By applying to the District Court in Bülach (Canton of Zurich) for the opening of a provisional debt-restructuring moratorium, the Board of Directors and the Management of Bruno Piatti AG intend to continue the restructuring process initiated at the beginning of the year and to secure the turnaround. This is stated in a press release sent out on July 27. The company with the two brands Forster Küchen and Piatti is a subsidiary of the German ALNO AG, one of the largest kitchen manufacturers in Germany.

The restructuring measures implemented at Bruno Piatti AG since the beginning of January 2017 are showing initial successes in securing operations, according to the company. Despite these successes, the Board of Directors is required to file an application for provisional debt-restructuring moratorium due to the legacy issues and the associated high liquidity requirements, it adds. With this application, the Board of Directors, together with the Management Board and the management of ALNO AG, is pursuing the goal of continuing Bruno Piatti AG profitably after completion of the restructuring process. Bruno Piatti's current strong market position as one of the largest kitchen manufacturers in Switzerland is thus to be secured.

Source: AFP Kitchens AG

According to the Michael Page Swiss Job Index (July 2017), demand for investment and private bankers as well as IT and insurance specialists has reached an annual high. The number of job offers for these occupational groups increased by up to one-third since the beginning of the year. Across Switzerland, an average of +10.7 % more jobs have been advertised since the start of the year. Between June and July 2017, the number of job vacancies decreased by -1.5 % across Switzerland. This seasonal decline was particularly pronounced in French-speaking Switzerland (-13.7 %), while it was significantly lower in German-speaking Switzerland (+0.3 %).

"Financial services firms are looking for high-revenue specialists and operational efficiency experts. We are seeing strong demand for investment bankers with a track record of attracting profitable customers, as well as private bankers with strong customer portfolios. On the operational side, there continues to be a high demand for IT specialists with banking experience and specific systems expertise. Due to important regulatory programs such as FATCA and MiFID II, demand in this area has increased even more," explains Nicolai Mikkelsen, Director at Michael Page.

The canton of Zurich recorded the highest growth in job postings between June and July 2017 (+2.3 %), while the number of job postings for all occupational groups decreased in the Lake Geneva region (-17.3 %).

Source and further information: www.michaelpage.ch

Annually, global business travel provider Carlson Wagonlit Travel and the GBTA Foundation jointly publish a Global Travel Forecast. The latest edition predicts a 3.5 percent increase in global airfares for 2018. Hotel prices are expected to rise by 3.7 percent, rail, bus and cab by 0.6 percent - significantly less than the three percent inflation expected for 2018. "The higher prices reflect the economic recovery and rising demand," said Kurt Ekert, president and chief executive officer of Carlson Wagonlit Travel. "The global numbers in this forecast can be seen as meaningful and leading indicators of what 2018 holds for businesses - we expect higher spending." However, according to Jeanne Liu, vice president of research at the GBTA Foundation, geopolitical risks, uncertainties in emerging markets and the ever-changing political environment in Europe and the U.S. mean travel managers need to consider more issues than ever before when designing their travel programs.

Flight forecasts for 2018

The upward trend in global airfares results from rising crude oil prices despite expectations that airlines will increase capacity by six percent in 2018. Contributing to the complication of airfares is the increasing segmentation of base fares by major airlines. Travelers now have a choice between restricted basic economy fares and various upgrade fares that include different services and prices depending on the airline. For the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region, the 2018 Global Travel Forecast expects air travel to grow, with fares rising 7.1 percent in Eastern Europe and 5.5 percent in Western Europe. Countries in the Middle East and Africa, however, need only expect price increases of three percent, as they continue to face security threats and the oil sector is still recovering. Prices in Switzerland, on the other hand, are expected to fall by up to 2.6 percent. Currency fluctuations in Europe may also further affect airfares. Against the backdrop of limited competition and the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Eastern Europe could again see the most significant price increases for business travel.

In the Asia/Pacific region, prices for business travel are expected to rise by 2.8 percent in 2018, with growing domestic demand, especially in China and India. However, with the strengthening of the Asian economies, infrastructure weaknesses are becoming increasingly visible, especially at airports. In Latin America and the Caribbean, prices will change little in 2018 - up by just 0.3 percent. Airlines have been cautiously cutting capacity. An extended look at South America shows 20 percent more scheduled flights at the end of 2019. Low-cost airlines are well positioned in this region, as market penetration is still low. In addition, new and more efficient aircraft will enter service here, lowering operating costs in 2018. In North America, prices will rise moderately by 2.3 percent, according to the Global Travel Forecast. In view of stricter US entry regulations, flights to the USA have already been reduced accordingly. Canadian airlines are expected to build strong competition - there are new entrants to the market, and capacity will grow by eleven percent in 2017 and twelve percent in 2018.

Hotel forecasts for 2018

The global average hotel price increase of 3.7 percent hides what is actually happening in the regions. Europe is likely to see strong increases, while prices in other regions are barely keeping pace with inflation. In addition, prices in Latin America and the Caribbean are expected to fall. According to the forecast, the mergers of hotel groups in 2017 will make themselves felt in the 2018 tenders. Service providers are actively moving their corporate clients away from fixed, negotiated hotel rates and toward dynamic pricing. There is also a global trend toward "smart" hotels investing in beacon technology, messaging, room technology and other things. Increasingly tech-savvy guests will use apps to check in and out, open their room doors, control the TV, and adjust the room temperature.

In the EMEA region, hotel prices for business travel are likely to rise in 2018 - by 6.6 percent in Eastern Europe and 6.3 percent in Western Europe, but by only 0.6 percent in the Middle East and Africa. Switzerland is expected to see a 0.8 percent decline. Norway will lead the way with increases of 14 percent in 2018. Hotel prices in Russia will be 11.9 percent higher as demand increases due to the 2018 World Cup. In Asia Pacific, the hotel price forecast is plus 3.5 percent - with big differences, as Japan is expected to be down 4.1 percent, while New Zealand is expected to be up 9.8 percent. The economic upturn means that demand in the region is increasing. Buyers should prepare for challenging discussions with the newly merged hotel groups, especially in volume markets such as Bangkok, Beijing, Shanghai and Singapore. For Latin America, the Global Travel Forecast predicts hotel prices will fall by 1.2 percent - with significant declines in Brazil (down 8.7 percent) and Argentina (down 2.7 percent). Peru and Chile, on the other hand, are expected to see increases of 7.7 and 5.5 percent, respectively. Buyers may have advantages in 2018 as major brands buy independent competitors and upgrade their systems. Capacity will grow across the region, with an estimated 449,500 new hotel rooms being built between the end of 2016 and 2025, a 57 percent increase in supply. Hotel operators in North America, in turn, may be banking on economic growth, as demand has softened since the summer of 2016 - but supply is likely to continue to grow steadily through 2018. International travel is expected to grow four percent in 2017 and 2018, with U.S. hotel growth likely to be concentrated primarily on the West Coast and Washington DC. For Canada, hotels in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal are expected to fetch good prices amid a weak Canadian dollar.

Rail, bus, cab forecasts for 2018

The Global Travel Forecast predicts rail, bus and cab price increases of 0.6 percent in 2018 (but 5.5 percent by 2022). Industry experts predict record sales of new cars over the next five years, driving up fleet costs per vehicle. At the same time, used car prices will drop 50 percent, lowering the residual value for used rental vehicles. This means that the current pricing structure in the rental car business is no longer sustainable. Due to market-specific regulations for curbing emissions and rising oil prices, providers have already increased the availability of "green" rental cars. Sharing economy companies like Uber and Lyft are likely to continue double-digit growth above ten percent in 2018 before settling into single-digit growth in 2019. Their growth is threatened by costly legal and regulatory prohibitions.

In the EMEA region, ground-based passenger transportation remains highly competitive. In Europe, prices are likely to remain largely stable, while in the Middle East and Africa they will rise by a meager one percent. In Switzerland, prices will decline marginally by 0.5 percent. Rail remains a viable alternative to air travel throughout Europe, particularly with increased security measures at airports. Continued uncertainty in the mining sector and a cautious recovery in the oil and gas sector will lead to stable prices in the Asia/Pacific region in 2018. In China, business continues to grow with the presence of most major rental car and sharing economy providers. Sharing economy companies Didi Chuxing in China, Ola in India, and Grab in Southeast Asia have achieved economies of scale that make them serious competitors for traditional car rental and cab companies. For Latin America, the 2018 Global Travel Forecast predicts slightly higher prices (one percent). Brazil and Mexico expect higher rental car demand in 2018 as their economies get back on their feet. Still, the rental car market there remains highly fragmented. Uber is betting heavily on its Latin America business (despite problems in Brazil, Peru and Argentina) - especially after pulling out of the Chinese market recently. Prices in Canada are expected to rise 4.6 percent in 2018, but overall prices in the region are climbing only one percent. The limited rail network along with rising per capita incomes and growing business travel will likely drive up rental car prices in North America. Sharing economy providers continue to grow, but face stronger competition from traditional cabs and regulatory requirements.

Source: www.carlsonwagonlit.ch

The finalists for the Swiss ICT Award 2017 have been determined. The jury nominated 10 finalists at the end of June. The finalists come from the regions of Zurich (3), Lake Geneva (2), Valais (2), Eastern Switzerland (2) and Central Switzerland (1).

Nominated for the Swiss ICT Award are:

• Artanim SA from Meyrin is well on its way to making a breakthrough in Hollywood with "Real Virtuality," a virtual reality platform.
• Imito AG from Zurich has developed "ImitoCam", an Instagram-like platform for doctors and hospitals, on which medical findings can be exchanged in a privacy-compliant manner.
• Eyeware Tech SA based in Martigny, has developed 3D eye-tracking software that can be used in robotics or automotive industries, smart homes, healthcare or advertising.
• Nomos Systems AG from Zurich has already been awarded a "Red Herring" this year with its universally usable IoT automation software.
• Nagra Vision SAa Kudelski Group company based in Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, has launched "White Noise", a secure communications solution that is expected to be a global breakthrough.

Nominated for the Swiss ICT Newcomer Award 2017 are:

• Advertima AG from St. Gallen, developer of the AI technology "The Experience Management System (EMS)" has grown from 5 to 35 employees in the 1st year.
• Bricks & Bytes AG from Zurich has established itself as the Swiss market leader in the crowdinvesting sector within two years with "crowdhouse.ch", according to its own statements.
• Recapp IT AG from St. German VS enables multilingual automatic logging with "The app to recapp" - including Swiss and Valais German.
• Bexio AG from Rapperswil SG started with an innovative web solution for administration in small businesses in 2013 and says it now has 8,000 customers and a weighty strategic partner on board in UBS.
• WhyWait Ltd. from Zug is on the verge of establishing a global AI hub in Switzerland with the ambitious goal of developing artificial intelligence into a key industry in this country.

The winners will be selected on November 14, 2017 in Lucerne. All finalists are also eligible for the Swiss ICT Public Award, which is determined by an online vote in Swiss IT Magazine and an auditorium vote at the award ceremony. The award ceremony is an important meeting point for players from the Swiss ICT industry in research, business and politics.

Exceptional performance in the IT sector

The Swiss ICT Award has been presented since 2004 to companies that have launched an innovative IT-based product or service on the market. The projects must have been implemented in the last two years and a significant part of them must have taken place in Switzerland. In addition to the main prize, the Swiss ICT Newcomer Award and the Swiss ICT Public Award will also be presented. The award is organized by swissICT, the industry association of the Swiss ICT workplace.

Symposium: New Business Models for Digital Switzerland

The traditional swissICT Symposium will take place before the gala award ceremony, with the title theme "New business models in digital Switzerland". Hardly any industry is not affected by the digital transformation. The media is dominated by topics such as self-driving cars, which will soon be cruising around on our roads. Blockchain is supposedly turning the financial world upside down. Uber is shaking up the cab industry, Airbnb the hotel industry. How is Switzerland dealing with this change? What business models are developing in the digital world? Networking is an important part of the Swiss ICT Symposium.

More information

Switzerland is a good place to run a startup, according to 70 % of Swiss survey participants. At state institutions such as business development, state Commission for Technology and Innovation or the foundation platform of the canton of Zurich "found.ch" is not lacking in Switzerland. It is therefore no wonder that Switzerland ranks first in Europe in terms of government support for startups.

Employer of choice SME
Founding companies is one thing, but do Swiss people also want to work at startups? 42 % of the survey participants say "yes" to this. This puts Switzerland below the global average of 50 %. Only among 18- to 34-year-old Swiss men is the percentage above 50 %. "One of the most important factors when choosing an employer is job security. This year's Randstad Employer Brand Research shows this. It may be that employees are therefore hesitant to apply to a start-up," says Nathalie Zihlmann, HR Director Randstad Switzerland. The situation is different when survey participants are asked whether they want to work for an SME. Here, Switzerland is the global leader with 79 % approval.

Randstad Mobility Index
The Randstad Mobility Index indicates how many employees expect to accept a new, comparable job within the next six months. The index provides comprehensive insights into sentiment and trends on the labor market. In Switzerland, the index rose from 101 to 103 points (+2) in the first quarter of 2017.

Boss Info AG, which is represented at 5 locations in German-speaking Switzerland, and ELCA Informatik AG, which is active throughout Switzerland, recently announced that they will be working together on a strategic level with immediate effect. Boss Info AG is no stranger to the ERP market; within 20 years it has been able to acquire the status of integrator in Switzerland with, according to its own information, the largest number of installations of the overall business management solution Microsoft Dynamics. In addition to the entire Microsoft product range, systems engineering, web applications such as webshops and portals, and training are further mainstays of Boss Info AG. For its part, ELCA Informatik AG also offers IT solutions and services on the Swiss market and specializes in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. ELCA Informatik AG and Boss Info AG are thus acting as a strategic partner in order to be able to offer solutions based on the entire Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform (ERP and CRM) from a single source, according to the two companies.

ERP and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) solutions are becoming ever more closely linked, and the central management of customer relationships, including marketing and sales activities, is becoming increasingly important. Like Boss Info AG, ELCA Informatik AG also attaches great importance to quality: "In order to be able to provide our customers with comprehensive support, we are strengthening our competencies and will be consulting on complex ERP projects together with the Swiss IT and CRM specialist ELCA Informatik AG with immediate effect. The mutual conviction that a strategic partnership of both companies makes more than sense developed quickly", Simon Boss, founder and CEO of Boss Info AG, is pleased to announce. Bertil Maire, Head of Business Line 'Customer Interaction Management' at ELCA Informatik AG adds, "Both companies share the same values and have outstanding expertise. We are very pleased to be able to offer joint Dynamics 365 projects to our customers."

The strategic partnership of the two companies indicates a concentration process in the market of small and medium-sized Swiss software providers. Recently, two Swiss IT service providers, WIKA Systems and Ambit, also joined forces. joined forces to form a joint venture. There, too, the focus was essentially on the closer integration of ERP and CRM solutions.

Sources and further information: www.bossinfo.ch, www.elca.ch

More than 30 percent of Swiss employees would like a real change in their everyday working life. But why do job seekers want to change their employer? According to a recent survey by the online job portal JobCloud (jobs.ch / jobup.ch) in cooperation with the LINK Institute, the prospect of a higher salary is the main reason for just over 10 percent. This shows that a higher salary is particularly decisive for younger job seekers between 16 and 24 (20 percent), whereas job seekers between 45 and 60 attach little importance to this (8 percent). Of the French-speaking Swiss looking for a job, around 15 percent do so because they do not have a job, compared with 9 percent of the German-speaking Swiss. The German-speaking Swiss seem to be more open to a career change than the French-speaking Swiss: 10 percent of respondents would like to switch to a different industry or pursue a different activity (French-speaking Switzerland: 6 percent). Differences also emerge between women and men, with women more likely to be looking for a better-paid job than men (13 vs. 11 percent) and men comparatively more likely to be looking for a job because they do not get along with their work colleague or supervisor (11 percent vs. 5 percent). Overall, these results indirectly confirm the findings of a study recently published by Xing (see our report).

Personal contacts very important for young job seekers

The fact that job searches now mainly take place online is no surprise: around 66 percent of respondents prefer to search on online job portals such as jobs.ch, while 49 percent also look for new job offers on companies' career websites. Nevertheless, print media also continue to hold their own: 39 percent of respondents also look for jobs in newspapers and magazines. Particularly among the generation between 45 and 60, the search via print media continues to be well established (54 percent). Personal contacts are also used for job seekers (45 percent). Especially among younger job seekers between 16 and 2 (52 percent). This age category also consciously searches more often directly via search engines such as Google or Yahoo (46 percent vs. 29 percent on average across all age categories). In French-speaking Switzerland, social networks such as Xing and LinkedIn are more popular for job searches than in German-speaking Switzerland (29 vs. 21 percent) - the French also use personal contacts and the RAV job exchange more frequently than German-speaking Swiss (47 vs. 44 percent and 14 vs. 6 percent).

Personal contacts lead to success

The question is which of these channels will lead to success. As the JobCloud survey shows, personal contacts are worthwhile: Around 29 percent of respondents obtained a new job through friends and acquaintances in 2017. 19 and 18 percent of respondents, respectively, decided on a job they had found on a company's job websites or on an online job platform. In 2017, 8 percent of jobs were found as a result of spontaneous applications. However, a comparison over the past three years shows that these are apparently becoming more common: in 2014, blind applications accounted for only 5 percent.

On behalf of XING Switzerland the market and opinion research company Marketagent.com surveyed around a thousand working people in German-speaking Switzerland on the subject of dream jobs. We have summarized the most important results for you.

71 percent would trade their current job for their dream job

Swap your current job for your dream job? More than two-thirds of the German-speaking Swiss (71%) would jump at the chance if age and education were irrelevant. When asked why they would like to swap their current job for their dream job, almost half of respondents (49%) cited more fun at work as the reason. A meaningful job was a contributing reason for about one-third (32%) of respondents. Other important factors were the intellectual challenge (30%) and the realization of a childhood dream (29%). Only then comes the salary: around a quarter (26%) would want to swap jobs for the money. Public esteem and prestige, on the other hand, are of little interest. Only just one in ten (11%) say that fame and honor would persuade them to change jobs.

Women would like to be veterinarians, men professional athletes

When it comes to dream jobs, there are - not surprisingly - differences between the sexes. Women would most like to switch to being an animal keeper (9%), doctor (7%) or psychologist (5%). Men, on the other hand, would prefer to earn their bread and butter as a professional athlete (8%), followed by pilot (6%) and lawyer (5%). Animal caretakers are just eleventh among men (2%), on a par with mountain guides. For this, sweating at work usually goes down badly with women: Professional sportswoman is far behind in 16th place (1%), well behind less glamorous professions such as teacher (2%) or policewoman (2%).

18- to 24-year-olds dream of a career as an archaeologist

But different dream professions are also named depending on age. The most popular professions are fairly constant across the various age groups, with two notable exceptions: In the youngest age group of 18 to 24-year-olds, of all people, archaeologist comes in second (5%). On the other hand, in the 60 to 65 age group, writer appears at the top of the ranking (6%).

One in three would choose a different profession in retrospect

Almost one in three German-speaking Swiss (31%) are unhappy with their actual career choice and, looking back, would choose a different career direction. In contrast, slightly more than half of the respondents (55%) are satisfied with their choice. Satisfaction with their chosen career is highest at the beginning and end of their career. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of young respondents between the ages of 18 and 24 and 70 percent of those between the ages of 60 and 65 are convinced of their own career choice. At the age of 40 to 49, just under half (49%) would choose the same career direction again.

Only one in four would recommend their own profession to young people

When it comes to the professional future of their own offspring, the German-speaking Swiss are much more critical of their own career choice. Only just under a quarter (24%) would recommend that their child choose the same career direction. 42 percent would advise their child to choose a career direction other than their own. Respondents in management positions would choose the same career direction for themselves more often than other hierarchical levels (69%). Nevertheless, the proportion of respondents in this group who would advise their offspring to choose the same career direction as their own is the lowest at 22 percent.

A company merger has recently taken place in the toolmaking and stamping technology sector: Ekko Technik AG and Hans Meister AG merged in June 2017 to form Ekko-Meister AG, based in Lengnau BE. Ekko Technik AG, founded in 1954, specializes in the production of thrust bearings, their components, and stamped and bent parts; Hans Meister AG, founded in 1945, manufactures small, complex stamped parts and also produces stamping tools. The new company Ekko-Meister AG has found its headquarters in the premises of the former Ekko Technik AG in Lengnau, while the premises of the former Hans Meister AG in Grenchen will in future serve as the logistics center of the newly created company. The employees of both companies - 30 in total - have been taken on and have already been working together for several weeks. The new company is managed by Jean-Pierre Voegeli; in addition to Lukas Pfister (Head of Finance, Administration and Human Resources) and Claudio Palazzi (Head of Sales and Marketing), Martin Meister (Head of Technology) has also been appointed as a member of the Executive Board. The Board of Directors has been taken over by Walter Sahli (Chairman), Martin Meister and Philipp Andermatt.

Sahli is very pleased about the company merger and the opportunities it creates: "The merger of the two companies is a win-win situation for everyone involved. By combining the competencies and, above all, the respective technological potentials, a high-performance company has been created that can count itself among the leading suppliers in the field of individually and chiplessly manufactured thrust bearings as well as in toolmaking and in the production of the smallest, mostly rotationally symmetrical stamped parts." What is also very important and should not be underestimated is the fact that the chemistry between the two companies is right: "Both companies have had a close business partnership for many years. They have always worked together excellently and know each other very well."

The company's global customers, who are active in the automotive, high-end consumer goods, medical technology and electrical engineering sectors, among others, will benefit from the merger. And they can look forward to plenty of synergies: "We have created a completely new value chain. Now everything from co-engineering and toolmaking to the production of thrust bearings and stamped and bent parts is in one hand," continues Sahli; "our technological efficiency coupled with a significantly increased customer focus will pay off for both sides."

Further information until further notice at Ekko Technology Ltd and Master AG 

In the first half of 2017, the number of corporate transactions decreased only marginally year-on-year from 164 to 160. Overall, the value of all transactions declined by 7% to USD 69.3 billion (2016: USD 74.2 billion), with the acquisition of Syngenta by China National Chemical Corporation primarily responsible for last year's high transaction volume. No strong increase in transactions is expected for the second half of the year due to the ongoing financial policy uncertainties.

The M&A year 2017 has been characterized by a major transaction: In January, the US pharmaceutical and consumer goods manufacturer Johnson & Johnson announced its intention to acquire the Swiss biotechnology company Actelion for USD 30 billion. This, after initial talks in December 2016 had still failed. This is the second major transaction in the Swiss M&A market within a year, following the acquisition of Syngenta by China National Chemical Corporation in 2016. The deal ranks among the five largest Swiss transactions of all time.

Private equity activities and company acquisitions abroad

In principle, the outlook for the global economy remains positive. The currently still favorable interest rate environment also makes money available for M&A activities. Private equity investors in particular, which typically have a high proportion of debt, are currently benefiting from this. Thus, the Swiss M&A market also saw relevant private equity activity in the first half of 2017: Of the ten largest transactions, no less than three featured a private equity buyer.

Due to the persistently strong Swiss franc, company acquisitions abroad remain attractive. These have always been an important strategic component for Swiss companies, which can use them to diversify their sales markets and product portfolio.

Chinese investment appetite continues

Chinese M&A activities have slowed down a bit, in particular due to the new legal capital export legislation in China, but are still strong in international comparison. Accordingly, the Chinese appetite for investment opportunities continues in Switzerland. The HNA Group is particularly active in the local market: The group has already acquired three Swiss companies in the past, namely Gategroup, SR Technics and Swissport. In the first half of 2017, the HNA Group secured two further essential transactions: The Chinese took a 17% stake in travel retailer Dufry for USD 1.4 billion, and acquired a majority stake in Glencore's petroleum and logistics division for USD 775 million, although the latter transaction only just failed to make it into the top 10.

Fiscal policy uncertainties as a constraining factor

The development of financial policy currently remains one of the most important factors influencing transaction business: Despite an interim calming of the situation, geopolitical instability and developments in the EU and the USA are putting the brakes on companies' desire to make acquisitions. Brexit in particular, with its still unclear economic and legal impact on the M&A market, remains a factor of uncertainty. "Despite positive economic developments and high activity levels, strong growth in the national and international M&A market is not to be expected in the short term due to financial policy uncertainty and a possible turnaround in interest rates," says Patrik Kerler, Head of M&A at KPMG Switzerland, assessing the situation.

Source: KPMG Switzerland

Swisscom is supplementing its offering for small and medium-sized enterprises with collaboration functions bundled under the technical term Unified Communications & Collaboration (UCC): Instant messaging, presence information, screen sharing, online meetings and video telephony. What is already widely used in the private sphere or in large companies is also becoming increasingly popular among SMEs, the telecommunications provider knows.

From telephony to virtual collaboration

The UCC functions for SMEs are based on the Smart Business Connect virtual IP telephony solution. This is an already established complete offering consisting of Internet, IP telephony, network solution and additional services. Swisscom operates the necessary infrastructure in its own data centers in Switzerland. "With virtualized products, we are opening up new opportunities for SMEs that were previously reserved primarily for large companies. This enables companies to prepare for the digital future simply and flexibly and to make sustainable cost savings," says Reto Baschera, Head of Business Products at Swisscom.

Collaborate more productively

In addition to telephone and e-mail, SMEs now have additional communication channels at their disposal. For example, questions can be quickly clarified with the colleague on the other floor via instant message, virtual meetings save travel time and costs, and those who can share documents directly on the screen prevent misunderstandings. Customers or suppliers can also take part in virtual meetings simply by clicking a link. Whether via PC or smartphone - employees choose the appropriate communication channel themselves. This makes collaboration easier and more productive.

One provider, one contract, one invoice

SMEs receive the complete communications solution from a single source. Accordingly, telephony and the functions for unified communications & collaboration can be used within one and the same app. The administrative effort is also kept to a minimum, because the customer has a contact person for all concerns, receives an invoice at the end of the month and signs a contract for all services and functions.

A demonstration of the collaboration (UCC) features for SMEs can be found at. www.swisscom.ch/ucc-demo.

The economic success of companies depends to a large extent on the extent to which they can meet the fast-moving wishes and demands of their customers in the digital world. Not all companies are aware of this: although most of them are actively engaged in digital transformation and also recognize that business process management (BPM) makes it much easier to implement the necessary changes within their organization. At the same time, however, only a few have their customers' satisfaction sufficiently in mind in the process. These are the key findings of the second joint BPM study by the management consultancies BearingPoint and BPM&O based on a survey of 174 companies from various industries in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Companies use BPM to successfully master digital transformation

In view of the digital transformation, companies are faced with the challenge of developing digital business models, products and services, making the organization more agile, digitizing processes and redesigning them to be customer-oriented. More than three quarters of the companies surveyed (77 percent) have recognized that process management is an essential basis for successfully implementing digital strategies and initiatives. It is therefore not surprising that 81 percent of respondents currently consider BPM to be an important or very important topic, as the authors of the study state. This assessment is confirmed in almost all industries. In the financial sector, mechanical engineering and public administration in particular, the topic is gaining in importance.

"Companies are investing a lot of energy in realizing digital strategies. Nevertheless, it is evident in some companies that the implementation and operationalization of digital initiatives are hindered by a lack of coordination and a lack of consideration of processes. Therefore, companies should use BPM and its building blocks to promote holistic implementation and establish sustainable collaboration between the digital, process and IT communities," recommends Matthias Höhne, Partner at BearingPoint.

Customer orientation is not yet sufficiently in focus

The main drivers of digital transformation are rapidly changing customer expectations and user behavior. Nevertheless, only two-thirds (64 percent) of the companies surveyed named increasing customer satisfaction as a goal of BPM. This means that this goal is only in sixth place for them - and this despite the fact that 86 percent of respondents confirmed a reduction in customer complaints and 85 percent confirmed higher customer satisfaction thanks to BPM. Companies focus much more frequently on cost savings (78 percent), increased transparency (74 percent) and standardization (74 percent).

"Rapidly changing customer expectations in the context of digital transformation require business models, services and processes to be clearly aligned with the customer. Companies recognize this, but often lack a holistic view and understanding of how customer and process orientation complement each other. Comprehensive process management can strengthen customer orientation by linking internal and external processes, as well as increase responsiveness to changes in customer expectations," comments Sven Schnägelberger, Managing Director of BPM&O.

More information about the study