Industry: Future of Switzerland as a business location
Prospects for Switzerland as a business location from the point of view of the automotive industry: this was the topic of this year's business conference organized by A&W Verlag, Migrol, autoricardo.ch, car4you.ch, Autofaszination as well as Cargarantie. "Switzerland as a business location is an island in Europe, the competition from abroad and the pressure on margins hit especially the retail sector and thus also the Swiss automotive industry and the [...]
"Switzerland as a business location is an island in Europe, and competition from abroad and pressure on margins are hitting the retail sector in particular, and thus also the Swiss automotive industry and the garage trade. That's why it's important to address these issues and prepare the next generation for them." With these words, Lukas Hasselberg, Editor-in-Chief of A&W Verlag opened the industry gathering. Background:
The euro crisis has shaken up the Swiss automotive industry and left its mark. The changed market conditions, the increased transparency and the intensified competition with other European countries require Swiss companies to take new paths.
The garage owner is still an important confidant
Lea Waibel, Senior Project Manager Market Research Tamedia, looked into the future with the Auto Study 2016 of the Tages-Anzeiger. In a study, the car-buying behavior of customers was analyzed - from car selection, to the period of use, the future car, brand loyalty, drive selection, information procurement and the services of garages and workshops. Results of the analysis: gasoline remains the most important drive in the future, service quality and trust in the garage and workshop are among the most important criteria when buying a car, as well as a test drive. Further findings: Customers still prefer to buy their cars in garages with brand representation. Lea Waibel: "The Internet is also playing an increasingly important role; many customers obtain information online, but still prefer contact with the garage owner, who is the person of trust par excellence. That's why it's important to be present on the Internet as a dealer, garage owner or brand."
Mobility brings growth and prosperity to Switzerland
Thierry Burkart, FDP National Councillor, lawyer and Vice President of the ACS: "Switzerland is a country of congestion and the current situation on Swiss roads is difficult. The expansion of the Swiss national road network is important not only to cope with the increase in mobility, but also to further promote the economy. Mobility causes growth, without mobility no prosperity." Janina Martig, entrepreneur and CEO of JML Janina Martig Logistics, knows how much time traffic jams cost and what costs they generate. In the panel discussion with entrepreneur Ronnie Kessel, entrepreneur Sandra Stella-Triebl, Hans Koller, Secretary General strasseschweiz, and owner Autofaszination Adrian Schnell, Janina Martig explains: "Switzerland has many advantages as a business location, but especially in logistics, traffic jams cause high costs. Swiss quality enjoys a high status and this should be relied on in the future." Sandra Stella-Triebl shares the same conviction. For Ronnie Kessel of Kessel Racing, Switzerland does have many advantages, but especially in border regions such as Ticino, the entrepreneur feels the pressure from abroad: "To hold your own, you simply have to offer better quality."
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Photo: A&W
