It depends on holism and consistency!

Our first virtual conference took place on October 28, 2020 under the motto “How variant configuration and e-commerce are changing B2B sales”. Well-known experts from the industry as well as specialists from our own ranks gave insights into current developments, concrete solutions and success factors in short presentations. The positive feedback from the more than 300 virtual participants encourages us to start thinking about the next events and new formats.

In the digital age, established business processes - such as B2B sales - are changing rapidly. Digitization is not a new phenomenon, but it is still often experienced analog industry has been experiencing a real digital jolt recently, which both challenges and also brings real opportunities and new potential with it...

To find out about these opportunities and challenges in the context of variant configuration and e-commerce we have invited many well-known customers as well as experts from our own ranks for our first virtual conference. With Juliane Nuphaus and Erwin Holland (Siemens), Dr. Soren Lechner (DLP), Wladimir Knaub (Mankenberg), Martin Grub (Bollfilter), Jörn Haase (Vahle) and Patrick Lis and Jonas Amerein (Voith) experienced industry experts gave insights into their solutions, success factors and current developments within your company.

In the course of the day there was always a change in the picture between ours especially for studio built specifically for the occasion in the premises of the sister company N4 in Saarbrücken and the home office or office workstations for many speakers. Participants were able to do participate and follow our online event for free via the live stream on our website without elaborate registration.

Despite the different emphases of the individual lectures and the differing problems in the respective companies one thing becomes clear throughout the conference day: It depends on holism and consistency; Isolated solutions hardly stand a chance any more. From the management to implementation level there is also another success factor right at the top of the agenda: communication. Because only with transparent communication can challenges associated with the introduction of new configuration or e-commerce solutions be mastered successfully.

Exciting realizations from practice

Plan Software - today and tomorrow.

The managing directors Michael Wille, Kevin Dewi and Mesut will report at the start of the event Cengiz on the successful development of Plan Software over the past few years. In addition to expanding the service portfolio in the four business areas of configuration, E-commerce, IOT and SAP: rapid employee and sales growth can also be presented.

How does digitization change B2B sales?

That is the question of the final panel discussion. The panelists, Mario Zimmermann (b2planet), Axel Biewer and Mesut Cengiz (both Plan Software) agree: A clear convergence between B2C and B2B e-commerce can be observed. Besides, it is the topic of user experience has now become indispensable in B2B e-commerce. Customers want you do not have to have complex input masks to configure products or web shops can be operated intuitively in order to offer a competitive advantage.

Did you miss the lectures? Simply register with your email address and off you go to the videos.

AGENDA

9:30 am – 9:35 am
Organization
Welcome to the virtual conference of Plan Software!
lecturer-darlene-whitaker
Dr. Darlene Whitaker
Marketing & Corporate Development
Plan Software
9:35 am – 10:00 am
Configuration
Speech
E-Commerce
Trends
Opening Keynote
Plan Software - Today and Tomorrow.
lecturer-kevin-dewi
Kevin Dewi
Managing directors
Plan Software
lecturer-mesut-cengiz
Mesut Cengiz
Managing directors
Plan Software
lecturer-michael-wille
Michael Wille
Managing directors
Plan Software
10:00 am – 10:25 am
Configuration
Speech
Mastering Challenges in An Agile
Development Process (in DE)
lecturer-juliane-nuphaus
Juliane Nuphaus
Product Manager
SIZER Siemens
lecturer-erwin-holland
Erwin Holland
Chief Product Owner
SIZER Siemens
10:30 am – 10:55 am
Configuration
Speech
Diversity of product configuration: Different requirements require different solution concepts
lecturer-soeren-lechner
Dr. Ing. Sören Lechner
Managing directors
DLP
11:00 am – 11:25 am
Configuration
Speech
From valve manufacturer to programmer? Mastering chaos independently!
lecturer-wladimir-knaub
Wladimir Knaub
Product Manager
Mankenberg
11:30 am – 11:55 am
Trends
Speech
The Volkswagen TRIPOD platform
lecturer-eugen-staab
Dr. Eugen Staab
Development Manager
N4
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm
Configuration
Speech
Dynamically to the goal:  Easily generate production parts lists & technical descriptions for complex
industrial filters
lecturer-martin-grub
Martin Grub
Standardization, product and process organization
Boll & Kirch Filterbau GmbH
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm
LUNCH BREAK
1:00 pm – 1:25 pm
Configuration
E-Commerce
Speech
Vahle Customer Hub&:  Holistic product configuration in the customer portal
lecturer-joern-haase
Jörn Haase
Technical specification e-commerce
Paul Vahle GmbH & Co. KG
1:30 pm – 1:55 pm
E-Commerce
Speech
The future of B2B e-commerce:  customer loyalty through digital customer portals
lecturer-holger-reimsbach
Holger Reimsbach
E-Commerce
Plan Software
2:00 pm – 2:25 pm
E-Commerce
Speech
Process optimization through a holistic
e-commerce solution in the Voith Group
lecturer-patrick-lis
Patrick Lis
Director eBusiness
J.M. Voith SE & Co. KG
lecturer-jonas-amerein
Jonas Amerein
Senior Data and E-Business Manager
J.M. Voith SE & Co. KG
2:30 pm – 2:55 pm
Trends
Speech
Plan Software: Highlights of our product development
lecturer-byron-wells
Byron Wells
Business Consultant
Plan Software
3:00 p.m. – 3:25 p.m.
Trends
Speech
Artificial intelligence in industry: Case studies from five areas
lecturer-eugen-staab
Dr. Eugen Staab
Development Manager
N4
3:30 pm – 3:55 pm
Trends
Moderation of the panel discussion
How digitization is changing B2B sales: Success factors
for engineering companies
lecturer-mario-zimmermann
Mario Zimmermann
Managing directors
b2planet
lecturer-mesut-cengiz
Mesut Cengiz
Managing directors
Plan Software
lecturer-axel-biewer
Axel Biewer
Managing directors
Plan Software
lecturer-patrick-lis
Patrick Lis
Director eBusiness
J.M. Voith SE & Co. KG
3:55 pm – 4:00 pm
Closing word / END

A look
behind the
scenes!