Innovative processes
Innovative processes
Klüh focuses on innovations aimed at delivering client benefits
Klüh Multiservices has established an innovative culture with rapid feedback built on a tradition of collaboration which starts with the company’s employees and extends to its clients and suppliers. This type of co-creation and open innovation has resulted in Klüh growing its work to develop services in conjunction with clients and other partners in the value chain.
Innovation and Marketing are closely involved because new technologies also change communication with clients, consumer behaviour and market access.
SARAH LATTON
Head of Marketing & Communications
‘Innovative strength is becoming an increasingly important factor in competitiveness.’
New business development strategy fosters Klüh’s culture of innovation
In 2022, Klüh not only set out on a new path of sustainability but also took an important step in business development. Each division now has a business development unit which reports directly to divisional management. The goal is to develop new business models, run pilot projects with clients and extend the existing service portfolio. The decision was also taken to further expand the Center of Digital Excellence, Klüh’s think tank for digital business innovations, and link its activities with business development.
The EUREF Community partners exhibited at the City of Düsseldorf stand at Expo Real 2022.
Joining the EUREF Community at Expo Real 2022
Klüh’s success has been built on an innovative team spirit and an environment which fosters innovative thinking. Together with some members of the EUREF Community – Schneider Electric, Stadtwerke Düsseldorf (the city’s utilities company), Implenia and Spie – the company exhibited at the Expo Real 2022 in Munich, Europe’s largest trade fair for property and investment. Sustainability and innovation in energy, climate and environmental protection and mobility are the pillars of the new EUREF Campus in Düsseldorf where Klüh will also have offices from 2024.
Even small innovations can be the start of something big
Innovative developments can be found in all Klüh Multiservices divisions. Not all changes have to be large. Some innovations might start as small steps but evolve into something really big over the course of time. With the introduction of the ‘Pflanzenkraft’ (Plant Power) menu line in Care Catering, developed in cooperation with nutritionists, Klüh Catering has laid the cornerstone for a new approach to the impact of plant ingredients on the success of treatment. With the introduction of DigiClean®, Klüh Cleaning raised market awareness for smart cleaning concepts and prepared the ground for process control via IoT.
Even small innovations can be the start of something big
Innovative developments can be found in all Klüh Multiservices divisions. Not all changes have to be large. Some innovations might start as small steps but evolve into something really big over the course of time. With the introduction of the ‘Pflanzenkraft’ (Plant Power) menu line in Care Catering, developed in cooperation with nutritionists, Klüh Catering has laid the cornerstone for a new approach to the impact of plant ingredients on the success of treatment. With the introduction of DigiClean®, Klüh Cleaning raised market awareness for smart cleaning concepts and prepared the ground for process control via IoT.
Innovative Cleaning and Clinic Service processes in 2022
In 2022, the Cleaning division of Klüh Multiservices focused on sustainable processes, among other things. Cleaning and Clinic Service switched to the high- concentration ecological cleaning agents from Dr. Schnell and Ecolab’s ecological products in an uncompromising commitment to innovative cleaning chemicals. The same applies to the use of cleaning machines and other equipment. With their focus on digitalisation and Klüh’s proprietary IoT framework, the cleaning experts are preparing the ground for new services to offer to clients.
Catering whets appetite for innovation
In autumn 2021, Klüh received the ‘Frankfurter Preis’ for its Care Catering operations in recognition of its pioneering spirit, innovative concepts, client-friendly management and successful entrepreneurship. Klüh Catering received other prestigious awards in 2022: the top contract caterer1, number one for customer satisfaction2, second place in the customer service award3 – only closely beaten by the winner – and the bronze MARKETING.AWARD for institutional catering4 for innovative sustainability analysis in company canteens. On the basis of its extensive catering expertise and marking the 30th anniversary of Klüh Catering, Klüh established Keros Consult GmbH to provide catering consulting services. Demand for these services was very high from the start.
1 gvpraxis May 2022
2 DtGV German Customer Award 2022/23
3 ServiceValue and ‘DIE WELT’, November 2022
4 gvpraxis and CHEFS CULINAR, June 2022
Likewise popular was the innovative vending machine service from Klüh Catering: ESSBAR 24/7. Each day, state-of-the-art vending machines are stocked with products from the ‘Handgemacht & Frisch’ (Handmade & fresh) line of high-quality beverages, cakes, rolls, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs and tasty rice and pasta dishes produced fresh and by hand in the company canteen.
In a fusion of innovation and tradition, Klüh’s business catering specialists continued developing the successful ‘Kraftquellen’ (Power sources) menu line and added an ayurvedic range which was presented to interested diners during an action week in November. The recipes were developed in cooperation with Kerstin Rosenberg, co-founder of the European Academy of Ayurveda.
At the Berlin Food Festival held in October 2022 under the motto of ‘Nutrition for the future’, a twelve-strong Klüh Catering team including Managing Director Thorsten Greth, Head of Business Development Robin Krielke and Head of Marketing & Communications Sarah Latton gathered valuable ideas for the future.
Security develops solutions that also meet future requirements
It is said that nothing is as permanent as change. Last year, Klüh’s security experts agreed on ‘Route 2026’ as the course of change for the company. Klüh Security will evolve from a provider of individual security solutions to a provider of smart security solutions based on an integrated service portfolio. This new approach combines human resources, digital processes and state-of-the-art security technology. Innovations are playing an increasingly important role in the industry. In a study of the German security services market, respondents agreed that innovative security service providers will be more successful in the long term.1
1Lünendonk® Study 2022, security service providers in Germany
The first pilot projects were started in 2022 and a trial phase will follow in 2023. The starting point for this transition was a new brand positioning expressed by the slogan: ‘We provide security – based on innovative solutions’. Security will continue to digitalise processes in order to provide the best possible support to clients. At the same time, it will train and/or recruit creative experts with an affinity for innovation to develop and implement individual security concepts for clients.
In October 2022, Klüh Security founded a subsidiary named Rheinische Akademie für Sicherheit und Wirtschaft GmbH (RASW) which integrates some units of a training entity that is being offered for sale. Until now, that entity has trained some 550 Klüh Security employees and qualified new security staff for the company as required. RASW perfectly complements the Klüh Security School based in Cham, Bavaria, which provides training and continuous professional development for Klüh Security staff, trains protection and security staff and prepares them for Chamber of Industry and Commerce examinations. The core competencies of the new academy are the training and continuous professional development of security staff and aviation security specialists.
The company regularly demonstrates its training expertise by developing innovative e-learning programs which, in 2022, was honoured with the prestigious Comenius EduMedia Award for the sixth time in succession. The most recent award went to Klüh’s security experts for a digital learning program to prepare employees for the statutory exam in accordance with Germany’s Trade Regulation Code.
As the perfect complement to the innovative e-learning portfolio provided by the Klüh Security School, the RASW offers an intelligent image recognition program for identifying hazardous items. This innovative tool is used to perfect the skills of security experts deployed in the aviation and other sectors.
Klüh Service Management GmbH
Am Wehrhahn 70 40211 Düsseldorf Germany