What is the key to a successful service? We talk to the newly appointed Professor of Service Management at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Professor Peter Wendt, about a project that has shaped his understanding of the field. Born in Köthen, he tells us which success factors are important for students' future careers and why being a professor at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences feels a bit like coming home.
Welcome to Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Professor Wendt. As the newly appointed Professor of Service Management, you will be teaching students on the Ecotrophology, Master of Food and Agribusiness (courses taught in English and German) and Agriculture degree programs the art of providing optimal services. But before we dive into your teaching, let's take a look at your career to date. What did you study and where?
I studied Ecotrophology at the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in Bernburg Strenzfeld. I'm familiar with the university as I lived right on campus during my studies. That's why it feels a bit like "coming home".
That sounds like a special connection to the university. What did you do after your studies?
After my studies, I did my doctorate in Halle at MLU and then completed a trainee program at a large energy service provider in Mannheim - incidentally, MVV Energie AG, where I worked, also takes over the energy supply in Köthen, my home town. I then worked for 12 years at Diakonie, where I managed various social service companies. In the last four years, I planned and implemented digitalization projects in a hospital group.
What made you decide to specialize in the field of service management and what aspects of this field particularly fascinate you?
Before my studies, I trained as a chef and also worked in the catering industry during my studies. These experiences probably shaped my affinity for service management. In any case, it is the human component, the contact and interaction with people in connection with services, that has always particularly appealed to me and challenged me time and again in practice. It still amazes me today how many different factors of a service contribute to satisfaction - or not.
Customer orientation plays a decisive role in today's business world. How do you see the importance of customer orientation and how do you want to sensitize your students to this concept?
You've already hit the mark here with the keyword customer orientation. Companies with a high level of customer orientation often come out on top. In my teaching, I want to convey both the customer and the supplier perspective to the students. In practice, there is often a considerable tension between the two perspectives. A change of perspective can help to understand this. That's why I like to work with practical courses and role plays in the seminars to make such situations tangible.
Intercultural skills are very important in our interconnected world. How do you integrate international aspects into your teaching?
Our world has long been so interconnected and interwoven that these issues play a role in all areas of life and need to be taken into account. International standards play a role in food production and distribution, for example. At the same time, however, these are only ever partial aspects of students' education. In terms of intercultural skills in service management, for me this means that if I treat people with respect, interest and openness, I take these aspects into account and integrate them anyway.
Is therea project or collaboration in service management that has shaped your understanding of the field?
I like to think back to one project: it involved optimizing a canteen kitchen that supplied daycare centres and schools. Around 450 meals a day were produced and delivered to these facilities, which is quite a lot. There was always criticism of the food, even though it was freshly cooked every day and the quality was quite good in my opinion. What was remarkable was the contradictory nature of the statements: in one daycare center, for example, the quantities were good enough and another gave the reregistration that the children were not full.
This led me to involve all stakeholders, especially the critics, and to discuss together what exactly was wanted. After about six months of work, the project was completed and everyone involved was very satisfied. At first glance, it looked as if satisfaction had increased because the customer's wishes had been recorded and satisfied. However, it seems to me that this is only half the truth. In my view, the direct exchange between the kitchen management, parents, educators and children was the key to success.
What lessons have you learned from this?
I learned how important the exchange between different interest groups is. It showed me that classic elements of project management are valuable here. For my work in teaching, I want to enable students to recognize the practical benefits of their theoretical knowledge in service management through their own projects. On the other hand, it is extremely important to me to motivate them to develop their social skills in a professional context, as I believe this will be crucial for success in their future field of work.
Prof. Wendt, thank you very much for the interview.
