92 PORTRAIT ed and take rigorous action against piracy. We keep all the necessary documents ready and have already had knockoffs removed from trade fair stands – a troublesome endeavour which also costs quite a bit of money. But it is worth it to ensure the quality level of the brand.” After all, Klio has invested a great deal in design, bringing roughly three new developments to market each year, which are incidentally marked with the Klio logo to prevent copying. The promotional products trade has nothing against this, for the relationship with the trade is based on mutual trust and the cooperation works perfectly. However, Höhner is critical of the fact that many distributors are producing their goods themselves in the Far East – a risk which is difficult to estimate but which can cause a lot of trouble. COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE Klio offers the trade a wide range of support. The catalogue with its modern design gives customers a clear overview of the range of the products and their variants. The product configurator on the website enables customers to put together their own dream pen, including how to have the advertising applied. Klio was a pioneer of this tool on the market, thanks to the affinity of its boss for technology. The feature is constantly being enhanced, offers customers a great deal of service and is extremely user friendly. Hans M. Höhner is especially proud of the huge variety of more than 6,000 special colours. Products can be custom made on orders of 20,000 or more, and they can be delivered in roughly three weeks, depending on the colour. Thanks to comprehensive manufacturing competence and just-in-time production, orders can be handled individually, professionally and punctually. The high quality standard not only covers production but also finishing. And its many loyal customers are proof of the company’s competence. “Repeat orders are the biggest compliment we can get. And if something should go wrong, we will let ourselves be held accountable for what we have delivered. After all, we are responsible for keeping distributors on good terms with their customers.” Klio also keeps prices stable on orders repeated within the year, something which cannot always be taken for granted. A PRUDENT ENTREPRENEUR The fact that Klio was able to get through the year of crisis in 2009 without reducing the working hours is certain to be a consequence of the company’s prudent management. The boss explains his principles on this subject, “Good staff is the capital of a company”, Höhner says. “That is why we enable employees to pursue extra-occupational studies. For me, thinking and acting for the good of people is a matter of course in all walks of life. That is why I have spared no effort to give our employees a working atmosphere that is pleasant, safe and secure. We esteem everyone as a person in their position, for they are all an important part of the whole wherever they may be. I think our employees know this and that is why we also have very little fluctuation.” Another of his principles is never to employ contract workers. In addition, he prefers to hire employees over fifty, since Höhner is convinced that everyone deserves to get another chance even at this age. This has won Klio the distinction of being chosen the “Farsighted Company of 2010” by the “Perspektive 50plus – Beschäftigungspakt Südwest” initiative. GOING FORWARD WITH OPTIMISM What we described in the above section tells a few things about Hans M. Höhner not only as a businessman, but also as a person. He is a calm, positively thinking man with a fine sense of humour who looks at the world optimistically. “For me, the glass is always half full,” is how he sum- PSI Journal 3/2012 www.psi-network.de marizes his attitude to life. How does he keep up this frame of mind? “I am not very interested in the past. One glance back is enough to realize what may have gone wrong. We should avoid this in the future, but it is not worth worrying about, that doesn’t help you get ahead. And you do not have to let all the negative things get to you, like all the reports of catastrophes in the media.” This is a healthy attitude which is also a result of experience. “I have travelled a lot and can say with good reason that we have absolutely no grounds for complaining. Incidentally, that is also what I think in regard to the economic situation.” In his free time, he likes to ride his motorcycle and goes on long tours with friends in the summertime. And he has kept his passion for tinkering around on the computer up to the present day. <

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