Connected world: Collaboration for increased value creation
On July 3, Zurich-based Ergon Informatik AG hosted its annual "Beer, Bytes & Beats" summer party at Lake Side in Zurich. Over 400 guests from the IT industry accepted the invitation. The conference dealt with the difficult question of changing collaboration in times of digitalization: How can companies collaborate in such a way that the step into the future succeeds?
"Together, companies can serve customers much better than they can alone," Gabriela Keller, CEO of Ergon, opened the conference. "Sales channels are being supplemented or completely replaced by digital platforms." And fast. In order to keep a clear head for developing innovative approaches amidst the rapid development, a "razor-sharp focus" is needed, said management consultant Nicole Brandes: "I often find in companies that executives fall prey to incredible operational stress. We need people to create a future where we use technology and use people. Not the other way around."
Connected world with augmented reality
Ergon demonstrated how this can work in a playful way with an augmented reality app developed especially for the event. The app allowed guests at the "Beer, Bytes and Beats" to find the person they wanted to talk to among Ergon employees and locate them in the Lake Side, as well as contact them via instant messaging. "This is not just gimmicky, but with this we also want to show what is possible with AR and how stable such solutions have become," said AR Technical Lead Daniel Neubig. The app was actively used by guests. Also putting technology to the benefit of people was Anja Graf. "Digital innovation is not an option, but an essential factor that determines the lifespan of a company. If you don't keep up in today's networked world, you've already lost anyway," says the entrepreneur. She founded the company VISIONAPARTMENTS at the age of 21. With her digital platform, Anja Graf wants to become the leading provider in the serviced apartment industry.
Ecosystems and the Cloud
"Switzerland is a high-tech location and there are many companies here that depend on IT and have a strong interest in cloud technologies. Cloud technologies are basic services that are refined and adapted to local needs with the help of strong partnerships and third-party providers," explained Christian Sciullo, Country Manager CH & AT, Google Cloud. He was joined by Roman Hugelshofer, Managing Director Application Security and member of the Ergon Executive Board. Collaboration with third-party providers must also be examined in application development in order to ensure the necessary speed in development. He is convinced that customized solutions are the most successful for this. This is the only way to ensure high agility and adaptability of the company.
Digitization must be part of the corporate culture
"Banking is needed, banks are not," Jan Brzezek, CEO and founder of Crypto Finance AG, quoted Bill Gates. The international lifting of Swiss banking secrecy has opened up the opportunity for the financial industry to reposition itself and establish itself as a hub for digital innovation, for example in the area of blockchain, he said. One company that has been successfully implementing this for years is Hypothekarbank Lenzburg. Its CEO Marianne Wildi was named CEO of the Year by "Finanz und Wirtschaft" for her digital strategy. "Digitalization belongs in the corporate culture," said Marianne Wildi. She added that innovation requires freedom, for which in turn a more flexible budget is needed. Getting the CFO to accept a more dynamic approach to financial planning takes a lot of convincing. The mortgage bank focuses its innovation on the customer and places its future on the three pillars of people, technology and banking license. "I am not afraid of new technologies and I am aware that technical change can happen very quickly," Marianne Wildi concludes.
Source: Ergon computer science
