Dörthe, export sales: ”It is exciting to experience the Swedish work culture at a company like WFI”

From Germany to France, back to Germany, and finally to Sweden. Dörthe Zick’s working life has not only involved positions in various industries, but also several countries. In the last three years, Dörthe has been working as an export salesperson at WFI – a role that implies daily communication with retailers around Europe. And that is exactly what she describes as most motivating with her job, to create and maintain close collaborations with her customers.

From agriculture to the manufacturing industry
Education in agronomy, customer support for agriculture software a couple of years in France, and twelve years within the agriculture industry in Germany. That is how Dörthe’s journey looked like before she moved to Sweden in 2019 for love.

– When I moved to Sweden, I obviously needed to look for a job and one of the first ads I saw was a recruitment of a German-speaking salesperson to WFI. So, it was quite a perfect fit. I applied straight away and was able to start my employment already a week after moving here. And that is how it all started!, Dörthe begins.

Furthermore, Dörthe describes which differences are most clear and distinct between her previous experiences and current position.

– It is exciting to experience the Swedish work culture at a company like WFI! When I first started here, it was quite a big change to go from an organization with 60 000 employees to a company with 25 co-workers. I would say that the biggest difference is that the culture is more open here. The hierarchy is different, and I appreciate that we can have shorter processes and easily solve problems without having to take the case between many large departments. But I find it valuable to be able to compare and appreciate the different work experiences I have from different countries, Dörthe says.

Continuous customer contact and close collaborations
On a typical day at the office in Gnosjö, Dörthe works with everything from projects and price management to various questions about articles and quotation requests from retailers around Europe. A couple of times a year, she also travels abroad to visit existing and potential customers and participate in fairs, especially on the German market.

– My days are very varied, but my main focus is to help our customers with their matters. And that is exactly what I find the most fun and motivating. To build close collaborations and get satisfied customers who appreciate my commitment. For example, if you spend a little extra time adjusting a quotation several times, try to solve a special colour, or faster delivery. It is absolutely a driving force for me!, Dörthe concludes.

Three fast questions with Dörthe!

What do you prefer to do at your free time?
–   We have a large garden and two horses at home, which takes up most of the time. On a typical day, I feed the horses in the morning before work, my husband lets them out, and I take them in when I come home. It is a lot of work but absolutely worth it.

What is your best memory from your time at WFI?
–   Every “Christmas table” over the past years! Regardless of whether we are here at the office or out at a restaurant, it is always incredibly nice. I love Christmas tables and appreciate the Swedish tradition even more since it is not as big of a deal in Germany.

How would you describe WFI as a workplace?
–   A nice working environment with great colleagues!