Intelligence

This edition’s cover-topic will be looking at “intelligence”. It’s interesting to consider whether this is something that is only found in human beings, or even in certain products, or whether intelligence may also be said to exist in entire organisations. Like companies, for example.

If by “intelligence” we mean that somebody (or even something!) has a particular capability and is able to deal with certain situations outstandingly well, then a company can certainly be intelligent.

And this much is certain: If you concentrate knowledge, you enhance the capabilities of a structure. With teamwork, for instance. In a team, all kinds of different capabilities come together. Every single member of the team has their own special skills to contribute. These will often overlap.

If one member of the team is temporarily out of action, others can then take his or her place. Work can go on unhindered. Indeed, it is only in this way that an absolutely reliable organisation can come into being.

This is an insight that Fronius has taken to heart. Three years ago, Fronius redesigned its entire corporate structure to one based on teamwork. This applies to the Management level, too, where Fronius now has an “Extended Management Team”.

Individual decisions are no longer taken by one person alone, but every issue that has to be thought over and dealt with is tackled in the group, meaning that it can be illuminated from every possible angle. We’re approaching the ideal of “perfect information”.

The same goes for customer care. Here too, Fronius has been working on an intelligent solution, also involving teams. An article in the last issue of w+v gave readers a preview of the new Fronius customer care concept F.I.R.S.T. This time round, we have a report on its first full year.