spo-comm Marketing: Hi Michael, hi Bernd, and welcome to this year’s end-of-year interview. The fact that we are sitting together across teams this time and not in the spo-comm meeting room speaks volumes. Tell us, how did you get on?
Michael Sporrer: I’ve probably never seen so few people in the office as this year and it was very challenging in all respects. The whole corona issue has really had a significant impact on the way we work. At the start of the lockdown, we sent most of our sales and marketing staff to work from home. Fortunately, we had already started introducing Microsoft Teams last October. This makes communication much easier in these difficult times. And there was also a lot to consider in our production. The required minimum distances meant that fewer people could work at the same time. This in turn had an impact on the entire production planning. Nevertheless, our production department is doing everything it can to deliver orders in the usual time and quality. I’m really excited about that.
Bernd Moosmรผller: 2020 was a real challenge for everyone, especially for the employees. But everyone reacted extremely flexibly, so we were actually able to carry on from home almost exactly as before. And we were able to continue delivering. There was no noticeable difference for our customers: prices and delivery times remained the same and we didn’t have to cut back on our services either.
Michael Sporrer: I think we have achieved a good balance. It is important to us to protect the health of our employees. At the same time, however, business had to continue, not least in order to preserve jobs. Some of our regular customers are struggling with enormous losses, as sectors such as event technology and trade fair construction are suffering greatly from the crisis. At the same time, we were able to acquire new industrial customers with great potential, so we are generally satisfied with how the year went for us, especially given the circumstances.
Marketing: And we were even able to hire new colleagues!
Michael Sporrer: Yes, exactly, Victor Mention replaces our previous management assistant and Kim Schrickel, who is training with us as an IT systems management assistant, is a great support for sales. Of course, it’s difficult for a trainee not to sit in the office with her direct contacts but in her home office, but Kim does it really well. I am very happy with the new ones.
Bernd Moosmรผller: Me too! And this despite the fact that it certainly wasn’t easy for them at the beginning. It’s wild when you come into the office and everyone leaves (laughs). But they both contribute really well and work independently. They were real strokes of luck!
Marketing: Let’s look back a little: February was the last time we were at ISE in Amsterdam. How did you experience it?
Bernd Moosmรผller: Participation was good, but now the trade fair has lost twice its appeal. We had already more or less decided not to take part before Corona because Barcelona is logistically difficult. It is now questionable whether the ISE will still take place next year, and indeed whether the issue of presence trade fairs has not been settled anyway. We have therefore been looking for new ways of communicating with customers for some time, whether virtually or, if permitted again, on site.
Marketing: And what about new product launches?
Bernd Moosmรผller: Unfortunately, there were only a few new product launches last year. This is largely due to the fact that Intel is finding it increasingly difficult to deliver and is unable to keep its promises. As a result, there are only a few developments at board level. But the successor to the Windbox II Quad is definitely coming next year. And perhaps also products for new markets and other successors.
Marketing: For example?
Bernd Moosmรผller: (laughs) Do I have to name names now? Ok, so there’s certainly something new in the RUGGED series, maybe. also in the KUMO series.
Michael Sporrer: We are thinking about a passive KUMO model, but let’s see. In addition, a completely new product line is being reintroduced with Panel PCs. This would also be interesting for the manufacturing industry.
Bernd Moosmรผller: However, the prerequisite is that we can implement our spo-comm system, which means that the panel PCs must be individually configurable for the customer.
RUGGED series
KUMO series
Marketing: We all hope that the coronavirus crisis will be over at some point. How will things continue with home office in spo-comm?
Michael Sporrer: In the current situation, I think working from home is a great flexible tool, it’s necessary and it works well. But I think that being in the office more is good for the whole company structure. For me, face-to-face communication is extremely important and I think the company thrives on the presence of its employees. But that’s also a personal thing. My home is my castle, (laughs) I simply need an external workplace to be able to separate my professional and private lives.
Bernd Moosmรผller: I think the flexibility we gain from working from home is great. For us, it was born out of necessity and it’s going really well. I also believe that it will continue to accompany us in the future. Of course, it always depends on the job in question. It has great advantages for conceptual work, for example, because you are simply undisturbed. And it is also practical for employees with children or long journeys to work. At the same time, we have to bear in mind that everyone’s home situation is different and that we as employers cannot influence this. Not everyone has their own study with a desk and ergonomic chair. Overall, however, I am very positive about the whole thing and am curious to see how it will develop.
Marketing: We have one more topic, our perennial favorite: the new website…
Bernd Moosmรผller: At the moment, I’m reasonably optimistic and I’m going to venture a prediction: we’ll get it right this year!
Michael Sporrer: I would be delighted to see it start. It would really be a significant improvement because we have so many new opportunities to make the shopping experience even more enjoyable for our customers.
Marketing: Is there anything else on your mind?
Michael Sporrer: I have seen this year that I can rely on our employees even in difficult times. I am optimistic and positive about the new year and hope that things will return to some degree of normality in the second half of the year!
Marketing: That’s a nice closing statement. Thank you very much for the interview!