#WayForward with Reto Lämmler, CEO TestingTime, Zurich, Switzerland

In the #WayForward series, CEOs tell us what’s on their mind in coronavirus times. Read how Reto Lämmler, CEO TestingTime, sees things.

Other industries have taken bigger hits, but a bad economy hurts us too. The biggest challenge for us is to help our customers to quickly accept and make the move from in-house user testing to remote testing. We have immediately published blog posts, organised a webinar and we help our customers in 1-to-1 conversations. It’s key for us to be seen as the thought leader in this field.

The biggest threat to the economy as a whole is that businesses might massively decrease their future-oriented activities like the development of new products. I’m a strong believer in countercyclical behaviour. This is why we keep our marketing and sales efforts on the same level as before. I encourage our customers and other decision-makers to do the same. Every business that keeps investing in a new version of the future does a good thing.

There’s a Darwinian element to doing business: if you’re able to adapt, you survive and might emerge as one of the new leaders. That’s what’s on my mind and I look forward to connecting with like-minded business leaders.

Reto on CEO communication: “In times like these, a CEO needs to communicate even more transparently and regularly with the team, the customers and the shareholders. As a team, we have added a weekly CEO update for all 27 staff. We also have organised an opportunity to have a virtual coffee break with others at 10 am and 3 pm. A CEO’s communication needs to be to the point. Direct, simple and clear. The less potential for different interpretations, the better. Irony and sarcasm won’t do the trick – even less so in a multi-cultural team like ours.”

Reto and I discussed this post in TestingTime’s office on Sunday afternoon. He said: “In these times of forced separation, the need for in-person experiences only becomes stronger. While many seem to think that the home office is now the new standard, I strongly doubt that. I think our team will enjoy the open office a lot more once we’re allowed to meet again.”

#WayForward Table Of Contents: Click here to get to the #WayForward series’ Table of Contents with all the posts we did with CEOs plus recordings of media events where the WayForward insights are discussed.