The digitalization process has changed the way companies develop their business, making them more present and transparent, rather than cold and disconnected. In fact, the so-called customer centric approach consists of getting in touch with customers, understanding their needs, and actively making them part of the process.  

However, clients are outsiders in need of a detailed description of what goes on internally to be able to make the right decision when it comes to adopting a new product. Despite this, even some of the most modern briefing and experience centres feel distant and detached from the client. There is a general lack of connection and depth, and managers in charge often forget that products are supposed to solve problems instead of being a mere display of features and technology. 

To shift this paradigm, Konica Minolta Digital Services R&D is building a new gathering space that enables to communicate more effectively, by opening to those customers who want to dig deep into the inner workings of the organization. Starting in Prague on May 31st and later this year in Rome, two brand new experimental and collaborative working environments will be opened to the public. 

EXPERIENCE CENTRES AS A TOOL TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE

Modern briefing centres are a result of years of business growth and experimentation. Instances of such places being used by companies to promote new technologies date back to the 1950s, with organizations such as the Italian Olivetti, regarded as one of the most innovative firms of all times, developing places like the historical Study and Experience Centre. These experimental places were built to display the latest, most innovative products to the public, with the aim to improve the engagement and make the company feel close and connected.  

Our Co-Creation spaces share the same interest: we want to get in touch with our partners, listen to them, and work together in new and more productive ways, like we are already doing in the Innovation Garden Front in Osaka. There, we collaborate everyday with partners such as companies and universities to generate innovative ideas, to provide a customer centric experience, tailored to suit our partner’s needs. 

A successful briefing centre not only shows off the latest technology but also tells the story of the company, sharing with partners a glimpse of the core values, mission, and vision of a particular team. It is a strategic tool that, if used correctly, can bring great benefits to both the company and the partners involved.  

KONICA MINOLTA’S CO-CREATION SPACES AND WHY THEY MATTER

Unlike a regular briefing centre, a Co-Creation space works as a hub for customers and partners to follow the process of innovation more closely, and to take part and give feedback regarding a particular project more actively. We strongly believe that there is strength in the group, and that a sense of belonging is essential to every successful collaboration, particularly after the pandemic. That is why we felt the need for new tools to connect us more to our partners and clients. This is achieved by creating a new, dynamic briefing centre experience that thrives with ideas and helps customers and partners live a memorable experience. After all, the key element in any briefing centre is the customer experience, particularly after the pandemic, and companies have only one shot to make a significant impression on possible partners. 

After Covid hit, companies turned to new forms of interaction such as care packages and online meetings to keep clients engaged even if they could not be present in person. This shift requires companies to recapture audiences’ attention because daily experiences have been normalized in a more digital, on demand landscape. Therefore, our idea of a modern briefing centre, in the form of Co-Creation spaces, aims at merging the digital to the analogue concept. In particular, the digital part will help to ensure safety and a more comfortable experience for the guests, while the human and physical part will grant those engaging experiences that people crave after such a prolonged period of abstinence. 

We specifically envisioned our open-piloting centres to work hand-in-hand with clients, inspiring to create change and to foster innovation. That is how we can practically achieve the level of customisability and flexibility we mentioned in our previous Blog Post regarding APIs. 

Our hub combines the idea of an innovation R&D centre with the looks of a modern showcase, making it possible to: 

• Hold events and conferences both physically and virtually using online streaming, providing pre-designed services such as an Innovation Day workshop; 

• Deliver regularly updated demo experiences of our latest technologies; 
• Foster innovation, ideas, and communication, to deliver the best possible solution to every single one of our partners. 

VISIT US IN ROME OR IN PRAGUE!

Come and explore Konica Minolta R&D’s cutting-edge Video Solution Services based on AI, or take a peek at the benefits of our API platform. The Prague Customer Engagement Centre was launched with a Grand Opening on 31st May 2022, and it will be quickly followed by the launch of our 800sqm facility in Rome later this year, featuring workspaces and demos of all our most recent technologies and solutions.  

 We can’t wait to share our work with all of you. See you there!