curious to know what contribution he has made to Wyma over the past few years and what this experience has given him personally.
Expectations beforehand
When I applied for the position of Local Sales Manager for Lower Saxony, I had clear expectations. The job entailed traveling throughout Lower Saxony, visiting customers and generating new leads for Wyma. Since I already had sales experience, including work with packaging machinery, this seemed like an ideal match in which I could combine my interest in agriculture with my background in machinery sales.
Before my application, I did not know Wyma, but the opportunity appealed to me. My conversations with Mark, senior consultant at Velde, provided valuable insights into the company, and the materials I received gave me a good idea of Wyma’s global operations. The job description also emphasized tasks such as building the marketing and service departments and developing sales. I expected a central role in which these responsibilities would come together under my leadership.
The reality of the role
Once I started at Wyma, I quickly realized that not all the tasks in the job description would fall directly under my responsibility. Instead of focusing solely on Lower Saxony, I became responsible for all of Germany. This change proved positive, as it allowed me to work with customers throughout the country and build stronger relationships. My German background was a great advantage here, as many of our older customers preferred to communicate in their native language, especially for technical details.
I spent my first weeks at Wyma at the European headquarters in Prague, where I got to know the team and learn about the full product range. While this training was helpful, the most valuable learning happened in practice: with customers and during tours of their plants. I discovered that only 20-30% of our customers knew that Wyma offers complete production lines; most thought we only supplied individual machines. An important part of my role became raising awareness about our full capabilities. In the first six months, I traveled all over Germany, meeting with existing customers and establishing myself as their contact person for Wyma.
-Bernd Möddeken
Personal and professional growth
Looking back on my time at Wyma, I see that my role as a local representative has contributed significantly to the company. Customers appreciated having a contact in Germany, which helped build trust and led to larger projects. One of the deals I closed was the largest in Wyma’s history in Germany-a significant achievement for both the company and me. Having a local contact person has made customers feel more comfortable to contact, whether for spare parts or other needs.
Personally, I gained a much deeper understanding of the agricultural sector, especially how the German market works. Many of our customers pack products such as carrots, onions and potatoes for retailers such as Lidl and Aldi. I have also expanded my knowledge of Wyma’s machinery and innovations. The work remains fascinating, and I have grown both professionally and personally while contributing to the development of the company.
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