This is how strategy should be! This phrase may be a terrible linguistic choice, but in terms of content it characterises the background to the now 15-year success story of a consulting company that is characterised by a whole series of special features that are remarkable for this sector. These are based - starting with the programmatic name Die Umsetzer - not least on the many years of experience that Cornelia Steven and Matthias Prammer themselves had gained as management consultants before they decided to start their own consulting company in 2009. They therefore knew the key points in which they wanted to set themselves apart from the typical structures, especially those of domestic offshoots of internationally established, well-sounding big names in management consultancy.

Success factors for Digital Change-Processes

• Pursue realistic goals.
• Establish change management as a permanent fixture in projects.
• Start with the processes.
• Learn as you go - be courageous instead of planning forever.
• Take people with you and empower them.
• Link change to strategy and culture.

"Traditional international strategy consultants are extremely focussed on a goal that has to be achieved at all costs. In contrast to this, there are other consultants who almost only listen to their clients and are almost compassionate," says Steven, describing the poles between which Die Umsetzer place their own consulting philosophy: "As consultants, we stand for building bridges from what is to what should be. We show the way and take people with us. And we also make compromises if this is necessary for the journey." Matthias Prammer puts it like this: "We are mercilessly pragmatic and use everything that works." Ideology, on the other hand, is the "enemy of impact". According to the consultant, this also includes addressing clients' beliefs, for example when a company has 20 formulated sub-strategies but the real structure is "a mess" or "hundreds of rules where clarity is needed instead".

INTERNAL UMSETZER. In order to realise changes at customers, they not only work intensively with the management boards, but also look for "internal implementers" in all areas. "They are located where you can feel the energy in the organisation. We like to work with them and form a community of Umsetzer," says Prammer, describing the basic concept and emphasising that the consultants see themselves as part of their clients' company in order to take full responsibility for the output of their work.

The consulting team, which has now grown to almost 40 creative minds and a new location in Munich, has realised this in many change processes. Most recently in the context of AI with a growing focus on more than 200 digital change projects. From this, they have also identified the factors that often determine the positive or negative outcome of such change processes towards digital integration (see above). 

"We often start with a change impact assessment and ask what work processes will look like in three years' time and what is still missing," says Steven, describing a specific project approach. "Predictive maintenance," Prammer explains, "fundamentally changes the job of a service technician, for example. The fundamentals required for the change process are about concrete skills as well as the psychological approach." In any case, the aim of consulting is to strengthen clients' organisations. Prammer: "We empower people and support them in their implementation."

Although decentralised working methods and remote working have become the absolute norm for the consultants, Die Umsetzer moved into a new, larger office in Vienna just a few weeks ago. Its address, Heßgasse 3, is part of a prestigious building, the listed "Haus am Schottentor", the traditional former headquarters of Creditanstalt. The rooms are named after corporate values developed in an internal process.

An expression of these values - from promoting potential to appreciation, respect, trust, courage to express opinions and motivation - are, among other things, very flexible and different working models, including the option of a four-day week, "a model that is still challenging for consultants," says Prammer. In contrast to the norm in the industry, this is probably one of the reasons why women outnumber their male colleagues - women make up an impressive 75 per cent of the extended management team. The flexible, family-friendly models naturally also benefit the fathers among the realisers - as well as suitable career changers who are also sought after for the growing international business.