When One Wheel Engages Another
Interview with Patrick Janz, Managing Director of Lesora GmbH
Company bicycles are in trend: According to the Bundesverband Zukunft Fahrrad, more than two million company bicycles are in use in Germany. No wonder, as the company bike offers many advantages to both employers and employees, which Lesora GmbH from Freiburg is very familiar with. It is the leasing company of BLS Bikeleasing-Service GmbH & Co. KG and thus part of one of the top providers in the market.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Janz, Lesora GmbH is a young company with a lot of experience in the industry. Can you explain that further?
Patrick Janz: We have been in the leasing business for over 20 years, originally known as Hofmann Leasing GmbH. Since the takeover by Bikeleasing at the end of 2020, however, we have focused exclusively on service bike leasing, with which the company has also grown significantly in terms of personnel.
Wirtschaftsforum: What is behind the rebranding at the beginning of 2024?
Patrick Janz: The original name Hofmann Leasing was coined by the company founder and then managing director, Mr. Hofmann. The idea to change the name had been considered for some time.
This was also an opportunity to present ourselves as more open and modern externally. Since February 2024, we have been operating as Lesora, an invented name derived from the English term 'lessor'. However, the renaming was more than just a change of name: it was accompanied by changes in internal structures and processes. The company had evolved, and the name was meant to reflect this dynamism. We have continuously grown over the past years; in some cases, we experienced an annual doubling in new business volume. Additionally, we have developed the majority of our current management team internally. Under the name Lesora, the corporate identity has further evolved: This is reflected, among other things, in a new external and internal design of the company building in Freiburg. It also includes that we offer workwear to our employees. The fact that this offer is very well received shows that the employees identify with Lesora.
Wirtschaftsforum: The company has seen significant growth in recent years. What factors have influenced this positive development and what is the current state of the market?
Patrick Janz: The COVID-19 crisis has given the bicycle industry in general an extraordinary boost, and leasing business is a driving force in the industry. These were record years with extreme demand. Since the end of 2023, we have been seeing a normalization of demand back to a solid level; it's a mixture of market adjustment and cautious consumer behavior due to the overall economic situation. Additionally, weather components come into play: the summer of 2024 was very wet. This also affects the demand for bicycles.
Wirtschaftsforum: Lesora is part of Bikeleasing, which is among the leading providers in the market. What exactly does the service offering look like and how does it differ from other providers?
Patrick Janz: As a leasing company, Lesora focuses on contract execution, contract management, and refinancing, thus being the actor in the background, while our parent company, Bikeleasing, concentrates on distribution and, for example, actively acquires customers. We are a contact point for companies, guaranteeing streamlined and fast processes, but we also take on less pleasant tasks such as debt management. An important unique selling point is certainly the complete package of Bikeleasing, which we offer with the most powerful insurance package in the industry. How well are my risks as an employer covered? What happens if the bicycle is stolen? What if the employee resigns, goes on parental leave, or is indefinitely out due to illness? These are questions we provide answers to. Our insurance product covers more or less all risks, and that is exactly how we set ourselves apart from the market.
Wirtschaftsforum: Are there any specific topics or innovations that are currently challenging the market?
Patrick Janz: We observe the market very closely. However, our focus is on being a competent and reliable partner for our customers and stakeholders, supporting them in such a way that they are optimally positioned with our products for the demands of the market. Therefore, digitization of the company plays a big role for us. New customers now have the opportunity to complete an application entirely digitally; as a result, throughput times have been reduced by 90%. The entire process from registration to completion takes only a few minutes. We want to make it as easy and as paperless as possible for our customers. Therefore, this is a major milestone for Lesora.
Wirtschaftsforum: Are there any ideas or concrete plans for the future?
Patrick Janz: We would like to continue driving digital transformation while keeping an eye on added value for the customer. Additionally, we will rethink internal processes to stabilize our market position. Personally, I will continue to work on advancing the change process to make tomorrow better today.