17 Jan Interview with Manolo Palazón, workshop manager
Interview with Manolo Palazón, workshop manager
Manolo Palazón was recommended by his brother shortly after leaving the army. Trained in micro-mechanics, he took advantage of his compulsory service to learn welding and structures. After 23 years at Consman, he is now the workshop manager. Every day, he manages the work of his colleagues and deals with customer requests.
Do you remember your first day at Consman?
Yes, I was lucky that my brother was here. I was never the «new, new guy» and that helped me a bit. The relationship with my colleagues is different, although they welcomed me very well.
One of the things that has always impressed me about working here is the family atmosphere. Any problem is discussed and the manager is very approachable, there is no protocol hierarchy as in other companies, we are not numbers, but people who interact with each other. As is normal, there are small day-to-day frictions, but it is a very healthy environment where we all help each other and that means that family life and work are intertwined and can be reconciled very well.
It may sound like a cliché but it is about respecting and treating the customer. It’s about accepting our own mistakes and solving them well and quickly by giving the customer a little more than what they have asked for if we can compensate or benefit them in this way. Giving the best service is a priority, so if we can offer a little more to achieve it, we do it.
When we started in 2009 with the topic of e-Mobility with Castrosua. We saw what was coming and we didn’t have any training because there wasn’t much either. We have had to recycle and train a lot, but starting so early allows us to start with some experience for what is to come.
At the beginning it was a bit scary because it was so new. When I started there was nothing more than bodywork, which is still very simple. With specialisation we have a lot more responsibility, but coming to work is a challenge; every day you can learn something new.
I don’t think so… rather it was the first day I had to go out to repair an electric vehicle, I think it was 2010. We were asked to go and look at a hybrid and I was nervous because I didn’t know what I was going to find and we still didn’t have much experience. Luckily they were the same as us.
A lot of patience and training, but above all a lot of patience. There are times when you don’t know what to do with a breakdown. In the end, though, after a lot of thought, and talking to colleagues or the manufacturer, it ends up being solved.
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