We had a conversation with Serhii Sereda, Top manager of LLC "SIT SPARE PARTS AUTO-REPAIR SHOP": on how their business had changed during the war. Read the details of this interesting conversation in our interview.
Roman Denisenko:
What strategic view on your company`s development have you formed, taking into account today`s conditions? What perspectives for your company and the whole field development do you see for the nearest future?
Serhii Sereda: Because of the situation we now have in our country, it`s difficult to plan beforehand. We surely need to go more for the Victory, so our work depends on the conditions and circumstances we have today. We work to pay taxes and fill the budget, so the country can help those army men, who are defending it now, giving us the opportunity to work. As to the development - it`s really difficult. A large part of the boys, who worked with us and covered repair area, was called up to the Armed Forces. It`s almost impossible to find replacement for them. So we do our best to handle the situation. I think, we need to move on, not to give up, and go only for the Victory. After the Victory we will make plans in an independent, free, democratic country, we will develop and reach all our goals.
Roman Denisenko:
What are the prior directions for today? What are you focusing on?
Serhii Sereda: Our priority is the speed of repair for those vehicles, which come from battlefield, to provide comfort for our boys, and to give them understanding that we're waiting for them, helping with what we can. Everything else is commercial component that can wait. Surely, we all go to work to earn money; however, the priority these days is the repair of coming military vehicles.
Roman Denisenko:
It would be great to discuss the convenience of Omega services for your company, to receive an honest feedback.
Tell us, please, how convenient is the program of selection and ordering for you? Is Omega`s variety of product range clear for you, maybe, there is a lack of something?
Serhii Sereda: I`ve had long-lasting experience in auto business, since 2006. If there`s a problem to buy something from Omega, we, of course, use other programs. You have quite a loaded warehouse, actually. First of all, we are interested in pricing policy. If there is more convenient low-priced deal, I`d be honest, we take it where it`s favorable for us. As competition is really high, we cannot forget about following prices. As to your program of selection, it works without failures, in case of some problems, for instance, they will be promptly solved. It's in our interest that you trade spare parts of the CIS direction, I mean, you try to have analogues of these parts. Spare parts for GAZelle have significantly risen in price. Perhaps, you will find some approaches to solve this problem of prices optimization by manufacturing these parts somewhere else, at another factory. There is not a lot of competition; if there was some, the market would behave differently.
Roman Denisenko: What can you tell about our delivery service: basically, how convenient is it exactly for your company?
Serhii Sereda:
Kyiv is divided into two parts - the Left and the Right Banks.
A delivery to the Right Bank comes in 2 hours, and if we`re lucky enough to be the first for unloading, it can come in less than an hour.
As to the Left Bank, considering that the delivery comes with scheduled car, it's too long. If we order a spare part before 10:00, it will be delivered only around 15:30. So we spend a lot of time waiting for this spare part.
I think, Omega should fill the warehouse on the Left Bank, and put there such a product range, as in Kharkiv or Chaiky village, for instance. It's understandable that a vehicle cannot be held on a lift for a long time, while we are waiting for a spare part delivery. In such a case we efficiently look for an alternative.
Roman Denisenko:
What is your attitude towards electronic document form? Do you use our EDF service? Does it simplify the processes of receiving and sharing documents within your company?
Serhii Sereda: I can tell you that we are working with these programs, yes. We haven`t had any complaints from accounting department at general meetings.
Roman Denisenko:
How convenient is our returning service for you? How often, generally, do you have to make a return, and what is the most important for you in this process?
Serhii Sereda: We have to make returns. It should be understood that we're talking about spare parts selection, and sometimes a part can fit with characteristics, sometimes - not. It can happen that we plan a repair area for a client, but he doesn't come; however, we've already ordered necessary spare parts. Not to wait, we could leave them in our warehouse, but this requires additional expenditures; and we do not have additional or free-to-use finances these days. So we are forced to make returns. It's necessary that the return is adequately scheduled, within 14 days, so we can easily return goods in an appropriate state. As I see it, you have some percentage that you calculate from good-quality or bad-quality product. If we have some problem with throw-outs, then we record it and make reclamation. As to good-quality goods - there shouldn't be any problems; we just need to return them normally within 14 days. Yes, it should have a market state and no signs of installation. There is no need to put addition sanctions on warehouse expenses. It should be clear that this 14-days returning should work normally, as with other companies.
Roman Denisenko:
These difficult days we all are thankful to our Armed Forces. Omega takes part in helping our army.
If you or your company also do volunteering or helping the army, could you tell us a little bit more about it?
Serhii Sereda: Of course, it would be too loud to say that we 'do volunteering'. We have a lot of mobilized acquaintances and boys, who worked for us and were called up. If they have some kind of breakdown, we help them. But to have it available on-line - unfortunately, we don`t have this opportunity right now. We do everything we can, but we cannot get ahead of ourselves. This is basically the circle of acquaintances defending our country.
Roman Denisenko:
Perhaps you have some thoughts on what motivates you to cooperate with Omega and which achievements of your company for last year you are mostly proud of?
Serhii Sereda: Look, the first motivation is that we on the Left Bank have a good Sales manager, his name is Volodymyr. He is a person, who always efficiently gives feedbacks, and who you can count on. It`s very pleasant to work with him, he is surely responsible, and also a professional of his business. This motivates us.
Also motivating is the fact that you still have the CIS product range we can work with. And generally, I think, if you consider more loyal programs, discounts and create more efficient logistics, there will be much more motivation to work with Omega. You`re doing good, standing at the market, holding 30 per cent, or perhaps even more, in Ukraine. I wish you to keep on this; and if you have more such employees, as Volodymyr, you'll have a superb future.
Everything will be all right, the Victory will be on our side, and everything will be Ukraine. We develop – and will be working together!