Monitor: Service Landscape of the Platform Economy
St. Gallen, April 2, 2019 – Following the comparative study on the status of digital platforms in Switzerland from November 2018, the team around Prof. Dr. Marcus Schögel from the Institute of Marketing has examined the service spectrum of the Swiss platform landscape from the producer’s perspective and presented it to producers. The aim was to make recommendations for the handling of the platforms in order to use them professionally as market partners in customer access.
The study was presented on 26.03.2019 at the Primetower in Zurich during the Impuls Event of Accarda. The presentation of the results was followed by a panel discussion in which the results were discussed by Prof. Dr. Schögel. Luca Baldelli from Möbel Pfister AG, Mirco Helbling from BLACKSOCKS SA and Martin Schumacher, Project Manager from the University of St. Gallen discussed with Malte Polzin the current status of services and services from the platform landscape in Switzerland.
The most important findings at a glance:
The study examined 64 digital platforms operating in Switzerland in the service spectrum such as Digitec, Galaxus or ricardo. The digital services offered by these platforms were identified in their respective characteristics. The 54 service offerings in total included, for example, loyalty programs, feedback forums, advertising or buyer protection. Subsequently, four factors were defined to bundle the services. The services examined were reduced to four service profiles. The platforms were assigned to one profile according to their service characteristics and in the final step grouped with platforms that exhibited a similar profile tendency. This resulted in the following recommendations for producers when delivering services: On the one hand, they should check the customer data already available on the platform, and on the other hand they should question the motivation of the platform for each service provided. On the other hand, the outsourcing of services should be analyzed according to the following criteria:
- Relevance of the Service
- Inhouse Competences
- Gouvernance of the Platform
The documents for the study, which was conducted in cooperation with Accarda AG, can be downloaded online. The study on the Swiss platform economy is already the sixth edition of the “Digital Marketing & Sales Channel Monitor” of the University of St.Gallen, following studies on topics such as block chain in marketing and the online presence of Swiss retailers. Beyond that, the Institute of Marketing has long been conducting intensive research and teaching on the use and integration of digital marketing and sales channels. With regular publications, study trips, practical projects and continuing education programs, the researchers not only want to scientifically document the digital transformation, but also actively support it.
Institute of Marketing at the University of St.Gallen
Since its foundation in 1967, the Institute for Marketing at the University of St.Gallen has been shaping research, but also consulting and further education in marketing and sales. The research of the institute aims at the analysis and solution of current as well as relevant marketing challenges and takes place always in close exchange with enterprise partners. Another important pillar of the institute is executive education with a wide range of continuing education programs in marketing, communication and sales management.
Accarda AG
Accarda is a specialist for payment solutions and customer loyalty in retail and is the Swiss leader in the field of customer cards with payment functions. In addition to customer cards, Accarda offers purchase on account, gift cards and dialogue management. These competencies are complemented by expertise in customer relationship management and are bundled in a customer-specific manner to create sustainable solutions for increasing sales.
Contact for questions and pictures:
Institute for Marketing and Customer Insight at the University of St.Gallen,
Phone: +41 (0)71 224 28 55 | E-Mail: imchsg@unisg.ch
