Starting Point
A mid-size automotive supplier with approximately 1,200 employees faced a structural shift: demand for their core product was stagnating while competitors increasingly offered digital services and data-driven business models. Internally, the know-how to think beyond the traditional product business was lacking.
Challenge
- Dependence on a single revenue model amid declining margins
- Digital capabilities existed but were not strategically consolidated
- No systematic process for business model innovation
Objective
- Identify opportunities for digital and data-driven business models
- Develop and evaluate concrete business model hypotheses
- Chart a path from idea to validated pilot
Approach
- 3-day workshop with a cross-functional team from engineering, sales, and digital
- Analysis of the existing business model and its vulnerabilities
- Identification of customer problems beyond the core product
- Development of three business model hypotheses using Lean Startup methodology
- Evaluation based on strategic fit, feasibility, and market potential
Outcome
- Three concrete business model hypotheses with clear customer focus
- One model (predictive maintenance service) moved directly into piloting
- Internal innovation team established with a clear mandate and resources
- Strategic framework for systematic business model innovation created
“We thought we sell parts. Now we understand we can sell availability.” — Head of Business Development, Workshop Participant (paraphrased)
Anonymized and condensed: to protect clients, details have been changed and experiences from several engagements combined or split across cases. Quotes are paraphrased.