“When you’re no longer an employee of a company and you have your own rep firm, you don’t just get up every morning and go to work. Things are now a lot different. You’ve got to realize that you’re now running a business. You can’t ever turn yourself off, you’re constantly concerned about the business and thinking about how to get things done better.”
Nicolas Skrzypczak was fully armed with years of experience in the automotive industry prior to opening his own agency TransAtlanticPass Consulting, Waterford, Michigan.
In a nutshell that’s how Nicolas Skrzypczak, TransAtlanticPass Consulting & Sales Agency, LLC, Waterford, Michigan, describes his transition from being an employee of an auto supplier manufacturer to the owner of a rep firm that this year can boast of being the recipient of the IUCAB George Hayward Award.
A sales engineer with extensive experience in business development in international markets, Skrzypczak, who founded TransAtlanticPass Consulting, is responsible for the firm’s activities worldwide and has more than 20 years’ experience in the automotive industry. He has lived in France, Germany and Ireland, and now resides in the United States. Prior to opening his own agency, he worked on a wide range of assignments for world-class vehicle components suppliers. His experience in the U.S. automotive industry led him to identify new niche markets to win new business for innovative systems, enlisting new component suppliers in OEMs’ supply bases for powertrain vent and lube systems, cooling systems, cam covers, air intake manifolds, air cleaners, vapor and liquid fuel line, carbon canisters and instrument panel accessories such as air registers, cup holders, etc.
His management experience includes spearheading a foreign vehicle component supplier’s entry to the U.S. market and the setup of the company’s U.S. office. It also includes new technology introduction in the United States and securing automotive contracts by interfacing routinely with the OEMs from the senior executive levels to the operational levels.
Getting to Know Reps
Skrzypczak at the Chrysler annual meeting.
Given that extensive background in the automotive industry, Skrzypczak was hardly a stranger to the world of being a rep when he opened his own agency doors. “Before I became a rep I knew who and what they were and what they did in the industry. We had reps that worked with us and were virtually imbedded in our operations in various regions around the world.”
Perhaps owing to that familiarity with the rep world, he notes that when he did open his own agency doors, there were no real surprises. “I think the only thing is that you’re more deeply involved in your business than you’ve ever been before.”
As he looks back to the start of being a rep, he’s quick to credit his MANA membership for some of his early success. “I don’t remember specifically how I found MANA but I do recall that I was looking for some educational material about being a rep. I was fortunate to get involved in a mentorship program and worked with the association’s former President & CEO Joe Miller. During our first several weeks and months he was very helpful and continued to let me know I was moving in the right direction. Joe regularly made himself available to me and put me in touch with other reps. The whole experience was very instrumental in helping me get started.”
If that was how valuable MANA was when his agency was founded, Skrzypczak indicates he still avails himself of the association’s services: “I regularly take advantage of MANA resources, conference calls, special reports, literature, white papers, etc.”
Facing Challenges
With that as the beginning, Skrzypczak finds himself at a point today facing many of the same challenges that his rep peers serving other industries do. “Sure I worry about business just as everyone else does but I’ve got to admit I sleep well at night. If anything, I’d say I’m always concerned about anticipating and meeting my principals’ expectations and growing the business. I watch cash flow and profit margins just as anyone else does. I want the business to grow and constantly consider ways I can differentiate myself from other reps and continue to make myself attractive to principals and customers.”
When it comes to making himself attractive to prospective principals, Skrzypczak indicates he’s constantly in search of new principals. “Who isn’t and is still here to talk about it? We dedicate between 7-13 percent of our time and resources uncovering new rising manufacturers, contacting them and presenting our capabilities to various prospects. We set aside time to travel and meet potential clients and connect with manufacturers through the associations we are involved with including MANA. We’re very selective in who we want to work with. We don’t take on just anyone and don’t believe in growing at a super-fast pace. Our desire is to be successful but we want to take our time reaching that goal.”
Territorial Development Fees
On the way to communicating with prospective principals, Skrzypczak explains that it’s hardly unheard of that the subject of a retainer or shared territorial development fee makes an appearance. “This happens all the time. If we wanted to we could represent 100 different principals, but I don’t want to waste our and their time with pioneering work. I refuse to take on a line that has no business in our territory without a retainer. We truly value the services we provide and are proud of the work we do. Once we take on a line, we prove to the principal that we provide them something. We’re big believers in communicating and have a web-based 24/7 reporting file that is downloadable on their side.”
Pre-production injection molding trial at a principal’s location.
He adds, “We do a great deal of educating our prospective principals as to what we can do for them. After multiple conversations and plant visits, it might take us as long as six months before we’ll take on a new line. We show them that we mean business and that we have a plan and procedure that will work for both of us. They respect and like that in a rep.”
What Skrzypczak just described was the importance of building relationships, not only with principals but with customers. He continues that while many changes have occurred in just the last few years that affect the way a rep conducts business, one thing that has remained constant is the need for building strong relationships. “Keep in mind that your customers today may have two or three major suppliers and choosing one of them over the other is probably never going to be a bad choice. But, what they will do is choose the company they like the most.
“That’s why it’s important to maintain those relationships. While it may be more difficult today to get valuable face-to-face time with customers, we make it a point to see them as often as possible, shake their hands and look them right in the eye. Nothing will ever replace the face-to-face contact encounter, and that’s the foundation of your relationship.”
Nicolas Skrzypczak, TransAtlanticPass Consulting & Sales Agency, LLC, was named the recipient of this year’s IUCAB George Hayward Award
The Internationally United Commercial Agents and Brokers (IUCAB) International Agent of the Year “George Hayward Award” was created by the Executive Committee of IUCAB following the death of MANA-member George Hayward, the first elected U.S. vice president of IUCAB, in 2009.
Hayward was the founder of United Sales Associates, Cincinnati, Ohio, an agency in the safety/industrial marketplace which he started in 1982. He was the recipient of dozens of awards and recognition for outstanding service by the many associations in which he participated. He served IUCAB as vice president from 2001 until 2008 when he made his farewell speech at the IUCAB Annual Delegates Meeting in Berlin.
The “George Hayward Award” was created in honor of his dedication to ensuring quality performance of commercial agents and his passion and persistence for continuing education.
George Hayward’s son Tom Hayward is president of United Sales Associates and is a past chairperson of MANA.
For more information on the IUCAB visit www.iucab.com.
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