How digital service solutions can generate profits

Mr. Pfeil, what digital tools or processes have you recently implemented to make services more profitable and customer-oriented?

Pfeil: The integration of live machine data via our VSC (Vecoplan Smart Center) directly into xRM has been realized. This means our employees can directly view machine data during customer contact and thus draw conclusions about current machine performance. Additionally, Vecoplan Intelligent Detect can drastically reduce the risk of machine damage through intelligent vibration sensors. We have also introduced a webshop for ordering spare and wear parts.

Service revenues should ideally make up a large portion of the total profit in machine and plant engineering. How do you assess the importance of service for your company compared to traditional machine sales, and what changes in customer behavior do you think are driving this change?

Pfeil: The importance of the service business is very high at Vecoplan. For years, we have achieved a revenue share of more than 30 percent and are an important part of the company's overall results.

How to sell digital services in mechanical engineering

Bits and bytes alone do not create added value. Only when digital services measurably improve performance, availability, and quality do data become a real business model. Lukas Schattenberg from Ixon explains the details.

Our customers expect high availability of machines and systems. We try to not only react in the event of a plant shutdown with proactive customer acquisition but to maintain availability at a high level through regular maintenance cycles. Unfortunately, this is not yet the case for all customers.

Finally: What can cause machine builders to fail in establishing service business models?

Pfeil: In delivery capability, acceptance between new machine business and service business, and availability of personnel with the required qualifications.