IT expert Thorsten Jekel knows the sales controlling of the future

The concern of Thorsten Jekel: showing managing directors, board members and entrepreneurs how they can take advantage of the opportunities of digital transformation. Already as a schoolboy, today's graduate in business management and MBA, was fascinated by the IT. From the "soft drug" of the schoolboy, the legendary Commodore C64, he went from playing to programming. Already as a schoolboy, he developed and sold software solutions to bill employee bonuses. His first job took him to Heinz Nixdorf, then still a computer pioneer. Customer focus, sales and the intelligent use of IT were the focus here. It continued with the sale of POS systems, electronic cash terminals and loyalty card systems such as the Douglas Card.

For Tchibo Coffee Service, Thorsten Jekel introduced a Customer Relationship Management System, he was a subproject leader of the SAP R3 implementation and the merging of the IT of Eduscho and Tchibo. By the way, he completed an Executive MBA degree at Henley Business School.

This was followed by the change in the management of Vitality Deutschland, a leading supplier of premium juices and the associated dispensing systems. Customers are Marriott and Aida-Cruises. Again, new IT had to come here: Jekel implemented e.g. a new ERP system and a 360 degree customer management system. He eventually became a member of the European management and took over responsibility for 13 European distributors.

Since 2010 there is the jekel & team. With this he advises and accompanies well-known companies. These include Coca-Cola (about Coca-Cola he’s going to report in the presentation at the 43rd Controller Congress), SV Sparkassenversicherung and Transgourmet / REWE-Foodservice. He supports international corporations in improving their e-mail and communication culture. And he also ensures the best possible use of technologies - existing and new. Since the launch of the iPad, jekel & team has also been developing business models for the iPad and other tablet systems.

He sees himself as a link between trends and innovations in the IT sector and implementation in the company. He is therefore external CEO and therefore a respected sparring partner for companies in the field of digital transformation. Jekel sees this area as an opportunity to increase productivity and develop new business areas.

On the occasion of his appearance at the Controller Congress in Munich, we asked Thorsten Jekel three questions about his presentation:

1. The Commodore C64 was the beginning - you've been an avid IT student since you were a schoolboy. Do you still experience sincerity and doubts in your professional practice when it comes to digitalization? If so, what do you cite as reasons and how do you respond?

Thorsten Jekel: Yes, I also often experience dawdler and doubters when it comes to digitalization. And often this has good reasons. Digitalization itself creates no value. It's rather all about using the really meaningful digital tools to make businesses even more successful. There are often understandable inhibitions, because not all systems are self-explanatory. Here, the role of the leadership is to exemplify the use of meaningful tools and to help employees follow them. Basically you should always keep in mind: If you do not become digital yourself, your competition does, and then you are the second. In the long term, this can even cost the company its existance.

2. In your experience, how big is the need for action, especially in sales controlling?

In sales controlling, in my opinion, there is often an excellent database. Data is already very structured and processed today. The big need for action is now to get back from retrospectively to pro-actively. Today's technologies enable proactive predictive controlling, with which you can derive recommendations for action in advance.

3. What can the participants of the Controller Congress learn from you?

On the basis of my 30 years of professional experience, right up to the management in the medium-sized companies, the visitors can learn where there are thinking blocks in controlling and management and how they can be overcome with modern technologies. Using Coca-Cola as an example, attendees will see how proactive sales management can be implemented today.