Familiar optimism regarding Wetteri’s direction has once again been seen on the forum, but the facts tell a harsher story.
Under Parikka’s lead, Wetteri sold off Wetteri-Power – effectively the most profitable part of the business – and yet management seems satisfied with the chosen path. Parikka’s track record doesn’t exactly inspire confidence: previous actions have mostly produced mega-losses rather than growth.
The change negotiations are promised to be reflected in payroll costs, but realism forces the question of how quickly, as severance packages and training eat into the benefits right from the start. Downsizing through spreadsheets doesn’t grow a company – quite the opposite. Evidence of this already exists.
Particularly concerning is management’s indifference toward customer relationships built over the years. They aren’t created in an office – they grow from trust and familiarity between the salesperson and the client. When long-time employees are pushed out, customers leave with them. History has shown this time and again – including within Wetteri’s own history.
For those who remained, a title change was implemented, which as a side effect lowered salaries. This is a surefire recipe for the top talent to start looking for the exit – and as people leave, more customers and tacit knowledge vanish.
The industry will certainly get a boost as the tax ambiguities surrounding imported cars begin to clear up. However, we have likely only seen the tip of the iceberg. It hasn’t been legally possible for the hammer price of the same car in a Swedish auction to be higher than the asking price in Finland. Investigating this will continue to significantly shake up the industry.
With its current actions, Wetteri is unlikely to be the company that experiences the industry’s growth.