How a company listens and what happens when it does
Listening? Isn’t that something we all do day in, day out? Actually, listening and understanding are two very different things. Only those who are able to listen carefully can turn information into valuable knowledge. Knowledge and understanding then allow them to recognise and seize opportunities sooner than others.
For this reason, Hager Group has dedicated its Annual Report 2015 to the all-important art of listening. Among other things, it describes how experts from politics, economics and society have come together to discuss technologies that make daily life considerably easier for the elderly and those in need of care. It documents a successful attempt by Hager Group’s customers, developers and technicians to develop an operating system for a hotel that can be understood intuitively around the globe. It also includes a contribution from renowned architect Matthias Sauerbruch, who talks about his experiences with building technology and its applications. “We have to get the users involved,” he recommends. “Even the best technology will only work if users are prepared to engage with it.”
So how can we find out what users really need and are able to understand? There’s a surprisingly simple answer that’s often overlooked: listen to them more. That’s why, as part of the ‘sparring partners’ series, this Annual Report profiles Hager Group employees, customers and partners who communicate and work together in unusual ways.
Hager Group Annual Report 2015 presents all of this and much more in a brand-new design, as the group completely overhauled its corporate and brand identity at the start of 2016. And, as always, Hager Group Annual Report is a magazine with a lively, journalistic tone – not merely a list of facts and figures. It’s more about taking stock and looking to the future than looking back on past success.