What makes you happy in customer contact?
Chantal Stäuble: Exceeding customer expectations. Also, the trust placed in us and when working together is fun.
Christian Eichenberger: Additionally, when the cooperation is on a level playing field and with mutual respect.
Stefan Widmer: For me it's gaining trust, finding solutions and the variety. Because all customers and their challenges are very different.
What is one of the best experiences you have had in a customer project?
Chantal Stäuble: A standing ovation at a project delivery!
Stefan Widmer: For me, it was one or the other project closing party.
Markus Dietrich: The user who said: "This is the best thing I've ever gotten here!"
What does Co-Create mean to you?
Chantal Stäuble: Creating more value together.
Markus Dietrich: Yes, that’s how I see it, too. Finding the best solution together for our customers’ customers.
Christian Eichenberger: For me, co-creation is an attitude. I am convinced that the best solutions are created when different people with different perspectives participate. That's why I see every collaboration with customers as co-creation in principle.
What does innovation / innovating in partnership mean to you?
Christian Eichenberger: I think innovation happens when different people with different backgrounds develop ideas together. Therefore, partnership is central for me. I think that if each partner contributes their expertise (the digitalization expertise from us, the industry knowledge from the partner), the chances of success for innovative solutions are great.
Markus Dietrich: Agree. We know the technological possibilities and the customers know their business. Together, we find the best solution for digital products.
Chantal Stäuble: For me, innovation means (further) development, whether it's improving what already exists and building on it or also (repeatedly) reinventing oneself. This makes it possible to create more value in the partnership, both in width and in depth.
What is important in a project? What do you pay attention to?
Chantal Stäuble: Developing solutions from a longer-term perspective, not just innovative (and 'hip') but sustainable, secure and focused on long-term success. Which can also lead to questioning a short-term lucrative assignment, in terms of better solutions from the customer's perspective.
Stefan Widmer: For me, the goal and purpose must be clear. It should bring a benefit to the company.
What makes Netcetera stand out? Can you give an example?
Markus Dietrich: Netcetera lives engineering with passion and seeks the best technological solution for a business problem.
Christian Eichenberger: Nicely put! From my point of view, our expertise and experience in software development is enormous. However, this alone is no guarantee for success. I think we are characterized by the fact that people are at the centre of everything we do. I feel this every working day. This applies both internally with regard to our employees and externally in the cooperation with our customers. We want to make people happy and do not leave our customers or our employees hanging. In the projects we bring in our expertise and our ideas so that the customer discovers further potential.
An example: A customer asked us if we could offer him the development of an interface between two systems. Already in the first discussions we realize that a simple interface will not solve his problem in the medium term. Therefore, we work out further solutions and concepts with the customer already in this early phase. Furthermore, we identify together with the customer that the developed idea definitely has the potential to generate added value as a product for other companies as well. This has resulted in a partnership in which we work together on this product idea.
What does it mean to have a co-create mindset? Why is that important?
Stefan Widmer: For me, a co-create mindset includes higher-level thinking. We want to create joint benefits and act as partners. Away from the classic customer/vendor constellation.
Chantal Stäuble: Yes, exactly. Co-create is important because it means that the best solutions are created together and that one's own challenges are also shared by others. This creates added value beyond a single company – thinking and acting in eco-systems.
Markus Dietrich: In addition, openness and the will to listen to the other person and to understand the task at hand are also important.
What are typical stumbling blocks?
Stefan Widmer: I see typical stumbling blocks as not knowing the goal, not being flexible or having a purely monetary drive. Keywords like detailitis, know-it-all-itis, unrealistic expectations, or ignoring facts also come to mind.
Markus Dietrich: For me: Wanting too much, just as much as staying too caught up in everyday life. To reproduce a piece of writing electronically can be the solution, but most of the time you need the courage to take the big view.
Chantal Stäuble: Getting lost in the technical details and planning for too long, instead of moving quickly into implementation after an analysis phase, are what I see as the biggest stumbling blocks. An iterative learning by doing approach is much more successful.
What do you miss most during Covid?
Stefan Widmer: Personal contact
Chantal Stäuble: Me too! Personal contact. The uncomplicated things like getting all the people in one room and celebrating successes!
Markus Dietrich: I also miss the personal contact with our customers, but also with colleagues.
Christian Eichenberger: Yes, the direct contact with people to discuss things, to work things out or simply to exchange ideas. We have conducted a lot of ideation workshops online. With the technologies available today, this is eminently possible. However, it is only a limited substitute for face-to-face collaboration and the "feeling" of working on something together at a white board.