At regular intervals, we would like to introduce you to the people who work every day on making the world a little healthier - our employees. This time we spoke to Tobias Hubert, our Sales Manager for Southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Mr. Hubert, thank you for taking the time - would you like to introduce yourself and talk a bit about your career?
Yes, of course. I am 41 years old and live near Munich. Since September 2020, I have been in charge of sales for Southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland of the American GOJO Group, the leading manufacturer of the hand sanitiser PURELL. Before that, I worked in sales for a manufacturer of disposable and reusable gloves in Hamburg and as a sales manager in the hygiene trade. So the topics health and hygiene have been with me for quite a while. By the way, I also had ten years with the Red Cross in various functions, and from there I went to the blood donation service of the city of Munich.
Today, you continue to work in an industry that has made it its mission to save lives with its products. The importance of hand sanitisers in keeping many lives healthy has become more than apparent to the whole world in the past year and a half. What do you think? Where will the hygiene sector go from here?
The hand sanitising market has already undergone a massive change during the past month. One year ago all products were sold out in one fell swoop. Especially in the retail sector many service providers wanted to offer dispensers with hand sanitisers for their customers and employees and were desperately looking for solutions. To alleviate this bottleneck, the WHO issued a formula for the production of hand disinfectants, which suddenly allowed anyone to mix sanitisers. Many companies that had previously had nothing to do with the subject started producing hand gel. Among them distillers, who also deal with alcohol, which is the active ingredient in a hand sanitiser, but in a different form.
What were the consequences?
As a result, there is quite a large amount of sanitiser from no-name manufacturers on the market, which may disinfect, but not always. The products are often sticky, smelly or have other defects. In the worst case, customers who do not wish to use these unpleasant products, simply refrain from disinfecting their hands, which is counterproductive. As a major player with an outstanding product, our main task now is to educate service providers in retail, catering and many other sectors about the importance of offering a good hand sanitiser. Its effectiveness should be scientifically certified and the gel should be pleasant to use and have caring properties.
Speaking of gastronomy, it is very detrimental to the customer experience here if you use a mediocre hand sanitiser that leaves a greasy film on the skin and emits an unpleasant odor that keeps wafting up your nose while eating. That quickly spoils the joy of a visit to the beer garden, doesn't it?
That is a very important point. Anyone who offers food services has to think holistically. The meal and the staff may be as good as they are. But if the caterer skimps on hygiene, it affects his image negatively. The customer gets the feeling that savings have been made on safety - that's not good. When providing a service, everything has to be right - from A to Z.
Do you think that will continue to be hygiene-conscious in the future?
The greater sensitivity of consumers to hygiene will remain - I'm sure of that. A survey of the hotel industry conducted by Hospitality Net in conjunction with Knowingli Market Research clearly indicates that the issue of hygiene is now very much on everyone's minds. The survey found that over 80 percent of the survey participants that are planning to travel in the next months are going to pay more attention to hygieneofferings. This includes, for example, clearly visible health and hygiene protocols in washrooms and hand sanitiser systems at entrances and exits and in restaurants. The need for safety is so deeply rooted that over 57 percent of all respondents would pay more for a trip if the hygiene levels were right.
Let's stay with travel for a moment. A question that is currently also on the minds of consumers who are going on vacation now: how do I protect myself on the road? Train stations, airports, public restrooms and rest stops - these are all stomping grounds for germs. Is there a solution for this?
This is exactly what we have discussed and we found a solution. There will soon be a 3-milliliter sachet with PURELL hand sanitiser gel, perfectly suited for one-time use. It is intendedfor airlines, train stations or restaurants etc who want to provide their guests with the small sachets. Using this convenient format will add a little extra safety when you're on the road.
Stay healthy!
