KHS’ Technical Talks are already a fixed feature in communications between KHS and its customers – and come as close to a real live discussion as possible. The idea has gradually developed further from the initial events that informed customers about topics such as the discontinuation of control components and new service products for KHS Kisters packaging machines. New webinars are thus being staged on a regular basis as ‘live’ events, where a TV camera takes the place of the participants. In these sessions lasting 60 minutes, KHS experts present various products and conversions, focusing on the respective highlights and benefits thereof. In several feedback sessions an intensive exchange of information with customers is then sought in order to clarify specific requirements and directly answer any questions in talks – or digital chats. “Our virtual events have long ceased to be an ‘emergency measure’ limited to the pandemic,” says Armin Wille, head of Service Sales at KHS. “Rather, they form an independent platform that’s constantly evolving and keeps its options open when it comes to presenting our customers with attractive issues that go above and beyond KHS’ extensive range of services.”
Cutting carbon emissions
One pertinent topic at the moment is environmentally-friendly packaging. This concerns ways of cutting carbon emissions or the conversions needed to implement the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive, among other things. Issues that are of crucial importance to the customers themselves are integrated into the event to ensure that a genuine dialog can develop. This includes part discontinuation across the entire KHS portfolio, for instance, the technical solutions to which are discussed directly where possible.
The concept has been designed for global use right from the start, whereby the individual events take place regionally owing to the time difference. “We’re at our desks at a time that suits our customers; this is absolutely no problem at all,” states Wille. Technical Talks have already been held with PepsiCo in Asia, for San Miguel in the Philippines, with Heineken in Nigeria and in Brazil for the entire South American Coca-Cola network, for example.
