Business messaging is not as new as one might think. Gartner first mentioned the term "enterprise instant messaging" in its Hype Cycle back in 2001. And in 2007, the market research expert states that enterprise instant messaging had reached its productivity peak - at a time when neither smartphones nor WhatsApp existed. Many innovations have only emerged in the last five years, so the functionalities of messengers have evolved considerably. In addition, the Corona crisis and the increase in cyber attacks reinforce the need for holistic and, above all, DSGVO-compliant communication - both internally and externally. On the one hand, it is necessary to ensure smooth information flows to enable effective collaboration. And on the other hand, to find a solution that meets the standards of a secure IT landscape.

A viable alternative to WhatsApp

To prevent the emergence of shadow IT, a privacy-compliant alternative to consumer apps such as WhatsApp is needed. Such a communication solution must not only be intuitive to use and thus user-friendly, but also ensure uncomplicated exchange. What's more, it must be flexible enough to constantly evolve in line with future trends in instant messaging.

Trend 1: Messenger as a communication hub

In contrast to consumer apps, business messaging solutions will develop into a communication hub. This means that a messenger acts as a central hub where data from different source systems converge and from there reach different target systems. In short, the communication hub ensures holistic data exchange by intelligently linking all communication and information systems via open interfaces. Many processes are still inhibited by data silos, which make information exchange slow, costly and error-prone. A communication hub makes it possible to digitalize exchange processes and workflows to the greatest possible extent and to provide them automatically - and consequently to accelerate them. In this way, both internal communication between employees and external exchange with partners and customers can be improved. In addition, it will be possible to have different providers, services and clouds communicate with each other through a federation. In this way, different companies can be connected with each other via a communication hub.

Trend 2: Individual use cases

Messaging solutions are integrating more and more functions to cover any use case and make information exchange even easier. Sending text and voice messages is as much a part of the standard repertoire as sharing digital content. Beyond that, they have long offered more:

• Distribution liststo quickly set up group chats, even with more than 2000 recipients;
• Alertsto ensure direct emergency communication and coordination using acknowledgement options and alarm reports;
• Live location transmission, to send whereabouts in real time;
• Open APIsto automatically and quickly retrieve data and information from connected third-party systems;
• Chat widgets for website and WhatsApp connection, to facilitate the exchange of information with customers and partners.

In the future, dedicated communications solutions for individual industries, organizations or even departments will also emerge. These holistic solutions offer special functions that reflect both employee needs and individual requirements. Already today, for example, there are tailored business messaging solutions for blue light organizations and the healthcare sector.

Trend 3: AI-optimized communication

Artificial intelligence is the next logical step in the digital transformation. And it will also increasingly find its way into communication solutions. While general chatbots, which can be defined as an AI precursor, are almost old hat, a far more complex AI-optimized communication, keyword: Conversational AI, will support employees. Conversational AI agents will use information from disparate systems, aggregate it and, based on it, recommend actions. For example: a sales representative is on his way to a customer. The app records his live location and passes this information to the connected CRM system. Using the geo and CRM data, the algorithm checks which customers are nearby or on the way. For example, the Conversational AI Agent can recommend visiting another customer because the last meeting took place some time ago. In this way, the efficiency of work processes can be sustainably increased.

Trend 4: Employee Experience

Messenger and intranet, in the sense of a social intranet, are becoming increasingly intertwined. It is conceivable, for example, to integrate a social intranet application into a messaging solution to create a comprehensive employee channel. In addition to group and 1:1 chats, for example, there are separate channels that keep employees up to date on company news. These are displayed as an activity stream that functions like a news feed updated by the second. Unlike the classic intranet, which disseminates information via top-down communication, the social intranet allows employees to interact with the content. That is, all employees can like, comment and share it. As a result, they are more likely to feel heard and can better identify with the company.

Trend 5: New devices and user interfaces

It's not just messengers that are becoming more sophisticated. In addition to smartphones, new end devices will emerge with unprecedented user interfaces that are ideally suited to individual use cases and make use even more intuitive. Promising candidates for this are smartwatches, which have undergone rapid technical development in recent years. They are lightweight, robust, and offer an increasing number of functions, making them particularly suitable for mobile forces such as police officers and rescue workers. Smartglasses or data glasses are also conceivable. These can offer remarkable advantages in situations where it is important to have both hands free. For example, they enable doctors to view patient records quickly and easily during examinations. Smartglasses also help logistics employees locate stored goods. It is conceivable that the position of the goods to be loaded - including directions in the case of a large warehouse - can be called up while the employee is on the move with the forklift truck.

Trend 6: Even higher data protection

In step with the functionalities, which are continuously evolving, the technical security requirements for business messaging solutions will be even more comprehensive in the future. By linking systems, a secure container on the end device will be just as important for data management as holistic data and access management. At the same time, the threat of cyber attacks is growing along with the technical possibilities. It will therefore be essential to further strengthen the encryption algorithms used for communication and to establish additional security functions.

AI and smart devices are just the beginning in business messaging

Messaging solutions already enable device-, time- and location-independent collaboration. Their potential is far from exhausted. This is illustrated not least by the trends that can be identified for the next few years. The move away from e-mail to instant messaging will change corporate communications in the long term and offer new opportunities. That much is certain.

To the author:
Tobias Stepan is founder and managing director of Teamwire GmbH (teamwire.eu), which specializes in secure and confident instant messaging for enterprises, government agencies and healthcare. Previously, he implemented growth and turnaround projects at high-tech companies as a consultant and built up the European business of the American IT start-up Servo until its exit to the Japanese Kii Corporation. Tobias Stepan is committed to mobile digitization and a strong, European IT ecosystem.

Visable, the parent company of the B2B platforms Europages and wlw, continues to grow: In terms of figures, the Corona year brought the company sales of around CHF 61 million with high profitability. This is an increase of six percent. New customer business achieved an increase of 23 percent. Access figures have been rising steadily on both platforms since March 2020 and are on average almost 20 percentage points up on the previous year. Peter F. Schmid, CEO of Visable, sees the reason for this in the changed procurement processes that SMEs have been forced to adopt as a result of lockdowns and trade fair cancellations. "The developments of recent months have shown more clearly than ever that SMEs can only look to a successful future if they act digitally. The proof of this is our steadily rising access figures to Europages and wlw," he concludes about 2020.

wlw and Europages most frequently used B2B platforms in Europe

With more than 75,000 queries daily via the country domains wlw.ch, wlw.de and wlw.at, as well as Europages, with around 190,000 searches per day, Visable's B2B platforms were the most frequently used in Europe. But it was not only the access and revenue figures that grew in 2020. Visable created around 50 new jobs last year, bringing the number of employees to 410 at the Baar, Hamburg, Berlin, Münster and Paris sites.

Europages received search queries from 221 countries in 2020, most of them from France, Italy and Germany. Beyond Europe, buyers from North Africa, the USA, Asia and South America in particular searched via the platform. One query even came from the remote Christmas Islands. At wlw, search queries from the DACH region dominate. However, the USA and China are also in the top 10. wlw also received inquiries from a total of over 200 countries.

Major relaunch with investments in technology and brand identity for wlw

In September, "Wer liefert was" officially became wlw. A revised corporate design including a new logo and claim has since ensured even greater recognition value. The heart of the new wlw provides a special user experience: the artificial intelligence-based full text search replaced the category search and achieves even more relevant and accurate search results, according to reports. Another milestone: the wlw Connect search service became an equal search option alongside the classic search. The wlw Connect service completely relieves buyers of the search work. They only have to formulate their requirements and then receive qualified search results.

2021 holds further challenges for SMEs and opportunities for Visable

The new year will also demand a lot from the global economy. In many European countries, many areas of economic life continue to stand still. Already, numerous trade fairs have been canceled. "Every SME faces the question: How and where can new customers be reached and found? In this context, the importance of digital platforms and alternatives of trade shows will continue to grow significantly. Visable supports companies with its two own platforms and services to get through the new year as successfully as possible," explains Visable CEO Peter F. Schmid. He is thoroughly optimistic about 2021. "This year, we are again aiming for double-digit percentage growth and will continue to invest in our technologies. To do so, we will also expand our expertise with new talent and experts, helping SMEs gain more visibility on the global web and making procurement as easy and efficient as possible for buyers."

Source and further information

Never before have so many new companies been founded in Switzerland as in 2020. But the Swiss entrepreneurial landscape is also on the move in other respects: More and more women are choosing the path to self-employment. This has been investigated by the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland. The data comes from a survey of new companies founded between 2014 and 2019.

Share of women has doubled within 20 years

The average start-up person in Switzerland is male, 40.4 years old, childless, has a university degree, around 22 years of professional experience and some management experience. Since the first survey 20 years ago, the proportion of women among founders has almost exactly doubled and now amounts to 31.6 percent. The proportion of founders with an academic background has also increased massively. Every second founder now has a bachelor's, master's or doctorate degree. Twenty years ago, it was still one in three.

Among the motives for becoming self-employed, factors such as self-realization, independence and implementing one's own ideas are clearly at the top of the list. The pursuit of a meaningful activity is also rated as very important. Far less important are the continuation of family traditions, the prospect of a higher income, power or prestige. The motives for self-employment have changed very little over the past 20 years.

Entrepreneurial landscape is changing - starting a business has become more affordable

The new companies are small and growing less than 10 or 20 years ago. The average start-up has no employees when it is founded and only one or two after 3.5 years. Three quarters of the new self-employed have had to invest less than 50,000 francs at the beginning (20 years ago, almost half had to invest more than 50,000 francs at the start). In the last 20 years, it has become easier and cheaper - financially speaking - to start a business.

The most important reference persons in the establishment and management of the company are family, relatives and acquaintances and the former business environment. Very few founders make use of government agencies such as business development agencies, either in preparing the start-up or in the event of difficulties.

Higher satisfaction in entrepreneurship

Overall, the founders are extremely satisfied with their self-employment. The new self-employed see themselves as very successful, have positive prospects for the future and are in a good financial position. Likewise, they rate their development prospects as very good, especially in terms of sales and profits. "The study shows that the new self-employed are successful and more satisfied than in employment, even though they work more and earn less on average," says Prof. Dr. Rolf Meyer, the study's co-author.

The data obtained will be used to publish further research reports later in the year, for example on female entrepreneurship or the success factors of the new self-employed.

Source and further information: University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland

A common but often unquestioned mechanism: When people first get to know each other, similarities make the other person seem more likeable. This is not least due to the fact that most people view situations, fellow human beings or behavior through their personal filter. This filter is shaped by culture, socialization, education and other value-determining experiences of each individual. Thus, facts and people are always viewed in an unconsciously biased manner. "This phenomenon of unconscious bias is called 'Unconscious Bias'. In an operational context, these patterns of perception - partly shaped by gender stereotypes and clichés - still have a major influence on the demographic composition of a company," explains Tanya Akin, expert for Diversity and Inclusion at flowedoo GmbH. This is because unconscious prejudices are still often the basis for decision-making among many managers, employees and HR managers who are committed to diversity and openness. The only way to counter this is to consciously question ingrained perceptions again and again and to introduce standardized procedures.

Step in the right direction

It has long been known that diverse teams are an asset to companies: The more colorful, the better. Diversity in the workplace increases productivity and promotes creative problem-solving processes, as a study conducted by StepStone and the Handelsblatt Media Group in 2020 showed. But it is also a statement to the outside world, a sign that a company welcomes everyone, regardless of skin color, age, religion or gender. "However, setting up a diverse team is not always as easy as it first sounds. The main reason for this is thought to be hidden biases that influence hiring decisions," Akin says. Overcoming these subconscious biases doesn't always prove easy, and many companies still struggle with them.

With bias training against unconscious bias

In order to introduce diversity management, companies should first collect data and find out exactly where biases have an impact in their processes: in recruiting, in performance appraisals or in promotions. They need a strategy for making processes and systems more bias-free. Bias training is seen as a helpful building block here. "Employees learn in these trainings that the disadvantage is not in having biases, but in not recognizing them and making unreflective decisions. When employees and managers become aware of their Unconscious Biases, they simultaneously reduce their influence - not only on a personal level, but also structurally and systemically throughout the organization," Akin explains.

Filters investigation

Particularly in the current climate, it is essential to uncover hidden prejudices through self-reflection and to try to eliminate them. This applies not only to hiring processes, but to all processes in the entire organization. Incidentally, making teams more colorful should also not be about prioritizing diversity over whites, men or cis people, but about creating equality for those who experience unequal treatment and are affected by structural discrimination. "Professional trainers work with a bundle of methods that they use, for example, to shed light on traditional role models, their own corporate culture and also ethnic attributions," says the diversity expert. In addition, they examine the relevant processes in the companies for possible filters, which primarily concerns HR areas. Corrective measures range from mandatory position descriptions to anonymizing application documents. But objectifying procedures is not enough, as decisions are still made by people who are often influenced by personnel preferences, perception biases and associated discrimination. "Nevertheless, one thing is certain: if organizations remain at a standstill, that is, if they ignore the diverse society, sooner or later this will have a negative impact. Be it through high employee turnover within the company or even through these organizations not being able to find employees in the medium or long term - after all, who wants to work in a toxic environment?" concludes Tanya Akin.

Source and further information: www.flowedoo.de

In a representative survey conducted at the end of November by the online comparison service Comparis, 53 percent of survey participants said they had a 3a pension solution. Of these, almost one in five (21 percent) paid less or not at all into the third pillar in the past year. "This reflects, among other things, the loss of wages due to short-time work as well as Corona-related layoffs," says Leo Hug, pension expert at Comparis. When asked about the reasons for not paying in, 43 percent of those affected claimed a lower income than in the previous year.

36 percent have invested savings portion elsewhere in 2020

Although income setbacks are the most frequently cited argument for declining transfers to pillar 3a, they are not the only one. 19 percent of 3a savers who paid less or nothing into their retirement savings account said they had used their savings portion for other investment vehicles, such as direct investments in equities in a bank custody account. 17 percent of respondents said they had no money left over for the third pillar because of a major purchase.

Three quarters of people who normally pay into pillar 3a invested the same amount of money or more in tax-privileged private pension provision in 2020 than in the previous year. Of these, slightly more than half (59 percent) paid in the maximum amount (CHF 6,826 for people with a connection to a pension fund) - significantly more men than women (64 percent versus 52 percent).

Early retirements have an effect on pillar 3a

80 percent of 3a savers aged up to 55 invested more or the same amount in pillar 3a last year as in the previous year. By contrast, only 56 percent of those over 56 did so. A quarter (25 percent) of those over 56 even decided not to pay into their 3a account at all.

"The significantly lower payments of the elderly are hardly related to economic consequences of the Corona pandemic," Hug explains. "In this age group, there are many early retirees without earned income subject to AHV who have not yet cashed out their pillar 3a."

Source: Comparis

Distance rules, home office guidelines and increased health precautions have significantly changed the recruitment processes of Swiss companies. This is shown, among other things, by the JobCloud Market Insights, which were conducted in cooperation between JobCloud (jobs.ch, jobup.ch) and the ZHAW were conducted. This digital survey found that more than half of all organizations in Switzerland have adapted their recruiting processes in response to current challenges. "Large companies in particular saw a need for adaptation. While about half of small and medium-sized companies said they had changed their recruitment processes, this proportion is almost three quarters among large companies," specifies Davide Villa, CEO of JobCloud.

Good 60% have switched to digital interviews

The adjustments to the recruiting processes are most evident in the job interviews. In the survey, for example, almost 60% of the companies in German-speaking Switzerland stated that they hold the first interview digitally, while in French-speaking Switzerland the figure is 44%. Only selected candidates are then invited to a personal interview. More than a quarter of the companies surveyed in French-speaking Switzerland and one in six in German-speaking Switzerland even forgo face-to-face interviews altogether. "Since French-speaking Switzerland has been particularly hard hit by the pandemic, the switch to digitized interviews here has tended to be complete," says Prof. Dr. Frank Hannich of ZHAW. Increasing digitization in the recruitment process is also evident in the increased use of digital tests and assessments.

New recruitment processes are here to stay - especially at large companies

For many companies, the changed recruiting processes will go beyond the Corona crisis. This is especially true for larger companies: The larger the company, the more likely they are to want to use the learnings in the recruiting process and retain adaptations, although not all of them. Only a few large companies said they wanted to return to the old recruitment process (6%). While few mid-sized companies also want to return to the old way of doing things (13%), just under a quarter of small companies do. "The Corona crisis has proven that many processes can be successfully digitized and has triggered a learning process that will permanently change recruitment," says Davide Villa with conviction.

Recruitment budget remains unchanged in many cases

Despite the current challenges, the recruitment budget in 2020 remained untouched in many companies. For example, just under 70% of the companies surveyed in German-speaking Switzerland stated that their recruitment budget had not changed over the course of 2020. For companies in French-speaking Switzerland, however, the crisis seemed to have a greater impact on the recruitment budget - here, around half were planning to make cuts. Small companies with up to 49 employees and large companies with more than 500 employees were more affected by budget cuts than medium-sized companies. Medium-sized companies reacted least to the crisis and mostly maintained their budgets.

Source: Jobcloud

Since 2004, the Swiss industry association for outplacement ACF (Swiss Association of Companies for Personal and Organizational Change) has been collecting key data on the reintegration into the labor market of job-seeking individuals served by ACF members in Switzerland. The current statistics cover data over four years from 2017 to 2020. The demand for professional advice and personalized services in the field of outplacement and newplacement, assements and coaching, not least to avoid wrong decisions in recruitment or promotions, has continued to grow over the past year. In 2020, ACF Switzerland's association members assisted almost 5,000 candidates, an increase of around 25 percent and a new high.

Markedly more people looking for jobs as a result of the Corona crisis

The experts at ACF Switzerland attribute the increase not least to the current difficult economic situation as a result of the Corona crisis with rising unemployment rates on the Swiss labor market. The assumption is that companies have taken the tougher conditions on the labor market into account and are taking their social responsibility towards their employees seriously and supporting them more generously. In particular, many specialists and managers are also losing their positions as a result of Corona. Particularly since the fall of 2020, ACF association members have therefore recorded a marked increase in corresponding consulting mandates. According to a survey conducted in November 2020 survey conducted among association members, the ACF expects the situation to worsen further and that hardly any industry will be spared in 2021. ACF therefore expects a second wave of redundancies in the winter half-year, although the extent is still uncertain.

Jobseekers over 50 also find a new job within around eight months

The average time to professional reintegration into the labor market increased in 2020 and averaged 8.18 months (2019: 7.31). Jobseekers over 50 also found a new job within eight months (2019: 7.14). Once again, the oft-repeated claim that people over 50 who are looking for a job are unlikely to find one is not true. Once again, more than four-fifths (84.94 %) of candidates mentored by ACF association members found a new challenge within two to eight months in 2020 (2019: 85.17 %). Or, to put it another way, the probability of finding a job again within 8 months or less is almost 85 percent when professional support is involved in the reintegration into the work process.

When looking for a job, the personal network is still the most important success factor

Personal networking, i.e. the active use of the personal network of contacts with friends, acquaintances and former professional colleagues, was again by far the most efficient way to find a new job in 2020. In almost half of the cases (45.43 %), job seekers used it to find their new job, slightly more than in the previous year (2019: 44.8 %). In second place were almost unchanged advertisements and the Internet with 31.32 % (2019: 31.4 %). Tending to decrease further compared to the previous year were search and recruitment agencies with 8.85 % (2019: 10.21 %), in-house implementation with 4.34 % (2019: 5.5 %), and the share of spontaneous applications also fell sharply to 4.33 % (2019: 5.46 %).

Corona crisis accelerates trends such as flexible working and digital skills

Meanwhile, the use of social media channels more than doubled to 5.63 % (2019: 2.6 %), reaching the highest level in the last four years. According to the experience of ACF's outplacement experts, social media can be effective when used in combination with other channels and as a means to an end. The abrupt change in the world of work in the wake of the Corona pandemic has accelerated trends such as flexible working, leadership accompanied by high emotional competence, and further training in digital skills.

As a result, demand for outplacement services has shifted toward programs with longer durations and individualized services. Of the nearly 5,000 candidates supported by ACF members, about 3,200 requested individual coaching last year, an increase of about 13 percent over the previous year (2019: about 2,800). There was also very marked growth in the number of group outplacements - i.e. programs in groups with forms of work ranging from short workshops to comprehensive support for restructuring in collaboration with the respective companies - which increased by around 33 percent to more than 1600 (2019: around 1200) and correspond to around 34% of the total outplacement programs. Also in 2020, about 40 % of the job seekers served by ACF were women, and just under 60 % were men.

Corona crisis affects specialists and managers in administrative and corporate headquarters

The experts at ACF attribute the increase in both individual and group programs to the fact that, above all, individual needs in consulting and support are to be taken into account not only for managing directors and executives, but also increasingly for specialists and, in general, for employees leaving the company.

The educational level of people looking for jobs continues to rise steadily over the period under review. Since 2018, most candidates have a university or polytechnic degree. In 2020, this proportion has risen to its highest level to date at 62.2 % (2019: 54.15 %), which is likely to continue to be related to the increasing share of consultations in the service sector versus the industrial sector. According to ACF experts, the high share in 2020 may indicate that the increasing restructuring plans in the wake of the Corona crisis have strongly influenced the central functions in administrative and corporate headquarters.

The service sector hired more candidates than it fired

Also in 2020, the majority of job seekers (46.44 %) came from the services sector (50.41 % in 2019), followed by the industrial sector, whose share grows from 37.91 % in 2019 to 42.98 % in 2020. According to the Outplacement Association, these figures indicate the increasing restructuring as a result of the Corona pandemic in the industrial sector, and there especially in the manufacturing industry. Also striking is the increase in the number of job seekers from administrative agencies to 6.21 % (2019: 4.98 %) and the decrease in those from non-profit organizations to 5.37 % (2019: 6.7 %).

Just under 10 percent took the plunge into self-employment

On the other hand, almost half of the candidates (49.04 %) found reemployment in the service sector (2019: 50.11 %), while 31.82 % were reemployed in the industrial sector (2019: 32.44 %). ACF Switzerland therefore assumes that the service sector hired more candidates than it laid off, while the industrial sector parted with more employees on balance. Slightly more hiring is also taking place in administrations at 5.82 % (2019: 5.47%), and only 1.4 % in non-profit organizations (2019: 2.96 %), the smallest figure so far in recent years. Self-employment, on the other hand, reached a new high of 9.92 % (2019: 9.02 %), meaning that almost one in ten candidates ventured into self-employment.

Source: ACF

How does the Corona pandemic affect the international movement of goods? Many exporters have more than a few burning questions when it comes to logistics. The logistics provider Dachser Switzerland has answers ready: Urs Häner, Managing Director European Logistics Switzerland, and Samuel Haller, Country Manager Switzerland for the Air & Sea Logistics business segment, Dachser Spedition AG, provide information.

It's home office time again. Can I still reach my scheduler by phone or is communication only by e-mail?
Urs Häner: Of course, you can reach our dispatchers by phone. Due to the pandemic, we had during peak times
around one-third of the workforce worked from home. The majority of these were employees with administrative tasks, such as
for example accounting, billing, sales/HR. Employees in operational processing such as export, import, disposition, etc. were and are always on site. Our organization is set up in such a way that each department is always also staffed on site. Communication with the customers and coordination with the employees at the mobile workstations is thus ensured at all times.

Swiss, but also other airlines, are offering fewer and fewer flight connections to and from Zurich, Basel and Geneva. On-time delivery is a crucial competitive factor for us. How do I ensure that my export air freight shipments nevertheless reach the recipient on time?
Samuel Haller: In addition to direct flight connections to and from Swiss airports, Dachser also offers airfreight routings via our
Gateway in Frankfurt in Germany. Here, goods from all over Europe are bundled and flown overseas. Imported goods for Swiss customers from other continents are deconsolidated in Frankfurt and transported directly to Switzerland in cooperation with Dachser European Logistics, Dachser's land transport division. Furthermore, Dachser offers its own weekly charter services for selected routes to America and Asia. We try to find a solution for each customer that meets his or her requirements.

Air freight rates have risen sharply during the crisis. What does that mean for me as a shipper?
Samuel Haller: The price increase requires early interaction with the logistics service provider. In cooperation with the shipper, the logistics service provider can then examine possible options - from cheaper alternative flight routes to alternative transport solutions such as sea-air, truck, rail or ocean freight. As a result, an increasing number of shippers are opting for groupage container transports for the first time. Here, Dachser offers a
global network in combination with European Logistics for pre-carriage and onward carriage, including train connections to China.

In many EU countries there are already massive restrictions on economic life again. Will this lead to delays in deliveries to / collection from customers?
Urs Häner: Our network is 100 percent efficient. However, it does happen that we are faced with closed doors when the shipment is delivered because the recipients have redefined their delivery windows due to the pandemic. In the spring, temporary controls were introduced at many inner-European borders. This resulted in kilometer-long traffic jams and delays in supply chains.

What measures has Dachser taken in case there are more border controls and longer downtimes in Switzerland-EU traffic again?
Urs Häner: During the first two days of border closure, there were delays. However, I would like to note that the Swiss and German customs authorities worked very well together to reduce congestion. If border closures occur again, we will re-cycle the schedule with a longer border stop. This will lead to earlier departure times and requires prior coordination with the shippers.

So I have to allow for longer transit times for truck shipments, but also for overseas shipments (Logistics Lead Time Planning)?
Urs Häner: Yes, that is recommended. However, our European network has also proven to be absolutely reliable and
efficient.
Samuel Haller: For ocean freight, shippers must indeed expect longer transport times. In addition to a shortage of empty containers, cancellations of ship sailings (blank sailings) and capacity bottlenecks in some ports, e.g. in the USA, as well as corona-related
Delays in customs and port clearance currently lead to disruptions in the transport chain. It is important here that shippers provide the logistics service provider with the most accurate volume forecasts possible at an early stage so that appropriate planning, capacity assurance and booking can be carried out.
can be carried out by the latter. So-called backup carrier models to ensure punctual delivery are also available. It should be noted that there is currently no absolute loading guarantee with the shipping companies and so-called rollovers, a postponement to the next departure, cannot be completely ruled out. Accordingly, shippers should build time buffers into their planning and booking in order to be on the "safe side". A "just in sequence" approach is definitely not advisable in the current phase.

How do I get transparent real-time information in case of delays in the lead time to the port of shipment, loading at the port, transshipment problems or other travel delays in Asian traffic (supply chain visibility)?
Samuel Haller: Dachser provides corresponding information on its Track & Trace platform eLogistics, which is available to customers
can be viewed at any time. In the event of foreseeable delays, customers are proactively informed by our Customer Service. Sea freight rates have risen sharply in recent months.

Will this trend continue in 2021?
Samuel Haller: We expect ocean freight rates to remain at a high level or to increase further. For example, the
Shanghai Container Freight Index SCFI as of before Christmas over 160 percent higher than a year ago. However, price is currently not the issue, but the availability of equipment/capacity. How the situation will develop after the Chinese New Year is still uncertain. But shippers can assume that it will not calm down immediately.

Our supply chain management has mastered all problems well so far. Would a detailed analysis of the risks in our supply chain ecosystem in cooperation with a logistics service provider still be worthwhile?
Samuel Haller: Absolutely. Our experience is that such analyses, carried out in partnership and in an interdisciplinary manner with the customer, offer opportunities for supply chain optimization and create sustainable added value.

More information: Dachser Spedition AG

Appropriate and authentic communication from person to person is - also for B2B companies - the be-all and end-all to maneuver through difficult times in particular. Valuable insights for the coming year can be derived from this. The following 8 tips should definitely be considered by communication professionals in B2B 2021.

1. Keeping an eye on the communication strategy

Especially in times of crisis, it is by no means advisable to go headlong into communications. What is needed is a concrete strategy that is individually targeted at the various stakeholders. In addition, it is important to include all communication channels and to strive for holistic, integrated communication. This is the only way B2B companies can create a professional and authentic image of themselves in the public eye and in the eyes of the target group. It is also important to be clear in advance about the goals of the strategy and the individual communication measures. Visibility, thought leadership, more leads or growing website traffic are all attractive goals, but they can be approached quite differently. And it is only on the basis of goals that critical communications controlling and consequently effective optimization are possible in the first place.

2. Convincing from the first touchpoint - with good content

Even before Corona, customer journeys were increasingly digital, and the trend continues. For companies, a customer relationship begins less and less often through personal contact. In their search for the right solution to their own challenges, potential customers initially consume a whole range of content anonymously. This increasingly happens online - on websites, in digital portals, in online media or in social networks. Today, the first touchpoint is almost always content - whether in text, graphic, audio, or video format - and people usually use this to make an initial judgment about a company. Here, it is the task of B2B companies to use content to make the first decisive moment of contact as authentic and convincing as otherwise only a personal conversation can.

3. Getting to know customers - via Customer Dating

The first moment of contact is crucial, but not conclusive. Anyone who goes on a blind date is unlikely to come back with a marriage proposal. A blind date is also the first customer contact, as it were, if it takes place on the website, in an online magazine, or in social media. B2B companies shouldn't just barge right in with a concrete offer; instead, they need many convincing and inspiring dates - in the form of content, product samples, webinars, or workshops - in order to gradually get to know the people who are potentially interesting from a sales perspective and win them over - keyword lead nurturing. Even if the interested parties initially only (want to) date digitally, authentic communication is needed to create trust and position the company as a reliable partner and solution provider.

4. Always stay in contact

Especially in difficult times, it is indispensable to stay close to one's own target group and consequently also in contact with them. Especially those B2B companies that can no longer serve their clientele as usual (temporarily or for a longer period of time) depend on maintaining communication. Here, the website is the hub for updates and contact opportunities, but so are other digital channels such as social media, phone and email. It is therefore advisable for the future to maintain sustainable relationships with clientele, partner companies and all other stakeholders, and thus to preserve the humanity of these connections. Digital communication should not be seen as a threat to personal relationships. On the contrary, it allows B2B companies to maintain secure direct contact - despite contact restrictions.

5. Making sales communication smart

Social networks are not only a popular communication channel, but also a lucrative way to build a relationship with the customer as part of the sales process and thus increase the probability of closing a deal. 2020 has shown that digital channels or tools are sometimes the only way to establish or maintain contact with (potential) customers. With the help of intelligent technologies, B2B companies can, for example, find out in a privacy-compliant manner which companies - i.e., legal entities and not natural persons - are cavorting on their website and what exactly they are looking at there. This information provides a good basis for identifying decision-makers in these companies and contacting them without obligation via the social networks.

6. Provide reliable and memorable information

In order to find the right provider, B2B decision-makers have to deal with a flood of information. This overload has increased again in the past year, and with it the danger of misinformation and fake news. However, in order to both attract the attention of the target group and provide them with content orientation, B2B companies must prove the reliability and authenticity of information. This requires verifiable data on the one hand and an attractive presentation of these on the other. If figures are not presented as dull diagrams and lists, but are linked to an experienceable story and visualized in an appealing way, the messages are more credible and can be better anchored in the long-term memory. It is important to concentrate on the essentials, to keep the cognitive load on the person addressed as low as possible, and never to lose sight of the target group and its needs.

7. Using gender-sensitive language in B2B communication

In B2B communication, companies do not always know immediately which people belong to the group of decision-makers. Consequently, it is always necessary to address all genders equally. While human resources and the public sector in particular already take all gender identities (male, female, diverse) into account here, B2B communication will also increasingly look for alternatives to the so-called "generic masculine", e.g. the customer or the readers, in the future. Gender-sensitive language does not have to be reader-unfriendly: Instead of using both terms, e.g. customers or the gender asterisk, e.g. readers, neutral terms such as target group, stakeholders or readership can be used. It is important to understand here that this is not a cultural language change, but a political one. Consequently, gender-sensitive language is not a mandatory to-do in marketing, but it may reveal the gender mindset of a B2B company.

8. Trustworthy Marketing: Don't chase every trend

Of course, it's important to keep up to date and evolve in B2B communications as well. But many people talk about trends, when in fact they are only grand visions, some of which cannot yet be implemented. Not only is it increasingly difficult in times of crisis to identify trends at all, let alone follow them consistently, it also becomes less important in the face of major events. After all, it is more important than chasing the latest hype to focus on the needs of one's own target groups and win back their trust through marketing measures that are both proven and reliable. What trustworthy marketing can offer is stability and an optimistic outlook for the future.

Conclusion: People matter - even in B2B communication

Advancing digitization and the developments resulting from the Corona pandemic are calling for a rethink, not least in the communications industry. At the same time, both bring with them the opportunity to open up new paths to one's own target groups, to reflect on proven measures and to show oneself approachable despite contact restrictions. The exchange of ideas and cooperation with other communications professionals can help. And especially when trade and industry events have to be canceled and personal meetings postponed, constructive cooperation and cross-discipline collaboration are essential for the further development of B2B communications. This also includes willingly sharing one's own know-how and experiences so that others can learn from them. The digital world creates the best conditions for giving impulses worldwide - and for discovering inspiration. But the driving force here is and remains people.

About the author:
Venera D'Elia has a doctorate in German studies. Born in Russia, she has lived and worked in Germany since 2000. Since 2005, she has strengthened the communications team at the communications agency Möller Horcher (www.moeller-horcher.de) in Offenbach. The mother of two is now Head of Business Development and Senior Consultant. 

ESET, the cyber security specialist, has summarized the most important "don'ts" for Internet users for 2021, so that users do not repeatedly fall into the same cyber pitfalls in the new year. After all, working in a home office has accentuated certain risk areas.

Home digitization: Trust is good - control is better!

During the lockdown, many households upgraded technologically and also implemented digitization within their own four walls. But even ambitious home administrators have difficulty maintaining an overview and control of the home network. Thanks to the home office, private and professional devices are also mixed in the same (W)LAN. A weak point in the smart device, on the private computer or router is quickly enough to endanger not only private data, but also sensitive company data.

Security tip: Smart helpers

Users should first get an overview of which devices are integrated in their own network. This can be done quickly and easily with an Internet security package that has a built-in home network scanner. In the next step, users should then separate smart and work devices in the network. The easiest way to do this is with the help of the guest WLAN function, which is available on all routers. The devices still use the same router for online access, but have a different IP address range than the home network and are thus separated from it. This means that attackers cannot establish a connection to network storage (e.g., Raid systems), PCs or notebooks in the home network, even via insecure smart home devices.

Avoid password traps and keep track

A common cyber flaw is the use of passwords. In every second security guide, users are urged to use complex passwords for every online service they use. A commendable request, but hardly feasible in practice, because hardly any user is able to remember a separate password for each service. How could they? Without problems, users would have to remember ten or more different complex passwords. In practice, therefore, there are either passwords that are too simple and easy to crack or many password doubles, i.e., two to three passwords are used for ten or more services. This makes it easier for cybercriminals to do their work, because password thieves can quickly access different user accounts, such as social media accounts, in one fell swoop with just one captured password. If they succeed in taking over the e-mail account, they are able to create new passwords for online stores and then go on a shopping spree at the victims' expense.

Security tip: Passwords

PC users should use password managers to create a different and, above all, secure password for each purpose and save it in a protected manner. Caution: Saving them in the browser is not a secure alternative, as some of them are unencrypted on the end device. This means that any user with access to the device can easily read the files.

Logging in with the help of two-factor authentication offers the highest level of security. In addition to the user name and password, an individual one-time code is sent to the smartphone via SMS or app, or the login must be confirmed via APP. A large number of providers have been using this very secure method for some time - users simply have to activate it for the respective service.

Biometric methods, such as fingerprints or FaceID, are also suitable for unlocking smartphones. These methods are much more difficult to crack than a simple combination of numbers or swipe patterns.

Four basic rules that always apply against cyber fatalities

1. Use Internet security software that scans removable media such as USB sticks, the network interfaces and RAM for malware in addition to emails and websites.
2. Automatically install updates to the operating system, installed software, apps or firmware. Known security gaps are thus closed and can no longer be exploited by attackers. If an automatism is missing: Regularly check for updates and also install them immediately.
3. Simply delete mails of unknown origin - as a rule, they are always SPAM. Even if a supposed lottery win is promised or bargains are enticing: Do not click on links or open file attachments under any circumstances, as this can lead to your computer being infected with malicious code.
4. Create regular backups of your digital treasures. These backups should be created on external hard disks, which should be disconnected from the computer immediately after data backup. Even if your computer is infected with ransomware and your data is encrypted, the malicious code has no chance to access the backup media.

And last but not least: If an alleged Microsoft employee calls you, you should hang up immediately. Because it is always a criminal who is just trying to trap Internet users and remotely inject malicious code onto the PC.

Source: ESET

A total of 46,842 new company entries were recorded in the Swiss Commercial Register, an increase of +5.3% compared to the record previous year 2019. However, while the "lockdown" months of March, April and May understandably slowed the start-up boom, the number of new companies rose From June on the rise again. Thus, a total of 11,682 new companies were founded in the third quarter, which corresponds to an increase of +15.5%. The last quarter of 2020 also recorded an increase of +13.0% with 13,208 companies.

Particularly large number of new companies in German-speaking Switzerland

The major regions of Northwestern Switzerland +10.5%, Central Switzerland +10.1%, Eastern Switzerland +8.4%, Zurich +7.5% and Escape Mittelland +6.0% are enjoying new record figures in 2020 in terms of the number of company founders. Just as Ticino was hit hard by the Corona pandemic, the decrease in the number of new companies in Ticino compared to the previous year is also relevant with -10.6%. Southwestern Switzerland was able to recover in the course of the year and only recorded a slight decline of -0.2% in new startups.

On average, 5.61 startups per 1,000 inhabitants took place in Switzerland in 2020. A total of 10 cantons are above the national average. The canton of Zug (19.91) is at the top by a remarkable margin, ahead of Schwyz (8.85), Appenzell Innerrhoden (8.61) and Geneva (7.75). The Swiss cantons with the lowest start-up rates are Uri (3.18), Bern (3.82) and Schaffhausen (3.92), which found the fewest new companies per 1,000 inhabitants.

Comparison of the last 10 years

Since the slight decline in 2015, the Commercial Register Office has recorded a steady increase in new registrations. In the last ten years, new company formations increased by +18%. The year 2020 impresses with more company formations than ever and proves to be the year with the highest number of formations since the existence of the Swiss Commercial Register (SOGC). The SOGC was first published on January 06, 1883.

Five industries account for 50% of all startups

About 50% of all startups occur in the trades (16.7%), consulting (10.2%), retail trade (8.6%), real estate (8.1%), and finance and insurance (6.8%) industries. The least number of startups is in the activity area of printing and publishing (0.3%), high tech (0.6%) agriculture and forestry (1.1%) and education (1.8%).

With regard to the development of the sectors compared to the previous year, it can be seen that the sectors Marketing and Communication grew the most in percentage terms by +26.0%, Hairdressing and Cosmetics +21.0%, Retail Trade +18.6% and Consulting +14.1X%. Declines were recorded in Other services (travel agencies, freelance activities) -22.4%, Transport and logistics -4.9%, Printing and publishing with -2.5%, Finance and insurance -2.1% and Catering and accommodation -0.9%.

Reasons for the strong increase in company formations in 2020

Simon May, Managing Director of the IFJ Institut für Jungunternehmen, sees the high number of start-ups as a positive signal for a sustainably well-functioning Swiss economy. In the past year, some industries have benefited from the change in economic and social life, May continues. Never before has so much money been spent on sports and leisure articles, and people invested in their personal living space, including IT infrastructure for the home office. Producers and retailers of toys as well as medical and security technology, farm stores, streaming services, audio book providers, delivery services and online trade in general experienced an enormous boom. Despite economically restrictive measures, founders were confident, as evidenced by growth in most industries. In addition, a kind of "shakeout" is currently taking place at economically poorly positioned companies, which is encouraging the founding of new companies.

The annual number of start-ups accounts for about 7% to 8% of all active companies in Switzerland, estimates the Institute for Young Enterprises. These start-ups create around 55,000 new jobs annually, which is equivalent to more than 1% of all employees. Consequently, it is systemically relevant for Switzerland that many new companies are created every year.

Will the start-up boom continue in 2021?

According to Simon May's assessment, digitization will continue to receive an enormous boost. "The way is paved for national and global disruptions. Because beware: the effects of this global economic and social shock will only follow in this still very young year of 2021 and subsequent years," says Simon May. The shutdowns, economic aid and restrictions would initially still act like a dam. This "incubation period" is expected to end when vaccinations take effect, contagions remain sustainably reduced and the return to a new normal becomes a fact, he said. "Then the dam will break and many more new solutions from this pandemic period will find their way to market. 2021 will be truly disruptive and at the same time challenging for all of us," Simon May is convinced.

Source: Institute for Young Enterprises IFJ

The School of Business at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW is introducing three new fields of study in the Bachelor of Science degree programs in Business Information Technology (German-language in Olten) and Business Information Technology (English-language in Basel and Brugg-Windisch) for students starting in fall 2021. The students can thus focus even more specifically on their interests and the desired career and field of activity, according to the statement.

The field of study Software Engineering addresses students who want to support processes of a company with suitable software solutions. They gain an in-depth insight into modern development technologies and software architectures. At the same time, they learn what it takes for these to function optimally and to be further developed according to the latest state of the art.

The Business Analytics major is aimed at students with a strong analytical flair. They specialize in the examination of large amounts of data and the recognition of patterns with the help of artificial intelligence, for example in the processing of customer and market segments or the evaluation of social media data.

The third field of study, Digital Business Management, is aimed at students who are interested in management topics in the field of business information systems. This includes in particular project management, consulting and leadership. Industry-specific digital business models (e.g. in the global pharmaceutical industry) and preparation for possible self-employment round off the profile.

With the new courses of study, the School of Business FHNW says it also wants to make an important contribution to reducing the shortage of skilled workers in the IT environment.

More information: FHNW