Interview with Rico Bielke, auctioneer and expert for accident vehicles at the Europcar Mobility Group

How long have you been working for Buchbinder/EMobG and what is your job?

From 2007 to 2010 I completed my apprenticeship as an automotive salesman and immediately afterwards, part-time, as an economist. In the summer I will have been with the company for 16 years. My job includes preparing the auctions. This includes, among other things, assessing the technical data and the visual condition of the vehicles. I have also been working as an auctioneer with Markus Utke for two years. Another important area of my work is direct sales, i.e. the classic B2B sales business between me and car dealers. My focus is on the marketing of accident vehicles.

What is particularly important to you at work?

A trusting and honest basis between the customer and me is important to me. The same applies to the relationship with my employer. It is also important to me that the work in our team runs smoothly. On the one hand, I work from my Regensburg office or my home office. On the other hand, I arrange appointments with my customers at our logistics center in Neunburg vorm Wald to be able to assess the vehicles up close. I have been working with many of them for many years. My longest customer relationship has been 15 years. My principle for working together is: honesty is the best policy. This is the only way to build long-term trust.

What do you like about your work?

I value face2face's direct contact with my customers and the interactions with them during the online auctions, which currently take place every two weeks. Even if this contact is rather abstract, I still find it exciting to interact with them based on the bidder numbers that are only visible.

What do you think are the biggest challenges in your area of responsibility?

The most exciting thing is the pricing of accident vehicles. This ranges from small body damage to a total loss. Since every accident vehicle is de facto unique, i.e. no comparison to other vehicles is possible, it is a challenge to define a fair price that works for both us and the customer. After all, both sides want to make money from the deal.

What wishes do you have for the future?

I would be very happy if live auctions could take place in Neunburg vorm Wald again in the future. Our auction events were always a highlight and direct contact between the entire remarketing team and our customers was extremely important. In addition, I would like to maintain and expand my existing business relationships and win new customers. I also wish that both my customers and the company are satisfied with my work. Personally, I would like to continuously develop myself and continue to enjoy my work. Last but not least, it is very important to me that my family and professional life can continue to be compatible in the future.