GARANT has been operating an exhibition and training centre in Erfurt since 2018. In addition to information about products and innovations, the centre provides everything from the basics to detailed professional door knowledge. In this interview, Michael Wallendorf, Head of Training at GARANT, talks about the idea behind the GAZ, the challenges of training during the coronavirus pandemic and the new webinars and training content planned.
Why has GARANT set up an exhibition and training centre and who is the GAZ, as the centre is also known, aimed at? Who can be trained there?
Until around 2016, we had a small exhibition at our plant in Ichtershausen. Unfortunately, this had to make way due to the expansion of our office space for administration. Many of our sales employees and customers regretted this very much. By a very lucky coincidence, we found a perfect location in Erfurt city centre, in the immediate vicinity of the cathedral and with a view of the theatre. After many thoughts, ideas and concept proposals, the decision was made to create a training and exhibition centre. Many of our customers travel to us from all over Germany and spend a night on site anyway, usually in Erfurt. The good location and Erfurt itself make training courses, seminars, events with customers and product presentations a highlight here.
The training centre is not open to the public, but is used for our customers, the stockholding specialist trade, wood and hardware trade, as well as partners from planning and development. Each visit by our guests is coordinated with an individual programme, depending on the customer's requirements.
What is the idea behind the GARANT exhibition and training centre? Here we give you an insight into the structure and the programme of our GAZ.
What can visitors expect when they visit the GAZ?
On the one hand, we offer traditional training courses, which we hold with our own speakers or with booked speakers. Here too, the topics are varied and tailored directly to a specific customer group. From our GAP programme to training courses in construction and commercial law, there is a wide choice. Our guest speakers are among the best-known experts in the German door market and are very popular not only at the GAZ, but also at events organised directly by our customers.
We also organise major customer visits with an event character at the GAZ. Depending on the customer group, training is provided on request and as required. Everything is possible, from product training to functional door training with practical elements.
The GAZ was extended and remodelled by 180 square metres in November last year. What are the new features?
Basically, you can never have enough exhibition space. Due to the constant expansion of our product range, the original GAZ quickly reached its limits. As we also have more and more practical parts for our visits, we needed space. Here, too, we were lucky that an area directly adjacent to our GAZ became available. Without hesitation, everyone involved started thinking about how we could expand our GAZ. We needed space for practical training, but we also wanted to show more products, mainly functional doors. At the same time as the GAZ was being planned, the GARANT-Digital concept was also being developed within our Group and, as digital is also the future, we integrated GARANT-Digital directly into it.
The new part of the GAZ therefore mainly contains functional doors with a lot of technical background and plenty of space for training. GARANT-Digital is now integrated into the original GAZ section.
And which innovation is your personal highlight?
Of course, every door is a highlight, but the most impressive are a burnt fire door, the doors with electrically operated motorised locks, our SmartDoors and KIWI models. My personal highlight is the POE system, on which countless door variants can be shown in real size in top quality on a screen. The POE is the premium version of our GARANT door tool.With the POE, we can show a wide range of variants in which almost any door can be configured. All our customers have been enthusiastic so far and have shown great interest in the system.
Training despite Corona: How has Corona changed GARANT's training and further education programme?
Of course, we also hope that corona will soon be history and that we can somehow find our way back to normality.
The mixture of factory tours, on-site training and, above all, seminars "up close and personal" have been impossible or only possible on a small scale in recent months due to coronavirus. The training courses offered by GARANT on site cannot be replaced digitally by webinars. Our customer loyalty, personal contacts and long-standing business relationships are what make GARANT what it is. Our customers appreciate that. Getting to know each other in person, having a glass of beer or wine at the end of events or over dinner in the evening is something that is missing in these strange times, just as it was too noticeable in private life.
We are currently expanding our seminars to include digital versions. We have started with the training videos and are gradually offering more and more training videos. These are available on our YouTube channels and our website. We started last year with an initial series of door knowledge for beginners and are continuing with the training videos in the future. New installation videos and training videos on functional doors will follow.
Why does GARANT use videos and not live webinars?
What training courses are currently on offer?
The best place to look is the GARANT YouTube channel (link). We also offer LIVE training courses for our GAP calculation programme. Live webinars will follow. From 2022, we will also be offering face-to-face training again.
What new training courses (whether on-site or digital) are planned for the future?
Training courses on our new DoorIT calculation programme, which we will be offering when the programme is launched, are very important. We are also planning training courses on our GARANT door tool and on the individual GARANT Digital modules in general. Practical training courses on installing doors will also become increasingly important in the future.
