Columbus launches new strategy - focus on digital advisory and customer value

Columbus’ new strategy Focus23 focuses on digital advisory and increased customer value. Focus23 contains three strategic elements: Empower, Sustain and Delight, which – combined with a focused and simplified operating model, will unleash the full growth potential and make it possible to gradually increase profitable growth to minimum 10% annually in 2023.

Dedicated focus on digital advisory and digital solutions
With the strategic decision of divesting To-Increase, announced 28 October, Columbus is now ready to focus the business on digital advisory and to strengthen focus on digital solutions for larger customers within our key industries Food, Retail and Manufacturing. Columbus aims to become our customers’ preferred digital advisory with the goal of creating more value in our customers’ digital transformation journey and lifetime partnerships with our customers.

“During Columbus2020, we have developed and expanded our digital solution portfolio significantly and with the divestment of To-Increase, we are ready to unleash the full potential to meet our customers’ needs for both executive digital advisory, and end-to-solutions digital solutions”, says Chairman of the Board in Columbus, Ib Kunøe.

Focused and simplified operation
In order to ensure profitable growth, we will implement a focused and simplified operating model to leverage global delivery capacity and synergies in the organization, including:

• A new customer-centricity organization with focus on larger customers
• Uniform business processes to accelerate collaboration globally
• A true global operating model less dependent on local presence

Three key strategic programs
With Focus23 we aim to improve customer value by strengthening the competencies of our employees and deliver sustainable digital solutions and advisory enabling our customers to run a sustainable business.

Empower
By building global capabilities within digital advisory and intensify focus on customer centricity, we strengthen the customer relation and improve customer value. Columbus is a people business and in order to deliver on our strategic goals, we rely on constant development of our highly-skilled, engaged and loyal employees. Development of our employees will be driven by our Global Academy, mentoring programs and career possibilities.

Sustain
By advising on industry sustainability within our key industries and offering digital solutions to run a sustainable business, we build trust and sustainable relationships with our customers. We will intensify the focus on applying and implementing solutions within sustainability that address our customers’ need for digitalization in a sustainable way.

Delight
By creating higher value for our customers, we achieve a better customer experience resulting in higher customer satisfaction and long-lasting relationships and advocacy. Columbus will implement a customer serving concept that puts the customers in the centre. Customer loyalty is essential for growth.

Financial ambitions and value drivers
With Focus23, Columbus will pursue three key financial drivers to gradually increase annual profitable growth to a minimum 10% by 2023:

• Grow revenue primarily through new sale and upselling to our larger customers
• Growth revenue by focusing on several of Columbus’ digital solutions within 9 Doors to Digital Leadership®
• Build and grow a strong order book to increase recurring revenue and predictability

The foundation for reaching our financial ambitions is delighted and loyal customers. We are constantly working on improving customer loyalty through our customer loyalty program (NPS).