print ]Interview with Dagmar Grossmann (CEO of Grossmann Jet Service) on doing business in the Czech Republic
Could you please briefly introduce yourself and your company?
I am the CEO of Grossmann Jet Service, a charter and private jet operator in the Czech Republic since 2004, currently we have around 30 employees and 3 planes. Our main activity is to operate private jets and provide charter services on the world market. In addition to that we have a Business Jet Set Up Center to help and consult every issue regarding private jet owners or future owners with their aircraft. Our main clients are businesspeople and people who want to use the advantage of point to point travel to save time. We provide charter in a very individual way and focus on the service and the fact to make the travel arrangements for all our clients as easy as possible.
Why did you choose the Czech Republic for doing your business?
In 2004 the Czech Republic had a great potential and the growth rate in the economy as well as the geographical location were optimal for starting a business like that. It was a big challenge to develop the market and start up a service which was at this time not located in the way we set it up here.
Can you compare situation on the business aviation market in the Czech Republic in 2004 when you started and now?
Being the pioneer meant that we had to face all difficulties, such as finding the right suppliers, selecting the right team, making people understand what are our terms and conditions but overall it is more easy for us now as we have a strong position on the market.
Where do you see main advantages of the Czech market?
Geographically and from the economic point of view, it's a modern and dynamic country as a hub between the Western and Eastern Europe, connecting the two markets to one.
Who are you main clients? What was the most difficult thing when you were starting the business here?
Our main clients do not come from the Czech Republic, even if we gain more and more local customers. Our clientele is mainly formed by businessmen, our clients are also celebrities, state representatives and private persons.
The biggest problems were to clarify the meaning of our business to people and to explain that using a private jet is not only a luxury tool. We had to make everybody understand what our services are about. After achieving that, our business had started to grow immediately.
What would improve your business in the Czech Republic? What would be your suggestions to the Czech government for instance – do you see any really big disadvantages or problems?
One of the biggest advantages for me here would be if the Czech Republic would go for the EURO, that would help us a lot in terms of internal work and international deals. Anything else is the same like abroad, which means that we have to be always flexible and adjust to the market as fast as we can and come up with new ideas to get clients.
Do you use any special strategies how to motivate your employees? Do you prefer more formal or informal relationship with them?
Since we have a slim operation, we have been taking care of the cost side. But we still provide some trainings to our office employees and the job itself is a very good training for working in the international environment. Crew members attend lots of trainings. I personally like a flat hierarchy, although sometimes it is necessary to readjust the conditions as we have multicultural team and we speak in a language that is not our mother tongue.
Since you are providing a very unique, luxury type of services and recently (due to the crisis) many corporations have been saving their expanditures. Have you somehow indicated any decrease of the demand for your services?
It is difficult to say whether it has been a real decrease. The markets has shifted. Russia is very quiet now for instance but Europe is really picking up and the characteristic of the flights changed. People look more for cheaper solutions on short notice and we have to negotiate more, but business is still here.
As far as I know, CEPA has been recently your biggest project in aviation – could you please tell us more details? What are your expectations and how is the Czech Republic (as such) involved in it?
Our idea has always been to connect the East and the West in terms of business aviation, and such association was missing in the area. CEPA offers to all operators, future private jet clients or interested people a networking tool to get the support, help or simply a huge amount of exchanged interest in the field of business aviation. Central European business aviation market is very perspective, it has a big potential to grow and the Czech Republic is a part of it. Currently we are preparing CEPA EXPO 2011, a business aviation exhibition & fair, which will be held in Prague and will pay attention to the Czech Republic.
(interviewed by Roman Minarik, AmCham)
