DPAG's first order

Once again, the RehaCare trade fair in Düsseldorf was coming up and I was thinking about which vehicles we would take with us. There was room for 6 vehicles on our trailer and we already had five. The first prototype of the DXP was just standing in storage and so it found its way to the fair. One of our vehicles in the colours of the Post. Surely that could trigger a reaction? And so it did: Ludwig Wiemann stood rooted to the spot and asked about the purpose and possible tests. I told him about the first applications at Swiss Post and that I had already presented a predecessor model to Deutsche Post, but with negative feedback. Ludwig worked for Deutsche Post. He was responsible for the needs of people with limited mobility in Haagen, near Düsseldorf. Our vehicle could enable some of his people to work again. He wanted to check out the use of the DXP.
A short time later he came back to our stand with a larger group of people: The representatives of the German Post Office's Association for the Severely Disabled. I introduced myself, my company and the DXP and then some of the group were able to test drive the DXP. Unanimous enthusiasm. They want to stay on the ball. Ludwig Wiemann made an application within the post office to use our vehicle.
This was rejected. A group of trainees took up the idea. They calculated how the DXP could help to make work easier and save an enormous amount of money. The idea was taken up and the trainees were allowed to present their project to the board. They were highly praised and received the innovation award. The human resources manager personally praised the project in the highest terms. Nevertheless, it was rejected again. I approached the purchasing department and was rejected again. The association for the disabled demanded another review and finally I got an appointment and was able to present the project at the Post Tower in Bonn.

I arrived a little early and was able to show the DXP I had brought with me to the porter first. He took it for a test drive and was thrilled. I explained to him that I had to present the project at a meeting. Would it be possible to get the DXP into the auditorium? The porter helped me: we could do it via a goods lift that was otherwise inaccessible. I rolled the DXP over the thick carpet and parked it in front of the auditorium so that it would not be seen. The trial began. Quite a lot of people turned up. The purchasing manager, Mr July, was in his seat. He told me right at the beginning that the vehicle had no chance of being approved internally. So I had nothing to lose. There were occupational physicians, technical managers, staff representatives, trade union representatives, representatives of the disabled - the argumentation began. I described the advantages of the DXP in the highest terms. Many critical questions were asked. We reached a point where I was at a loss. So I no longer answered the question posed, but said that I had brought my vehicle and that now was probably the right time for a test drive. I had the element of surprise on my side. The chair of the meeting was irritated. So I left the meeting, sat on my DXP and rolled back into the hall - great astonishment. Everyone was interested and wanted to take a test drive in the hall. There had probably never been anything like this in the Post Tower. Everyone was in a good mood and thought that the DXP was really good. The questions asked could just be discussed on the vehicle and one after the other drove it silently through the auditorium.

At the end of the event, Mr July had to concede: the DXP was suitable for delivery and KYBURZ was approved as a supplier. I had made it without the vehicle having covered a single test kilometre. A first vehicle was immediately ordered for a postwoman in Haagen, who was looked after by Mr Wiemann. That's when the two trade unionists spoke up: they demanded that the DXP should not be allowed to pull trailers, that the speed should be limited to 25 km/h and that the delivery route should not be increased compared to a normal bicycle ride. I was gobsmacked. "Why is that?" Because otherwise they wouldn't give their consent. Simple. I had not reckoned with that. Furious, I left the building and told everything to the doorman, who just shook his head. He didn't understand either. That evening I walked at least 10 km along the Rhine to get rid of my anger. In the evening, the positive outweighed the negative: at least I had managed to get my licence. Since then, we have been listed as a supplier with DPAG.

A short time later, the delivery was ready. We worked through the night and the vehicle to be delivered was ready in the early hours of the morning. This work was done by the project manager Frank Loacker and the designer Tobias Wülser. The first DXP was there! Beautiful - only we didn't have any photos yet. I called a good friend who worked at the Swiss Post Office and asked her if she happened to have time for a test drive. She should please take her uniform with her. She was ready. That morning we made a promotional film and took our first shots. The driver was thrilled. Her enthusiasm shines through the film and photos. The footage is still used in our brochures today.

I learned from it:

• Persistence leads to success.
• The porter can be the key to a successful negotiation.
• Sleeping peacefully after a successful project feels really good and brings back energy.