Realizing innovation potential in the provision of integrated customer solutions

Purpose and goal

Many product oriented companies in mature industries lack the potential to grow through technical innovations. Instead, their growth potential lies in their ability to offer integrated solutions that combine existing products and services to a unique offer. This offer is formed through a consultative process which differs from the companies´ dominating product logic. The purpose of the current project is to develop actionable knowledge about how industrial companies can establish consultative units in a way that realizes their potential to create new business and to support the development of the product- and service platforms.

Results and expected effects

The project will create knowledge and models for how to organize and manage customer-focused, consultative units (front-end) that are at the center of a solutions-driven innovation logic. The results of this study are of interest to the large number of Swedish industrial companies that are about to, or have already embarked on the transition towards integrated customer solutions.

Approach and implementation

The project is carried out in close collaboration with 5 industrial companies. The project starts with an interview-based diagnosis of the companies´ solutions businesses. The diagnosis phase is followed by 1-2 intervention cycles in each organization in which solutions to identified challenges are developed and tested.