A conversation with Melanie Seuring, authorized signatory at HOWOGE.
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“More from our own hands – for better service in everyday life”
* This page has been translated via Google's Cloud Translation API. HOWOGE does not edit the content.
Ms. Seuring, “self-performance strategy” sounds complicated – what exactly is behind it?
Seuring: Yes, the word sounds cumbersome – but at its core, the idea is quite simple: We want to take over many of the services related to our buildings and apartments ourselves again – that is, with our own employees instead of using external companies. Just as we already do with our janitorial services and cleaning, HOWOGE will also handle maintenance and minor repairs to an even greater extent in the future. Our goal is to get things done faster, more efficiently, and with a better sense of our tenants' needs.
What advantages does this bring for tenants?
Seuring: Above all, faster assistance, more direct communication, and greater reliability. When our own staff are on the move, they know the neighborhoods, the people, and the processes. They don't have to learn the ropes first – which saves time and stress. For tenants, this means fewer call transfers, but more personal contacts and faster solutions.
Why did HOWOGE decide to do this?
Seuring: Because we're convinced that good local service works best when you have it under your control. Furthermore, we can better control costs in the long term and operate more independently of market prices. This strengthens our profitability – and we, in turn, invest the savings in our portfolio and in new offerings for our tenants.
Does this mean that soon everything will be done solely by HOWOGE?
Seuring: Not quite. For highly specialized tasks—such as major technical problems with elevators or specific trades like civil engineering or blocked pipes—we will continue to need external specialist companies. But for issues that arise frequently and are important to our tenants in their daily lives, we want to be able to act independently and directly.
And what does the future look like?
Seuring: We want to continue growing – with a clear strategy and a special focus on the people who live with us. Because the most important criterion for us always remains: What benefits does it provide for the tenants? In the end, it's not just how we manage our properties that counts – but how we live. And that's what we work on – day after day.
Thank you for the interview!