"Every trade show today has to offer more than just trade show time"
The online company Visable was created in response to the challenges of internationalization and digitization in the B2B sector. But online does not replace personal contact. Expodata in an interview with Peter F. Schmid, CEO of Visable.
ExpodataMr. Schmid, what's on your mind most at the moment?
Peter Schmid: In 2019, we completed the most successful year in the company's history. For the first time, we are growing at a double-digit rate without outside help, but profitably and from our own resources.
How do you explain to your family exactly what Visable does and what future opportunities Visable has?
Visable operates the two largest B2B platforms in Europe, "Wer liefert was" and Europages. We use them to bring demand and supply together, in other words, we do matchmaking in the business environment. Someone recently said that we are the "partner exchange in B2B". This analogy fits very well because I was CEO of Parship before I joined Visable.
What chances do European companies like Visable have to compete against global giants like Amazon, Alibaba, Zalando and why?
We clearly lost the battle for the top positions in the B2C sector in Europe against the USA and China. We can't let that happen to us again in the B2B sector.
When will online purchasing take hold in B2B business and how, say in the construction equipment industry?
As mentioned earlier, the online B2B market is still in its infancy. But companies have understood that the development towards digital cannot be stopped and that they have to act. It will be years before it is normal for a construction machine to be sold over the Internet.
However, it will become the norm for a potential buyer to only view the machine via the Internet, for example with virtual reality glasses, and then meet with the supplier for contract negotiations. The trade show visit, where the machines are on display, will become superfluous in the future.
How do you assess the 365-day trade fair? Do exhibitors who are normally focused on trade show logistics really want to trade show during 365 days? What does this bring to the exhibitors?
Today, every trade fair or conference must offer more than just the time of the trade fair. The exhibiting companies have to offer touchpoints with their potential customers again and again throughout the year. One event for a few days a year is not enough and the extension should be done online.
The full interview appears in the print edition of Expodata Live Kommunikation on June 26.
