The development of service is constantly being driven forward in many companies. In some cases, this can even lead to the spin-off of a dedicated service GmbH. But under what circumstances does this approach make sense?
When companies think about spinning off their service into their own service GmbH, they are usually already a somewhat more mature organization. However, there are also a few pitfalls to be aware of.
What are the advantages of a spin-off?
A spin-off allows both the main company and the service GmbH to concentrate on their own core business. This focus ultimately allows resources to be deployed more efficiently.
This is of course in line with the idea of evolution, which we definitely want to incorporate into the service. We want to go our own way here and not act as an appendage within the company. Instead, the After-Sales It's not just something you do on the side, but is at the heart of your own business. This shows that this business is taken seriously.
This naturally opens up opportunities to improve customer service and expand service. However, this is not always necessary in every case. For example, many of these benefits can already be realized by switching to a Profit center-This way of thinking can be achieved. Or a business unit can be established for the service instead of spinning it off into a separate legal unit.
Finally, there may also be a few tax and legal reasons why a spin-off is the best solution. This can be just as important in individual cases.
What are the disadvantages?
Setting up a service GmbH requires some preparation. You need to discuss with lawyers (for example, about transferring staff from the old organization to the new GmbH). You also need to discuss with tax experts how best to structure the new structure. Many processes also need to be redesigned. This can be quite a lot of work and can also cost a lot of money. A lot can also go wrong, which is why such a project should be comprehensively planned.
The reorganization of responsibilities can also lead to disputes that disrupt cooperation. A silo mentality, where the first priority is to ensure that one's own balance sheet looks good and not necessarily the good of the company, should be avoided at all costs. However, this is not always so easy to implement when every managing director has to deliver their own balance sheet. In such cases, you are often closer to your shirt than your trousers and you tend to focus more on making your own figures look good than on working together to find the best solution for the company as a whole.
Which is the right way?
We are neither against nor in favor of a spin-off service GmbH. However, it depends on the individual case and should not necessarily always be considered as the final solution. The evolution must lead from service as a fifth wheel to the emancipation of customer service and coordinated market development with product sales. There is no general answer as to whether the latter must now take place as a separate business unit, as an integrated part of sales or as a separate limited company. This must be weighed up on a case-by-case basis.
