Autor: Fabrice Seite

For many companies from the investment goods industry industrial services have evolved from a necessary prerequisite for selling a core product to a very important source of turnover and profit. But what role do industrial services play for the providing company during an economical crisis? To answer this question, the authors conducted interviews with six Swiss companies from machining and plant industry. The results of the research especially highlight the unique economic potential of industrial services. Companies may use the highlighted potential by adapting their service offering according to their customer’s economic situation.

Confronted with intensive product price competition in China, industrial firms are forced to invest in extending the service business. Extending the service business is far from easy. Chinese competitors offer faked spare parts. Local service skills are very poor and service requirements force industrial firms to invest in logistic infrastructure. This article offers a guideline for managers seeking to professionalize the human resource management in the service organization, to adapt service offerings to the local customer needs, and to set-up a logistic infrastructure.