The business potential of the future lies in the service business

Best practice examples were provided by Sandra Lienhart (CEO, Bank Cler), Dr. Suzanne Thoma (CEO, BKW), Reinhard Ahlborn (Head of New Services and E-Mobility, BMW), Christoph Lang (Global Product Manager Software Solutions, Hilti) and Professor Manfred Bruhn (University of Basel), and despite the diversity of possible solutions presented, common denominators emerged. It became clear that, more than ever, customer benefit must be the driver of developments in the service business. In addition, networking and cooperation with competent and agile partners are among the key success factors. And last but not least, changes of this dimension require unconditional "top-down commitment".

Systematic business development is often neglected

"In the course of digitalization, systematic business development is often neglected. The result is digitalized processes and services that don't work and don't benefit the customer. What is needed here is professional service business development and, above all, the willingness and ability to develop new business models using new forms of analysis and an experimental learning approach," said Professor Manfred Bruhn, summing up the current situation in the service business in his introductory speech.

Optimization of the equipment fleet

Christoph Lang presented a possible design for this with the asset management solution "Hilti ON! Track". An offer based on the intelligent combination of software, hardware and service to optimize the equipment fleet, which contributes to increasing efficiency and productivity. Bank Cler relies on a combination of digital service and physical presence, with its "ZAK" app responding to the need for a free digital bank that focuses on core functions and is geared towards the target group of young professionals. Personal advice is still available for more complex banking transactions.

Despite digitalization: increasing focus on customers and employees

Reinhard Ahlborn illustrated just how crucial the choice of the right or suitable partners is for a successful service business with "SBB Green Class", a joint offering from BMW (Schweiz) AG, SBB and various other companies in the mobility sector. For its part, BKW AG, Switzerland's third-largest energy company, is responding to the upheavals in the electricity market by transforming itself into a service company. In the concluding panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Mareike Ahlers, Managing Director of Professor Bruhn & Partner AG, it became clear that despite all the digitalization, or precisely because of it, companies are increasingly focusing on customers and employees.The DLM Forum was initiated by the strategy and marketing consultancy Prof. Bruhn & Partner AG, the MAS Marketing Management at the University of Basel and the two professors Manfred Bruhn (University of Basel) and Karsten Hadwich (University of Hohenheim) in order to specifically promote the exchange between science and practice.