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Digital, of course: Why the fax machine remains indispensable at Suhren!
Julia Suhren runs a traditional Bremen company that offers digital solutions and fax machines - even in demand during the crisis.
Digital, of course: Why the fax machine remains indispensable at Suhren!
At a time when digitalization permeates almost all areas of life, a relic of the past surprisingly remains very present: the fax machine. In Bremen it is an indispensable tool, especially at Julia Suhren's company. The young entrepreneur runs the family business, which has been active in the copier sector for 40 years, and has managed to do so despite digital change. Weser Kurier reports that demand for fax machines actually increased during the corona pandemic as many companies had to communicate more with authorities.
Julia Suhren took over as CEO of the company in January 2020, shortly before the pandemic turned the world upside down. She grew up in the family business, completed an apprenticeship and received a degree in economics. Her father started the business in historic Schnoor, which now has a location in an industrial area in Horn-Lehe. The entrepreneur now employs 43 people here and is actively shaping change in the office area.
Digitalization and customer orientation
Although digitalization is advancing, Suhren's company relies on individual solutions - for both digital and paper-based documents. Marc Zielinski, who is responsible for sales, notes that it is particularly important to improve customer processes and promote paperless work. Paperoffice shows that switching to a paperless office has many advantages, including time savings and better organization.
Demand for e-invoices increased particularly in the period after the first lockdowns, which resulted in many inquiries and orders from companies of different sizes. Suhren's customers are primarily based in northwest Germany, but are also active internationally. New laws, such as reducing the retention period for receipts to eight years, have generated additional orders. This shows how legal frameworks can promote business growth.
The challenges of digitalization
Digitalization is not just a big topic in Bremen. According to a 2023 survey, a quarter of employees believe that their workload has increased due to digital solutions. In a German comparison, the DESI index creates a picture that shows that Germany lags behind many European countries when it comes to digitalization. Statista also highlights that during the pandemic many companies were forced to establish home offices and hybrid work, which accelerated changes in working models.
In the service sector, many companies offer further training to prepare their employees for these changes. Especially with regard to artificial intelligence (AI), there are still great uncertainties about opportunities and risks in everyday work. It turns out that digitalization not only brings with it technology, but also a fundamental change in work processes.
The success story of Julia Suhren and her company in Bremen shows how you can be successful even in times of digital change without completely giving up old values. The fax machine remains an important part of everyday business for certain customers such as tax advisors - a sign that sometimes tried-and-tested traditions can still find their place in the digital age.