Telecommunications service provider mobilezone has expanded its Swiss management team and two new members as of June 1, 2021. With this, the company aims to strengthen the areas of Product Management and Digital/E-Commerce, according to a statement to the media.

The extended management of mobilezone

The new members of the Executive Board are Christoph Gisler. He is the new Director Product Management and looks back on a wealth of experience. Prior to his appointment at mobilezone, he developed a digital sales channel for Switzerland's largest mountain sports platform in 2015 and supported the sales and key account management area in the development of siroop.ch from 2016 to 2018. From 2018 to 2020, he managed sales and marketing at Jamei AG. From 2020, he was responsible for marketing and sales for the specialist retail sector at Alltron AG as a member of the management team.

Secondly, Raffaele Sutter was appointed as the new Director Digital. Sutter also has extensive expertise. From 2013 to 2017, he headed the Digital & E-Commerce Competence Center at Migros Industrie. Since 2017, he has been responsible for the online area at Coop as well as the strategic orientation of coop.ch as a member of the management team.

Claudio Barandun complements the management Switzerland

Claudio Barandun will also join the management team in Switzerland as Managing Director of the subsidiary mobiletouch as of August 10, 2021. Claudio Barandun has many years of experience in the service sector and was previously Head of Service Center at Bachmann Mobile Kommunikation AG and Head of Repair at ALSO Switzerland. Since 2020, he has been a member of the Executive Board at Revendo. Claudio Barandun succeeds Peter Poulsen, who left the company in June 2021.

The mobilezone Group, founded in 1999, employs around 1,200 people at its sites in Rotkreuz, Urnäsch, Zweidlen, Berlin, Bochum, Cologne and Münster. Its offering includes a full range of cell phones and rate plans for mobile and fixed-network telephony, digital TV and Internet from all providers.

Source and further information

What is one of the most important cores of marketing? It is the desire that a customer, once convinced of a company or a product, should stay as long as possible and not migrate to potential competitors. The reason for this is extremely simple: such a customer is not only considered to be much easier to handle, but also usually causes noticeably lower costs with higher sales - typically, the cost ratio of new to existing customers is therefore around 5:1. Not least for this reason referral marketing still works so well.

However, it must be clear that what keeps a customer after an initial, positive experience is, above all, consistently high quality in all respects. Establishing and adhering to quality standards is therefore a responsibility that should not be skimped on under any circumstances. This applies above all to the following points, which are largely generally valid (= independent of the industry):

1. a uniform, consistent approach to communication

Customer and company want to communicate, must communicate. No matter in which specific way. However, this is precisely where many companies tend to outsource their customers after a certain (short) period of time.

When it comes to convincing new customers, the front line of canvassers is often called upon. Professionals in communication and product knowledge. They can captivate a previously undecided customer, convince him - and, above all, instill in him an expectation about how to communicate with this company.

In the further course, however, the aforementioned outsourcing then takes place out of false thrift: The customer is passed on to other communication partners, often these are actually third-party companies to which the (existing) customer support has been outsourced.

This is fatal, because the staff there cannot communicate as personally and effectively as the customer is used to. Moreover, it also goes against the trend, because excessive outsourcing has long been considered outdated.

Best Practice: Ideally, a customer should receive the same high-quality communication at all times with the same contact persons. At the very least, however, the support of valuable existing customers should not be mindlessly outsourced.

2. reliable, safe delivery at any time

Deliveries of goods are a significant cost factor - and not only because the B2B area has long been part of the packaging law. No, of course they cost both the shipping company and, depending on delivery conditions, the recipient good money, because typically suppliers are interposed.

A great many companies have already experienced severe slumps in this area in recent times. Primarily because they switched to more economical alternatives, either in terms of the type of packaging or the delivery service provider.

Now this does not mean that thriftiness is fundamentally worse; however, it often results in quality losses, especially when it comes to delivery - later or more unpredictable deliveries, sometimes even battered shipping boxes or - the marketing super-GAU - a product damaged by the supplier or the delivery and transport conditions.

Best Practice: Deliveries or their conditions may only change at the same level, but better only in the direction of even greater quality. This begins with a constant high quality protection of the goods through consistently transport-safe packaging and extends to cooperation with transport service providers where lower costs are not at the expense of everything else.

3. written down and bindingly communicated rules

One employee familiarly addresses existing customers by their first name, while another treats them as if they were an unknown new customer; one employee works in a customer-oriented manner, while the other is more company-oriented.

It's inconsistencies like these that can quickly cause disagreement among existing customers. Because although they are in contact with one and the same company every time, it sometimes feels different to them each time.

Best Practice: Quality standards are only as good as those who have to comply with them - i.e. those who are actually in contact with customers or ensure that they are satisfied by goods or services. Accordingly, all quality standards must be standardized. Every employee must know them in detail, be trained in them again and again. And there must be zero tolerance for deviations. The qualitystandard means that the quality always remains the same.

However, this also involves evaluating the specifications again and again, exposing sources of error - and also questioning those who ultimately have to implement the standards before they are introduced. Here, networking within the company with positive feedback loops is unspeakably valuable.

4. the pursuit of recognized certifications and their use

Many quality standards can only be internal to a company, as they are an important unique selling point that sets a company apart from all its competitors. However, this is definitely not a universal rule.

In fact, it makes tremendous sense to have quality standards certified, especially when they are industry-wide or even exceed them. A prominent example of this is everything, what is covered by ISO 9001 falls. To be certified under it, the following steps are necessary:

1. The selection of a certifying service provider takes place. Here, many companies are represented on the market.
2. An in-house pre-audit will be held to explain the details.
3. This is followed by two audit stages, which clarify the actual state in the house.
4. Based on this, either measures are defined and processed, or direct certification takes place.
5. The certification is reviewed every three years.

The primary advantage of such certifications is that companies can establish uniform, international quality standards. However, many certificates lead to an entry in officially visible lists - this in turn can be used as a secondary advantage for external presentation. Perhaps not with existing customers, but certainly with new ones.

Best Practice: In the case of quality standards, it should always be examined to what extent they can be officially certified. Firstly, because this allows good things to be made even better. Second, because official certificates have a strong, positive signal effect on the outside. Of course, these processes cost money, which is the exact opposite of frugality, but it is usually money well spent.

Author:
Heiner Jahnen has been working in the field of content management for over 20 years.

At the KMU Swiss Symposium, successful personalities from various sectors and industries speak about their experiences in a practical and timely manner. They illuminate and discuss the conference topic from different perspectives on keywords such as industry, trade, money, security, law, personnel, association and sport. Due to the pandemic, the last symposium, originally planned for March 2020, could not be held.

KMU Swiss Symposium: Over 300 participants expected

The next KMU Swiss Symposium will take place on Thursday 2 September in the Campus Hall Culture + Congresses in Brugg-Windisch. This year's theme deals with the upheaval in the economy and society, which is very appropriate to what has been experienced in recent months. According to the organizers, around 300-400 participants are expected, including various guests of honor and personalities from business and politics. "Our guests appreciate the high practical relevance of the presentations," says Armin Baumann, initiator of KMU Swiss

Conference Topic: Upheaval in Economy and Society

"The only constant is change!" is often heard. Currently, much is in upheaval or questioned. This leads to the fact that certainly an upheaval in economy and society will take place and will be accelerated by the pandemic. This will happen earlier for some people and later for others. What will be the challenges we encounter in our private, business and social environment? There will certainly be losers and winners. Those who participate will certainly belong to the second group.

Famous personalities on stage

The following entrepreneurial personalities provide lasting impressions:

• Werner van Gent (Co-Founder Treffpunkt Orient and Reporter SRF
• Beni Huggel (young entrepreneur and former Swiss football player)
• Atilla Vuran (Founder PONTEA AG)
• Rolf Härdi (CTIO DB Group Management)
• Daniel Fiechter (CIO STOBAG AG, Lecturer MAS Industry 4.0, FFHS)
• Britta Pukall (Founder milani design & consulting AG)
• Rafael Waber (Managing Director SwissShrimp AG)

For more information on the speakers, please visit www.kmuswiss.ch/symposium

Especially after the corona-induced home office obligation, not only freelancers and startups, but also more and more employed knowledge workers discover coworking as an ideal alternative to the home office.

Work model of the future

In Switzerland, the Coworking Switzerland association is promoting the coworking movement. Its members are convinced that society is facing unprecedented economic, environmental, social and cultural challenges - recent developments and experiences from the Covid 19 pandemic have visibly confirmed this. Coworking is redefining the way we work, they say, by connecting people in a professional work environment that enables interactions and collaborations. Furthermore, coworking enables companies to overcome distances and thus better tap into the labor market and be more competitive. Employees can reduce commuting, better balance their professional and personal lives, and increase their own productivity.

Trying it out on International Coworking Day

For International Coworking Day on August 9, CreativeSpace, an operator of coworking spaces in St.Gallen and Zurich, invites anyone tired of home office or commuting stress to try coworking for free on that date - at both locations. On the first Friday of every month, there will also be an opportunity to try out coworking and see what the "new normal" in a coworking space might look like, says Claudius Krucker, founder of CreativeSpace and co-president of the Swiss Coworking Association. Accordingly, he is looking forward to welcoming new taster coworkers.

Coworking becomes "normal

It is foreseeable that coworking will become an important part of the new normal after the pandemic. In addition, seven federal parliamentarians already signed a postulate last year that 100000 coworking workplaces should be established in Switzerland by 2030.

More information: Coworking Switzerland

What will the SME of the future look like? How can companies change so that the working world 4.0 becomes reality? In the digital age, new strategies and tools are needed. The guidebook "Arbeitswelt 4.0: Das KMU der Zukunft" (Working World 4.0: The SME of the Future), published in the Beobachter edition, uses numerous practical examples to show how new, innovative business models are developed and implemented. Newer working methods such as design thinking and agile project management are explained clearly in this book.

Practical tips for the SME of the future

Transformation is above all also a cultural process. The way work is done and how people want to work is changing. That's why the guidebook also focuses on the design of the work environment, leadership and collaboration, and recruitment, and it highlights the value of a strong corporate culture in the age of social collaboration and blended and remote work.

The book is intended as a guide for a broad readership: whether as an entrepreneur, freelancer, employer, self-employed person or manager - the practice-oriented work introduces readers to the working world 4.0 as an interplay of people, technologies and working environments. The content focuses on:

• What is digital transformation and what do I need to consider for my company? With step-by-step instructions for the transition to the working world 4.0
• The future of recruiting and personnel management: Which competencies are important? How do I recruit? Social media, mobile recruiting? And once you have found your employees: How do I lead in the working world 4.0?
• Where and when do my employees and I work? Everything about the flexible workplace, home office and modern working time arrangements
• Virtual collaboration: Many useful tools for digital meetings, IT-supported communication, social collaboration, and answers to questions about data protection and IT security.
• Legal framework including sample clauses for employment contracts with your homeworkers

The authors

Nicole Krättli is a multimedia journalist and book author. As part of her journalistic work, she regularly deals with the digitalization of the working world and the economic, social and legal consequences arising from these changes. Marc K. Peter is a professor at the FHNW School of Business and has supported many companies with their digital strategies and projects. His topics include digital transformation, IT security and the working world 4.0. He is also co-author of the book "IT security for SMEs" from the same publisher.

Working world 4.0
Nicole Krättli, Marc K. Peter
232 pages, softcover,
CHF 48.- , 1st edition, August 2021
ISBN 978-3-03875-379-7
Observer Edition

The financial services provider Valiant is continuing its growth course: After the first half of 2021, a consolidated profit of 61.2 million francs can be reported, which corresponds to an increase of 1.8 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. Valiant increases operating income by 4.1 percent to CHF 211.3 million. It increased its operating profit by 0.2 percent to 74.1 million francs.

Strong in core business

Valiant's figures are positive mainly in the interest business. The financial services provider was able to increase gross income from the interest business by 4.4 percent to 169.5 million Swiss francs, while interest expenses continued to decline significantly. The active balance sheet structure management as well as the issuance of covered bonds contributed significantly to this, Valiant announced. Valiant has a high-quality and robust credit portfolio. In the first half of 2021, Valiant formed default risk-related value adjustments in the amount of CHF 6.8 million. The interest business resulted in net income of CHF 162.7 million, which Valiant thus increased by 5.3 percent compared to the same period last year.

Valiant increased the result from the commission and service business by 2.6 percent to 32.3 million francs. Strengthening the securities and investment business and hiring additional specialists is paying off, according to Valiant. The bank increased commission income from the securities and investment business by 7.3 percent to 23.8 million francs compared to the same period last year. Other ordinary income decreased by CHF 3.2 million (27.6 percent) to CHF 8.5 million due to lower income from investments. Income from trading operations increased by CHF 2.5 million (46.1 percent) to CHF 7.8 million.

Valiant achieved growth of 3.1 percent in client loans, thus reaching its annual growth target of at least 3 percent after just six months. As of mid-2021, customer loans amount to CHF 26.7 billion. Customer deposits increase by 3.4 percent to CHF 21.8 billion.

Further growth course through expansion

Valiant is also accelerating its geographical expansion from Lake Geneva to Lake Constance. The new openings of the branches in Zurich Oerlikon and in Liestal in the first half of 2021 will be followed by further new locations. In the fall of 2021, the offices in Bülach, Frauenfeld and Wohlen AG will be inaugurated. The bank has already found additional locations in Wädenswil, Winterthur, Uster, Meilen and Pully. A total of 14 additional branches are to be opened by 2024. This will create 170 full-time positions, 140 of which will be in customer advisory services. Since 2017, 44 percent of the growth in customer loans can be attributed to the new locations, Valiant says. As part of the expansion and investments in digitalization, operating expenses will increase by 5.6 percent to CHF 125.8 million in the first half of 2021.

For the second half of the financial year, Valiant continues to expect a stable business development. It relies on a strong liquidity and capital base and a stable business model. For the year 2021, Valiant expects a Group profit in line with the previous year.

The exact figures can be found here: valiant.ch/results 

Bank WIR presents a good result for the first half of 2021. Thus, the profit could be increased: It amounts to around 11 million francs compared to 10.5 million francs in the previous year. There was also a 6.3 percent increase in mortgage loans. They amount to over 4.1 billion francs. Total assets amount to 5.87 billion francs, which is 2.9 percent more than in the same period last year. According to CEO Bruno Stiegeler, the growth on the credit side came about despite a very conservative financing policy. "We continue to reduce risks and pursue a prudent provisioning and value adjustment policy," he commented. Bank WIR is also growing customer deposits by 3.0 percent to CHF 4.2 billion/CHW, according to its 2021 half-year results.

Gain on marketable securities

Bank WIR's capital base also far exceeds regulatory requirements, the financial institution further announces. Measured against the capital adequacy requirements under Basel III, the BIS ratio as of June 30 is 16 percent (regulatory target: 11.2 percent), and the leverage ratio is 8.1 percent (regulatory target: 3 percent). This security and stability is also reflected in the confidence of capital providers, the statement added. The ordinary share of Bank WIR has increased by 26 francs or 6.5 percent since the beginning of the year (plus dividend distribution of 10.25 francs). The previous year's performance of 8.4 percent was already impressive.

As the markets have developed favorably, Bank WIR's trading result is also positive. Following a loss in the same period last year, the financial institution posted a profit of CHF 9.8 million as of mid-2021. "We traditionally and deliberately invest part of our rock-solid base of own funds in securities that are broadly diversified in all respects - naturally with a clear focus on first-class Swiss securities," explains Mathias Thurneysen, CFO of Bank WIR.

Hardly any impact of Covid crisis on half-year results

The operating result is characterized by a strong interest business. Gross interest income increased by CHF 1.7 million to CHF 33.5 million (+5.5 percent). "In an interest rate environment that remains difficult, it was possible to maintain the margin and expand income," CEO Stiegeler said with satisfaction. Income from commission business with the complementary currency WIR decreased by 1 million francs. There is a good reason for this: "Against the background of the Covid crisis and the associated lockdown, which hit quite a number of sectors with full force, we deliberately calculated one-off reductions in income. In the course of the business-friendly, very successful #zusammenstark campaign for WIR additional sales, we waived half of the network contribution for six months," explains Stiegeler. "This substantial amount has directly benefited SMEs."

On the road to success with digitization

Bank WIR continues to go on the offensive in terms of digitalization. Already in 2017, the first fully digital securities pension solution was launched (VIAC). This is on track for success: VIAC currently has around 51,000 customers (previous year: 28,000) with assets under management of around CHF 1.4 billion (previous year: CHF 500 million). In the first six months of this year alone, according to Bank WIR, a further 10,000 customers with more than 500 million francs in assets under management have been added. "This rapid growth is having a lasting impact on Bank WIR's earnings," says Stiegeler, who holds out the prospect of another innovation around VIAC later this year.

Source and further information: Bank WE

Cloud, networking and security solutions provider VMware recently released its latest "Global Incident Response Threat" report. This shows how cybercriminals are manipulating reality to create a new dimension to the threat landscape. That is, attacks are being carried out with increasingly advanced technology and are becoming more destructive. For example, business communications are increasingly being compromised, timing information is being manipulated, and overall digital reality is being distorted. With the shift to the home office, 32 percent of respondents in the report experienced attackers using corporate communications platforms to navigate the corporate environment and develop sophisticated attack patterns.

Attacks on the cloud are also on the rise

What's particularly troubling is that cybercriminals are not simply lone perpetrators. "Today, we are seeing increasing interconnectedness between nation-states and cybercriminals, leading to increasingly sophisticated and destructive cyberattacks - and COVID-19 is adding to that," said Tom Kellermann, Head of Cybersecurity Strategy at VMware. For example, in 64 percent of ransomware attack cases, cooperation between different ransomware groups could be detected. Following the rush to the cloud in the wake of the pandemic, cybercriminals are also increasingly trying to exploit these environments. Nearly half (43 percent) of respondents reported that more than a third of attacks target cloud workloads, with nearly a quarter (22 percent) reporting more than half. For this reason, 6 in 10 respondents believe that implementing cloud security tools is a top priority. "The digital and physical worlds are merging more and more, so really anything can be manipulated by savvy hackers. In reality, cybercriminals on the dark web or in intelligence agencies are often the ones who use cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning first," warns Kellermann.

Cybercriminals push defenders to their limits

This situation is increasingly pushing defenses to their limits. To be sure, defenses against cyberattacks are expanding, with 81 percent of respondents saying they plan to focus on an active defense strategy in the next 12 months. But the "Global Incident Response Threat" report also finds that defenders are struggling with mental health issues and increased expectations of their work. Fifty-one percent have experienced extreme stress or burnout in the past year, it says. "Burnout is a big problem for incident response teams who have to handle immense spikes in requests in a largely remote environment," says Rick McElroy, principal cybersecurity strategist at VMware. "This further underscores the importance of building resilient teams for leaders, whether through work rotation, additional vacation days to bolster mental health, or other initiatives to strengthen personal development."

Source: VMware

ICT talent is in high demand in the so-called "Crypto Valley" in the canton of Zug: 960 companies already employ over 5,000 people there and in the rest of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. But the rapidly growing field of crypto technology calls for even more young professionals. By 2028, more than 117,000 new professionals will be needed across the IT industry. This also requires sufficient training positions.

How blockchain teaching is shaping up

The two Zug IT companies Inacta and CV VC are now acting to meet their need for specialists. The aim is to promote young talent with attractive apprenticeships. Together with the education company TIE International, also based in Zug, they are therefore designing Switzerland's first blockchain apprenticeship. This builds on the IT and mediamatics apprenticeship, expanded to include a focus on blockchain technology. This means that IT training is supplemented with topics such as fintech, crypto and smart contracts. From the 2nd year of the apprenticeship, the apprentices work in their training company and gain their first experience in the blockchain environment.

Breaking up educational structures

Speaking about the motivations that led to this blockchain apprenticeship, Barbara Surber, Co-Founder and COO of TIE International, says: "We have been working hard to break down educational structures in the field of blockchain technology and to be able to train ICT professionals in this environment in a very targeted way." And Jennifer Arman, Head Corporate Center at Inacta adds, "We see blockchain as one of the technologies of the future. We see it as our responsibility to nurture young and interested talent in this field. With the newly established Blockchain apprenticeship, we want to lay the foundation for a solid basic education in the heart of Crypto Valley."

Two apprentices for the time being

Throughout the four years of training, Inacta will be in close contact with its apprentice and with TIE International. CV VC, a private investment company that provides seed funding to startups, is also training a Mediamatik EFZ apprentice with a focus on blockchain starting this August.

Sources and further information: TIE International, Inacta, CV VC

A few days ago, I once again had the dubious pleasure of speaking on the phone with the marketing manager of a major service company, who had come across our website while Googling. After the conversation, my ears were ringing. Because the statements of the marketing manager were so peppered with "Anglicisms" and "buzz words" from the (online) marketing field that I - although I am not uninformed in this regard - had trouble understanding:

• What does the man actually want? And:
• So where does the shoe pinch for his company?

Dear marketing expert, I don't understand you!

This began with his statement at the opening of the conversation that his company was currently conducting a "review" of how it could increase the "impact" of its "marketing activities" by optimizing its "targeting strategy". I had to mentally translate that statement for myself, and after that I wondered, "Why doesn't the man just say we're currently studying how to increase the impact of our marketing efforts on our core target audiences?"

When I asked what he specifically meant by this, he replied that the primary goal was to increase "brand awareness" and "lead generation" through "sales funnels." I had to mentally translate that statement, too, but I understood it, although I probably would have been more likely to say, "We want to increase our awareness among our target customers and the number of their responses and inquiries." And to describe the how, instead of the buzz-word "sales funnel," I probably would have used the term "sales funnel," which every salesperson knows.

Dear marketing expert, do you yourself understand what you are talking about?

But this was just the beginning. The deeper we got into the subject matter, the more anglicisms and technical terms from the online marketing and SEO sector flew around my ears - so many that I sometimes asked myself: Does the man himself actually still understand what he's saying? In part, I only guessed. That's why, for example, after our phone call I first Googled the term "link juice", because I was unsure exactly what he meant when we talked about online PR, website optimization and link building on websites.

Why am I writing this here? For one simple reason: I know from many self-employed people such as consultants, trainers and coaches that they often feel the same way after talking to so-called online marketing and SEO experts as I do after talking to the marketing manager:

• Your ears are ringing and
• they have the feeling "Apparently I'm living behind the moon in the marketing field because I either don't understand or only partially understand what these experts tell me in the tone of full conviction."

Accordingly, they are often unsettled after the talks and ask themselves: Have I slept through the train of time?

Dear marketing expert, how fit are you in terms of craftsmanship?

My impression is that these experts often have little idea of the practical marketing craft (not to use the term "operative doing"), and they present facts that are only assumptions or presumptions.

This was evident, for example, in my conversation with the marketing manager of the globally active service company, who certainly has a degree from a renowned private university in his pocket and spent some time studying in the USA:

• He does not know the difference between a press release and a (technical) article; at least he used these terms synonymously (excuse the foreign word!).
• He assumes that publishing articles in print and online media works similarly to placing ads, yet there is a world of difference.
• He is rock solidly convinced that he knows what you have to do to get a website found well on the web and to have lots of active followers in social media, even though neither Google, nor Facebook, nor YouTube, nor LinkedIn have ever disclosed their algorithms, which is why all credos in this area are either more or less well-founded assumptions or subjective empirical values.
• At least unconsciously, he harbors the mistaken belief that marketing in the B2B sector works like marketing in the B2C sector and that industrial goods and services can be marketed like clothes and makeup, which is why he is totally "into" social media, which - according to his credo - "the future belongs to".
• ......

Dear marketing expert, to what extent do you understand my business?

The situation is often similar with the so-called online marketing, social media and SEO experts: at least of B2B sales, they usually have little idea. And they may be experts in their special discipline, but they are mostly unaware that, for example.

• the consulting market, which is primarily made up of small companies, ticks quite differently from the automotive market, for example, in which there are a maximum of a dozen manufacturers, and
• most consulting services in the B2B sector cannot be sold like shoes at Zalando.

That's why many problem solutions they offer may be suitable for corporations and branded companies as well as web stores, but at least for consultants working in the B2B sector, they usually don't fit.

Dear marketing expert, please talk so that I understand you!

Therefore my recommendation to you as a self-employed person or consultant, trainer, coach. Don't be put off by the many Anglicisms and technical terms (such as Rankingvalue and Linkjuice, Pillar-Page and Topic-Cluster, Landingpage and Sales-Funnel,....) that marketing consultants often use: What distinguishes a good and experienced consultant, but also trainer and coach? Among other things, that he can explain complex issues in generally understandable terms, because this is - so I am convinced - a sign that he has understood and "digested", i.e. lived through and processed things. So be wary of all consultants who maltreat your ears with "marketing Chinese".

To the author:
Bernhard Kuntz is managing director of PRofilBerater GmbH, Darmstadt, which supports education and consulting providers in marketing their services. Among other things, he is the author of the education and consulting marketing reference books "Selling a Cat in a Bag" and "Fat Booty for Trainers and Consultants". www.die-profilberater.de

The Federal Council's announcement of the relaxation of Corona measures at the beginning of June was met with great expectations on the part of topsoft. Various software providers were immediately prepared to participate in the topsoft trade fair at the beginning of September (we reported on it). Unfortunately, the incidence values are now picking up again. No one knows how things will look after the summer vacations. "Whether under these circumstances enough visitors would be willing to participate in a life event is questionable. Thus, the uncertainty among exhibitors became greater again," write the organizers of the IT trade fair in a media release.

"Although a large number of exhibitors have registered in the short time available, we consider the risk of holding a live event of this size to be too high at present," explains topsoft exhibition manager Cyrill Schmid. "In the end, it's about the health of the exhibitors and trade fair visitors, but it's also about the quality of the event. The increasing planning uncertainty makes it very difficult to hold an event that meets the demands."

This awareness ultimately led to the decision to postpone this year's topsoft trade fair to June 22/23, 2022. The venue will still be the Umwelt Arena Schweiz in Spreitenbach.

More information: topsoft

Preference calculations in trade with the United Kingdom (UK) remain a challenge for Swiss exporters. However, as of June 9, 2021 and September 1, 2021, there will be some relief. What has changed in 2021 and what do Swiss exporters need to bear in mind to ensure that their goods pass through customs smoothly?

Goods produced in Switzerland with exports to the UK

Until now, problems with preference calculations have arisen, among other things, because the bilateral Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) between the EU and the UK is not congruent in all aspects with the bilateral agreement between Switzerland and the UK. This mainly concerns the rules of origin. Swiss exporters had to contend with two major disadvantages: goods with preferential Swiss origin could be imported into the UK at preferential or duty-free rates, depending on the relevant customs tariff number. But compared to EU companies exporting to GB, Swiss companies had to meet stricter origin criteria:

1. In the agreed trade agreement between Switzerland and GB of February 11, 2019 (in force since January 1, 2021), "stricter" rules of origin applied than for EU countries. As a rule, only a value added of 60 - 70 percent led to a Swiss origin of the goods.
2. Input materials from the EU and Turkey used in production were classified as third country.

As of June 9, 2021, the disadvantage listed under point 2 no longer applies. The input materials from the EU and Turkey can now be added (cumulated) to the Swiss origin.

With the intended accession of GB to the revised PEM Convention (Pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin) on September 1, 2021, the second disadvantage - point 1 - will also cease to apply. The revised PEM Convention provides for "more liberal" rules of origin. As a rule, a value added of 50 percent is sufficient to obtain the origin of the goods. As a result, Swiss exporters will once again have equal footing with companies in the EU from September 1, 2021.

Trade agreement 2021: Apply old or new provisions?

The Swiss exporter can also choose whether to apply the new or the old rules from September 1, 2021. If he opts for the new, liberal rules, he must actively confirm this in the first shipment - by noting the new origin text. The origin text is supplemented with the additional words ".... according to the transitional rules for origin .... ". See the example of the text of the new declaration of origin:

The exporter (Approved Exporter; Authorization No. .........) of the goods covered by this commercial document declares that, unless otherwise indicated, these goods are preferential ................. originating goods in accordance with the transitional rules of origin.

Reexport of EU and Turkish goods by Swiss companies

The so-called through trade, i.e. the onward shipment of unchanged, preferential origin goods from the EU and Turkey is still not possible. If the Swiss exporter sends goods with EU and Turkish origin to the UK, he still cannot issue a preferential proof of origin. As a result, the recipient in the UK will have to pay customs duty. If the EU origin goods are transported directly from the EU to the UK, the import is duty-free.

Conclusion: Get support from logistics service providers

In view of the changes in the law, Swiss exporters should update their supplier information and check preference calculations and proofs of origin in detail before shipping. Internationally active forwarders in Switzerland, such as Dachser Spedition AG, offer their customers comprehensive support in this regard. The goal is to get shipments across customs borders to the UK smoothly, legally compliant, on time, and, if necessary, with a formally valid proof of origin.

Author
Mario Caccivio is Customs Representative European Logistics at Dachser Spedition AG (Switzerland). www.dachser.ch