16. September 2019
Dynamic process management with data analysis and intelligent services
LogObject AG, a global company based in Zurich, specialises in software architectures for field service, including resource management, deployment planning, material logistics and dynamic scheduling. They offer a very specific core strategy. LogObject provides a logistically sound solution model for businesses in a wide range of areas that can be used to control mobile-only service services as efficiently as possible. Important areas are telecommunications and cable, heating and air conditioning, household appliances, mechanical engineering, construction and plant management as well as the public service. Companies such as Swisscom, Sunrise, Deutsche Telekom, Unitymedia, Vodafone, Telecom Italia, Meier Tobler, Whirlpool, Bauknecht, Saurer, SBB, the Police and the Military are among the customers of the Swiss company. With a focus on seamless process mapping and real-time data acquisition, the LogObject portfolio supports not only international companies, but also medium-sized companies in optimising performance and developing high-precision order processes.
Albert Schöppl, Head of Sales and Marketing at LogObject, gave us an interview about LogObject´s decision to start a Center Smart Services membership. Find out how the very successful membership on RWTH Aachen Campus was established, what goals we pursue together and why the cooperation with the Center Smart Services is significantly different from others.
What is the basic idea behind your RWTH Aachen Campus membership?
We were looking for a strong partner to exchange in-depth know-how and develop market-specific solutions in the area of strategic product management and sales. Most of the universities are very technical in their research and development. We like the strategic and product-related focus on the RWTH Aachen Campus. This enables us to realise our ideas in a very practical way.
In addition, there is the good location in Aachen with one of the best and best-known universities in the field of mechanical engineering and technology in the state. This naturally attracts other important players in the industry and is also a popular crowd-puller at events, which gives us an important competitive advantage. The infrastructure and the logistics offered by the RWTH Aachen Campus are good, but we are also primarily at this location because of the people who are active here – after all, they are particularly decisive for good cooperation.
What motivated you to start a membership at the Center Smart Services?
The highly up-to-date topics that the Center focuses on and the interesting projects that are carried out have been important factors for our decision. The companies already enrolled in the Center Smart Services are also very exciting for us, as they often operate close to our own business area. They are very promising for us, either as potential customers or future partners. The exchange of experiences is very good, because an open atmosphere is created and well-designed events promote communication again and again.
Of course, we also hope to increase our visibility and presence in the German market through our cooperation with the center. We achieve this through jointly organised events such as our LogObject Experience Days. On several dates in 2019, we created a joint, very practice-oriented program. Using the example of changing best practices, we show how digitalisation can sustainably optimise field service. A win-win situation: We can present our expertise to a specialist audience and show them how advanced we are in the areas of Smart Services and Machine Learning in the management of mobile resources and Field Service. At the same time, we get to know potential customers and learn how other industrial companies approach the topic and what challenges or wishes they see in connection with solutions such as ours.
What medium and long-term advantages do you see in cooperation with the Center Smart Services and what are your goals?
In the long term, we not only want to benefit from the center’s broad range of experience, but also include our own expertise and competence from our business area to the joint cooperation and events, because we can learn a lot from each other.
Together with the center and the other members of the Center Smart Services Community, we can develop good concepts that are also advantageous for us – be it because we adapt our portfolio accordingly or even develop completely new solution ideas. The center’s interesting projects and studies offer us attractive input for several areas of our business activities. We also hope to have good contacts to suitable contacts and companies in the service management sector, because the network of the Smart Logistics Cluster, which the center is a part of, is very extensive.
What advice would you give to comparable companies that are still hesitant to register?
It is essential to take part in 1 or 2 of the Center’s many events and find out for yourself what the community has to offer and how professional the cooperatoin is – in all areas! We have done this, too 😉
It is also worth talking to other participants who are already enrolled and to better understand the added value of working together.
Do you pursue similar cooperations with other universities?
We work with other universities, but not in this way. With others, the focus is more on cooperation in the area of in-depth technical research and development, for example for mathematical models and suitable artificial intelligence to further develop our solutions. The concept of the center is quite different in this respect!