Three Questions for Florian Haller

Why last year was the most successful one since the company was launched, why agencies should be ‘facilitators’, and why the new office is a magnet for colleagues - Serviceplan Group CEO Florian Haller has the answers.   

With a turnover of 623 million euros, Serviceplan Group has achieved the best results ever (+28 per cent). In your opinion, what are the reasons for this?

Florian Haller: Anyone who knows me will be only too aware that I like to plan realistically. Therefore, when we drew up our strategy for the financial year, I would never have imagined we could achieve such an exceptional year. Now I can't tell you how proud I am, especially as it was the result of collective effort, to which everyone contributed; growth has extended across all brands and countries. Overall, I think that the winning formula this year was a combination of great people, persuasive creative work, and consistently driving forward our House of Communication concept.

War in Ukraine, an energy crisis, climate change, and not least, changes in consumer behaviour: what can the Serviceplan Group offer its clients in these times of rapid change?

Florian Haller: At the moment, there are many factors that could be unsettling; our customers are worried too. This means that in future, efficiency will play an even more important role in communication. As an agency partner and efficient ‘facilitator, we should therefore get alongside our customers and use highly individual customised solutions to create an agency structure that will fit their needs, focusing on the disciplines that are currently in demand, such as measures for promoting sales. The important thing here is that this model not only targets customer needs and targets, but also the volatility and uncertainty of the markets. This financial year, we want to refine even further and promote this range of services.

The intention of the Serviceplan Group in creating the new House of Communication in the Werksviertel district of Munich was to create a workplace where people would be happy to go, not because they HAVE to, but because they WANT to. How does that work?

Florian Haller: In the new House of Communication, everyone can find a suitable place and the right technical equipment for their work, whether this is socialising, hybrid presentation, collaboration, or individual work that requires focus. This ‘activity-based work’ in cutting-edge open-plan architecture within Munich's trendy Werksviertel district does our teams good and therefore improves our work, which makes us both an innovative partner for our clients and an attractive employer for our colleagues.

And the cherry on the cake: we can already see that it is working. Many of our colleagues are leaving their mobile offices and coming into the office more often to enjoy the advantages of the new House of Communication.