Cars not only play an important role in his professional life,but also shape Ryan’s persona and interest outside of German Motors. One of the frontline staff, Ryan Teh Beng Ming, is ever ready to meet and greet customers with a smile on his face and an energising spring in his walk. For him, German Motors is more than a place of work as it allows him to live out his passion for cars.
A true local, being born and raised in Subang Jaya, he enjoys driving himself so much that he would always take the car to get to work. “Although it is a short drive from Subang Jaya to Petaling Jaya, I am always excited to take a ride in my car.”
His passion for cars was ignited when he was watching the Hollywood fable “Too Fast too Furious”. While in High School, this instalment of the franchise was a hot ticket and for Ryan, this was a jump-off point to watching more and more car related movies. Eventually, the fictional characters led him to be studying automotive technology in depth. Attending an automotive college, obtaining a local SKM cert for the automotive technician, he then worked as a technician for seven years.
When asked what makes a good technician, Ryan insists that it is the passion, not some expensive school that would be the determinant. Hard work, interest in the subject matter and the ambition to excel are the drivers for a successful career in the workshop. “School can teach you the theory, yes, but you need to be able to feel what is wrong with a car too. How to fix it, what steps to take. This is where the passion guides you as a member of the workshop team,” Ryan would say. He recounts how a simple procedure as changing oil could be a challenge in real life as the textbook may be based on an environment different from an actual workshop.
Having worked on all sorts of cars, “Japanese, Europeans, Americans. All these supercars. The rare and exotic, Audis, McLaren,” he was noticed by his employer for his language skills. “Where I was working, my boss did not speak English. He recognised the need to have a frontliner that knows about the technology.” From there, he made a move to German Motors, where he has now been working for the past three years. “We deal with interesting cars here, which makes the job always challenging to be on top of our game. At the same time, it is a lot of fun.”
Growing up in the 90s, his favourite cars are Japanese Domestic Models (JDM), which he finds more interesting than the modern hyperarcs. This passion, too, is rooted in film, this time an anime. “And remember, the main character of Too Fast to Furious is also driving a Japanese car!”
Although preferring a Japanese car as his personal ride, preferably a Toyota, the German car of his dreams is a Porsche GT3 Carrera. In terms of his work, he notices that German vehicles nowadays are easier to work on as the diagnostic tools are far more advanced and detailed.
Having transitioned into the front of house, Ryan notices that there are significant differences in how one has to work and what the job scope entails. For example, a car would not verbally respond. “Working on a car may show results, but it would not give you a spoken answer, an immediate reaction.” Communicating, how to deal with people is a valuable lesson in his view. “So, what makes the frontline job interesting then? Customer satisfaction.”
It is empathy that is need in this job. Some customers are very detail-oriented, needing to know about source of parts, processes applied and other facts about the work performed. Others may not require these details, caring only about the fact that the job gets done properly. “Explaining to those that want to know all about our work, how things work, our processes, and then they understand. That's very satisfying for me.”
Many of his former school mates have since opted for career change. “You got to have the fire in you, the passion for this job. Otherwise, it will not satisfy you.” The secret to having a fulfilling career is to have this passion for cars and anything automotive. Getting involved with the subject matter, hands-on, is the only way one to go. Schools, Ryan opines, offer a good foundation, but those wanting to excel in the profession as a technician, ought to put in the elbow grease.
