"A relationship of trust is no longer necessary"
René Schuhmacher wants to position Saldo and K-Tipp as a powerhouse duo
René Schuhmacher wants to position Saldo and K-Tipp as a power duoThe disentanglement between the three squabblers Urs P. Gasche, Hans Räz and René Schuhmacher breaks a long-standing deadlock. But the morning air does not yet promise a sunny outlook. Schuhmacher has a tricky task ahead of him: with Saldo and K-Tipp, he not only has two very successful magazines, but also two magazines with practically identical positions, which he now has to bring together to form an attractive duo, each with its own unique character (see also page 20).With the agreement between you, Hans Räz and Urs P. Gasche, the seemingly impossible has become reality. However, if you know the profound conflicts that preceded the separation, it seems clear that a relationship of trust between you and the other two is hardly conceivable.
René Schuhmacher: We looked for a way to unbundle and found it. In future, each of us will be responsible for one area. That's why everyone will be able to work as they please in future. A relationship of trust is therefore no longer necessary.
However, Räz and Gasche each still hold a one-third stake in KI Konsumenteninfo AG. So there is still potential for conflict.
Schuhmacher: No, because I now have 100 percent of the votes. That is part of the agreements we have now concluded with each other. Räz and Gasche no longer have any say at KI Konsumenteninfo AG.
However, Puls-Tipp and Bon à Savoir are subsidiaries of KI Konsumenteninfo AG.
Schuhmacher: They were. Räz and Gasche have separated the two companies. They are now completely autonomous and independent of KI Konsumenteninfo. Bon à Savoir belongs to Räz, Puls-Tipp to Gasche. Because K-Tipp is the largest company, the two still have their shareholdings there, but they no longer have any voting rights. I can therefore do as I please in future.
However, the new situation is not easy either: with Saldo and K-Tipp, you have two magazines with practically identical positioning. That doesn't make sense.
Schuhmacher: At the moment, the two magazines are still very close to each other, that's true. But if you create a clear positioning for each of the two titles, I am convinced that there will be an audience for both. Experience in French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino has also shown us this. When new consumer magazines appeared there in recent years, they didn't steal the thunder from the old ones in any way. In French-speaking Switzerland, for example, the circulation of J'achète mieux did not fall after Bon à Savoir was launched in 1997. Nota bene, the Beobachter did not lose anything either when Saldo was launched in February 1999. There is enormous interest in consumer issues.
Can you explain the recipe for how the two titles could be positioned away from each other?
Schuhmacher: I don't want to give the impression that we already have a finished concept on the table. We will be discussing and developing this together with the editorial teams over the coming weeks. Just this much: we want to provide more consumer information in future and avoid duplication in both magazines. We already have a lot of practice in this in the cooperation between Saldo and "Kassensturz". There, too, the rule is that the two editorial teams do not work on the same topic, have the same guides and do the same tests. That works very well. This model is now also being extended to K-Tipp. One thing is certain: the two editorial teams will remain separate. This is important because a competitive situation promotes quality.
How will you go about acquiring subscribers for the two titles in future? Who do you want to attract to which magazine? Or do you expect people to subscribe to both magazines at the same time?
Schuhmacher: It is quite conceivable that we will offer a combined subscription for both titles. Both magazines are published fortnightly and are very slim in terms of content. Reading a consumer title once a week would certainly be an attractive service for people who are interested in such topics.
But there is one major difference between the magazines: K-Tipp has advertising, Saldo has none. Will it stay that way?
Schuhmacher: Saldo will certainly remain ad-free, that's part of the concept of this title.
And the K-Tipp, which sometimes has advertising that is not always beyond reproach? For example, products such as wines are offered by mail order. You can't quite avoid the impression that the magazine occasionally advertises things,
which could also be a topic in the editorial section of the magazine. Are you going to change anything?
Schuhmacher: When I was still there, we had advertising guidelines for K-Tipp that excluded advertising for alcohol, for example. You can certainly discuss whether it makes sense to advertise alcohol in a consumer title. But before any definitive decisions are made, I want to analyze the situation thoroughly.
However, it is also a fact that the costs of KI Konsumenteninfo have risen significantly. Do you know the reasons for this cost increase?
Schuhmacher: At the moment, I only know this much: costs have risen sharply. I can only assess the exact reasons once I have analyzed the situation in detail. One reason was certainly the new competition Saldo, which caused the circulation of K-Tipp to stagnate and increased its mailing costs accordingly.
Where do you think you will be able to exploit savings potential in the future?
Schuhmacher: Especially in logistics. For example, we only need a guidebook mailing service. We only need a subscription management system for Saldo and K-Tipp. In the medium term, we will probably only need one print shop. There are certainly various areas where we can save money without having a negative impact on the service. Interview: Daniel Schifferle
René Schuhmacher: We looked for a way to unbundle and found it. In future, each of us will be responsible for one area. That's why everyone will be able to work as they please in future. A relationship of trust is therefore no longer necessary.
However, Räz and Gasche each still hold a one-third stake in KI Konsumenteninfo AG. So there is still potential for conflict.
Schuhmacher: No, because I now have 100 percent of the votes. That is part of the agreements we have now concluded with each other. Räz and Gasche no longer have any say at KI Konsumenteninfo AG.
However, Puls-Tipp and Bon à Savoir are subsidiaries of KI Konsumenteninfo AG.
Schuhmacher: They were. Räz and Gasche have separated the two companies. They are now completely autonomous and independent of KI Konsumenteninfo. Bon à Savoir belongs to Räz, Puls-Tipp to Gasche. Because K-Tipp is the largest company, the two still have their shareholdings there, but they no longer have any voting rights. I can therefore do as I please in future.
However, the new situation is not easy either: with Saldo and K-Tipp, you have two magazines with practically identical positioning. That doesn't make sense.
Schuhmacher: At the moment, the two magazines are still very close to each other, that's true. But if you create a clear positioning for each of the two titles, I am convinced that there will be an audience for both. Experience in French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino has also shown us this. When new consumer magazines appeared there in recent years, they didn't steal the thunder from the old ones in any way. In French-speaking Switzerland, for example, the circulation of J'achète mieux did not fall after Bon à Savoir was launched in 1997. Nota bene, the Beobachter did not lose anything either when Saldo was launched in February 1999. There is enormous interest in consumer issues.
Can you explain the recipe for how the two titles could be positioned away from each other?
Schuhmacher: I don't want to give the impression that we already have a finished concept on the table. We will be discussing and developing this together with the editorial teams over the coming weeks. Just this much: we want to provide more consumer information in future and avoid duplication in both magazines. We already have a lot of practice in this in the cooperation between Saldo and "Kassensturz". There, too, the rule is that the two editorial teams do not work on the same topic, have the same guides and do the same tests. That works very well. This model is now also being extended to K-Tipp. One thing is certain: the two editorial teams will remain separate. This is important because a competitive situation promotes quality.
How will you go about acquiring subscribers for the two titles in future? Who do you want to attract to which magazine? Or do you expect people to subscribe to both magazines at the same time?
Schuhmacher: It is quite conceivable that we will offer a combined subscription for both titles. Both magazines are published fortnightly and are very slim in terms of content. Reading a consumer title once a week would certainly be an attractive service for people who are interested in such topics.
But there is one major difference between the magazines: K-Tipp has advertising, Saldo has none. Will it stay that way?
Schuhmacher: Saldo will certainly remain ad-free, that's part of the concept of this title.
And the K-Tipp, which sometimes has advertising that is not always beyond reproach? For example, products such as wines are offered by mail order. You can't quite avoid the impression that the magazine occasionally advertises things,
which could also be a topic in the editorial section of the magazine. Are you going to change anything?
Schuhmacher: When I was still there, we had advertising guidelines for K-Tipp that excluded advertising for alcohol, for example. You can certainly discuss whether it makes sense to advertise alcohol in a consumer title. But before any definitive decisions are made, I want to analyze the situation thoroughly.
However, it is also a fact that the costs of KI Konsumenteninfo have risen significantly. Do you know the reasons for this cost increase?
Schuhmacher: At the moment, I only know this much: costs have risen sharply. I can only assess the exact reasons once I have analyzed the situation in detail. One reason was certainly the new competition Saldo, which caused the circulation of K-Tipp to stagnate and increased its mailing costs accordingly.
Where do you think you will be able to exploit savings potential in the future?
Schuhmacher: Especially in logistics. For example, we only need a guidebook mailing service. We only need a subscription management system for Saldo and K-Tipp. In the medium term, we will probably only need one print shop. There are certainly various areas where we can save money without having a negative impact on the service. Interview: Daniel Schifferle
