The Service Business education will be commissioned training at Mälardalen University
After a successful pilot round, Automation Region's education Service Business is now starting as a commissioned education at Mälardalen University. The training is for product-focused companies that, with the help of digitalization, want to develop their service operations, something that has the potential to increase profitability.
– As the industry shifts more and more focus from goods to services, product companies are faced with the challenge of adapting their operations to remain competitive, says Christer Nygren, university lecturer in innovation technology at Mälardalen University.
The training gives participants insights into their own service potential and helps companies develop an understanding of how they can create continuous offers and value for the customer, rather than selling goods on occasion.
– Servicification provides new ways to create value and deepen relationships with customers, says Christer Nygren. But in order to succeed in switching to a more service-focused business model, companies need to change their perspectives and perhaps even reorganize their operations.
The education is based on a theoretical basis with practical exercises based on each company's activities and challenges. The participants identify services, structure a service portfolio and build an understanding of the value of the portfolio. They are given support to design a plan for further development as well as for presentation and anchoring in the company's management.
– Many companies are experiencing a clear pressure for change and they also see great potential benefits with digitization, says Elin Asplund, program manager for business development at Automation Region. The training focuses on preparing and developing the business model so that companies get as much benefit as possible from their investments in automation and digitization.
Collaboration between academia and business
The training, which was initiated in Automation Region's business development group, is a collaboration between Automation Region, Mälardalen University and Automation Region's member company Cordevo. Christer Nygren and Bernt Gustin at Cordevo lead the training.
– We have combined long practical experience from the business world with academic insights in service logic, says Christer Nygren.
The training starts on March 18th and runs over six occasions.
– Through six different modules, participants receive help in identifying services, structuring a service portfolio and designing a plan for further development and anchoring in their organization, says Elin Asplund. The theoretical frames of reference that we draw from the research at Mälardalen University are linked to real cases from industry.
Pilot last autumn
In October, a pilot round was completed with a positive response from participating companies. Among the participants was Automation Region's member company Kanthal, which five years ago began working more strategically with its services.
– We built a global service organization with internal skills and we started designing offers, says Linda Uljens Posio, Kanthal. We participated in the education because we wanted to verify and fine-tune the business model we have developed.
Structure of the Service Business
The education contains the following modules:
- Identify services
- Create business models
- Structure the portfolio
- Understand financial models
- Evaluate the service portfolio
- Portfolio strategy - the next step
Each module comprises two hours of joint work in the group with the possibility of individual support. The modules are made up of three parts:
- Introduction, theory
- Homework linked to your business
- Reporting of homework, joint discussion
Read more about the education and register via Mälardalen University's website.
For questions - contact christer.nygren@mdh.se