Old models are outdated – Today’s customers need something different.
Eric Unterholzer | Part of the Formation4You Team for 10 years
Formation4You: Eric, thank you very much for taking the time for this short interview. You’ve been working with Hubert Ortner, the founder of Formation4You, for over 10 years now. How did the two of you meet?
Eric Unterholzer: We met during a training event for a car brand at a large hotel. During the lunch break, we ended up standing together and started talking about what we each do. That’s how we got to know and appreciate each other – and discovered that we exchange ideas incredibly well and work together seamlessly.
Formation4You: What unique experience do you bring to the training sessions at Formation4You?
Eric Unterholzer: I come from a hands-on background. I completed my first trainer certification more than 35 years ago, worked in the U.S. at a young age, but returned to Europe when I was 21. Back in Austria, I started working in sales for one of the country’s largest banks in the leasing division. Not long after, I became Head of Sales. At the age of 27, I was given the opportunity to build and lead the bank’s fleet management leasing division as Managing Director for all of Austria.
Until the age of 38, I consistently held executive roles for both Austrian and international companies.
But in 2005, I decided: “That’s it – I’m no longer building companies for shareholders in America or Europe. From now on, I’ll build something of my own.” Since then, I’ve been running my own company for training and business coaching, called CommFit.
Formation4You: Is there a particular training that has really stuck with you – a favorite one you often think back to or share anecdotes about?
Eric Unterholzer: There are thousands of them. For me – and I think clients can sense this – every training is something special, something unique. Each session brings new topics, new participants, and you have to adapt every time. That’s what makes it so much fun. So my answer will always be: the most recent one I delivered – that’s the one. And I believe the participants feel that too.
Formation4You: What current trends do you see in the automotive industry or among your target audience – the areas you focus on?
Eric Unterholzer: That’s very clear. On the one hand, there’s e-mobility, of course. And just as clearly: a shift away from hard selling towards high-quality customer support. It’s all about questions like: What does the customer really want? How can I support them? How can I surprise them? What’s that little extra that makes the difference?
People today often have very little money, hardly any time, and they react extremely sensitively to high-pressure sales tactics.
Since Covid, you can throw away all the traditional leadership coaching and know-how from the past. It just doesn’t work anymore, because society has changed so much. Participants, employees, customers – they’ve all been through major transformations.
And I believe that’s exactly why we’re so successful – and why we’ve been awarded global training concepts, especially now with Mercedes. Because the decision-makers there have realized that we don’t rely on outdated concepts from the 1980s or 1990s.
Formation4You: How does formation4You training support your clients’ sales and service processes in a lasting way? How do you ensure that the content you deliver in your trainings really sticks?
Eric Unterholzer: Sustainability has taken on an entirely new meaning. In the past, a solution was considered sustainable if you could use it for the next 3, 4, or 5 years. Today, you’re lucky if it lasts a month—because things are changing so quickly. That’s why we prepare extremely thoroughly. During every preparation phase, we take the time to focus carefully on where we want to go, what the client really needs, and what the desired outcome should be.
Then we design the training so that the participants have extreme flexibility in case things turn out differently than expected. That’s crucial. We don’t come in saying, “Hey, we know exactly how it works. There are three answers, and if you have them, just follow this path.” No, no, no! You need to understand what is really being asked of you. You have to get the tools your company actually wants and needs right now. And yes, the client immediately notices that it’s tailored and genuinely practical. That’s the most important thing. In my training, you won’t hear: “Hey Eric, this is impractical.” I’d shoot myself in the foot if that happened. That’s exactly where we hit the mark.
Formation4you: Many thanks, Eric, for your input, insights, and experiences.
If we have sparked your interest in innovative and tailor-made solutions, we look forward to your contact for a non-binding meeting! Together we will find solutions!