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01
21
eos-solutions.com
New Work
Normal,
just different
The magazine for customers of the EOS Group
NPL Diversity
The secured Success
portfolio through
business diversity
EOS at
editorial
a glance
Main activities
Fiduciary debt collection
Purchasing unsecured and
secured debt portfolios
Real estate realization
Dear Readers,
The Chinese word for “crisis” is composed of two characters
and which stand for “danger” and “opportunity”,
r espectively. What sounds like business lingo coined for
Originating in 1974 as the debt The companies of a management seminar is actually a most apt description of
collection arm of the Otto Group in the EOS Group are located in
26
the situation in which we find ourselves.
Germany, EOS is now a leading
technology-driven financial investor Although we are still warding off the dangers of the pan-
with specialist expertise in the demic, in this issue we prefer to concentrate on the opportu-
processing of outstanding receiv- nities that arise in such an exceptional situation. How about
ables. EOS is a trusted partner countries. an example? If someone had told me when the crisis began
to customers from a wide range of that one year later most of our employees would be working
sectors in 26 countries. remotely from home, I would have said he or she was crazy!
For Europe’s banks, we are one If you think of cultural change as a journey, you might con-
Through its international More than
7,500
of the preferred purchasers clude that the pandemic was the accelerator. At high speed
network of subsidiaries
of Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) . we sometimes had to chart a new route while at other
and partners, EOS offers
We take over receivables manage- times we had to hit the brakes and regroup. We nevertheless
services in more than
managed to create a bit of normality in a time that was
180
ment for companies, municipal
authorities, and administrations, employees work anything but normal and thus smoothed the way to a new
even across borders. Through our for the EOS Group form of collaboration.
services, we ensure liquidity and worldwide.
As in many other companies, we too grappled with the ques-
Cover-Illustration: DAQ Photo: Jann Klee/EOS Illustrations: Gutentag-Hamburg; C3 Visual Lab
investments and safeguard jobs. countries. tion “How do we want to work, communicate and lead
However, our most important in the future?” In times like these we have to be open to new
investment is in our employees, ideas everywhere, including in our core business. We have
who use cutting-edge technology discovered and devised a lot of interesting approaches, some
to give their best, day after day. of which we present in this issue. Who would have thought,
We introduce some of them to you for example, that techniques from ballet could be transferred
in this magazine. to the world of business?
20,000
customers, including banks, insurance companies, utilities,
mail order firms, telcos, mechanical engineering companies and
publishers, are served by our more than 60 subsidiaries.
Klaus Engberding,
CEO of the EOS Group
3
content
03 dossier no 1 22 dossier no 2 45 54
Editorial The New Normal perspectives: finlit Real estate secured thoughts: Success through tools: Collaboration for beginners
receivables
Crises don’t bring risks only; they also 12 EOS is bringing financial literacy to diversity How do you turn a traditional office into
offer opportunities. EOS CEO Klaus
Rethinking the office
German schools via the finlit 36 Diversity drives innovation. In this inter- a collaboration space?
Engberding on cultural change in times foundation. Schoolchildren are not the view, Tijen Onaran explains how compa-
How will we use our offices in The secured receivables business
of coronavirus. only ones who benefit. nies can promote and exploit diversity. 56
future? EOS and Dropbox present What matters when trading in real estate
their concepts. secured receivables. outlook: Stress doesn’t help
06 24 48 anybody
starting up: What’s new at EOS 16 fintech: Digital tools for skilled 38 stopover: Aarhus How do you remain resilient when things
The first school classes are learning trade businesses Denmark’s second-largest city has a are not going well?
Leadership amid the crisis Good reputation the key
about money with the ManoMoneta EOS is working with its subsidiary lot to offer both business travelers and Four young colleagues relate their
In times of widespread uncertainty, to success
program, EOS in Switzerland launches FinTecrity to develop software targeted weekend tourists. experiences.
leadership skills are in demand. Business is booming in Bosnia and
its new debt collection system, and at SMEs.
Employees too Herzegovina and France. A key
employees are encouraged to be 52 58
need to take the initiative. advantage is the company’s good name.
whistleblowers. Overview of all the news 26 style: Two heads are better rules: Protected by law
from the EOS Group.
18 testcase: Client onboarding 42 than one The ECJ is strengthening the hand of
At EOS, new customers undergo Even managers need good advice. bank customers who lose their bank
Communicating remotely Separating the chaff from
a transparent and A mentoring program is cards. Debt collection fees are reduced
Seven communication tips to liven up the grain
Photos: EOS; Jasper Sanidad; Benne Ochs (2); Armin Durgut (2) Illustration: DAQ
uncomplicated onboarding process. designed to encourage dialog and for German consumers.
online meetings. Also: A ballerina shows The evaluation of secured receivables is
eos-solutions.com
us how to be more “present” when extremely complex. The pandemic has a culture of trust at EOS.
working from home. 28 brought even more factors into play. 59
inside: And who are you? Addresses
Every EOS employee has a personal 44 Where to find EOS close to you.
story to tell. Four of them introduce Data set prices
The two artists behind the themselves here. EOS in France and the Center of
DAQ creative studio live
in Barcelona. Their work is Analytics are currently working on an AI
marked by a love of geometry, prototype designed to help determine
volumetric shapes and 32 the prices for secured NPLs.
contrasting colors.
dataflow: Europe in crisis mode
Five countries, five situations: How have
consumers in Europe experienced the
crisis? The COVID-19 Financial Report
provides answers.
E O S e x p l o r e 01 _ 2021
Legal notice
Publisher Tel.: +49 40 2850 -1222 Overall responsibility: Lara Flemming Editing & layout: C3 Creative Code and Art director: Eva-Maria Ostendorf Lithography: Giesick I Medien Produktion
EOS Holding GmbH Email: explore@eos-solutions.com Editors-in-Chief: Tabea Reich, Sabrina Ebeling Content GmbH, Hamburg, Germany Image editing: Annegret Strauß Printing: optimal media GmbH, Hamburg
Steindamm 71 Web: eos-solutions.com Publication frequency: twice yearly Editorial board: Philipp Stiens Final editing: Kathleen Simmons (fr.)
20099 Hamburg, Germany Editorial team: Nicholas Brautlecht (fr.), Isabelle Project management: Isabell Hannemann,
Buckow (fr.), Claus Hornung (fr.), Elena Rudolph Eileen Klussmann, Mareike Brenneisen
4 5
starting up starting up
Financial literacy for children
ManoMoneta successfully
launches pilot phase
THE EOS GROUP’S NON-PROFIT FINLIT finances an even bigger issue for many fami-
FOUNDATION launched the ManoMoneta lies,” says Sebastian. “That’s why we are
educational program for children aged 9–12 delivering financial literacy to children at home Whistleblowing system
in September 2020. In earlier work with an through our remote learning program.” Let’s speak up!
education partner, the finlit team developed
the free, cross-media financial literacy The finlit foundation recently participated in IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE to openly address
content and tested it in schools. “After six Global Money Week. In live formats and short wrongdoing or shortcomings in a company. Employees often
months we had already reached just under video messages, influencers and EOS staff face an unpredictable risk of being punished for their
openness through intimidation, reassignment or even
100 schools and more than 9,700 children, promoted the topic of financial education on
termination. To encourage transparency within the company
despite the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Instagram and LinkedIn.
and protect whistleblowers, the Otto Group established a
Sebastian Richter, Managing Director of the group-wide program called “SpeakUp” in December 2020.
finlit foundation. Changes related to the Sebastian Richter and a Berlin elementary Via a secure channel, employees can report wrongdoing
coronavirus situation were incorporated school teacher explain why financial literacy is anonymously without fear of reprisals. Compliance officers
so important for children and why it pays to use follow up every tip and if necessary, contact the whistle-
directly into the development of the material. programs like ManoMoneta in schools.
blowers, who remain anonymous.
For example, the team created a digital Page 22
learning platform featuring videos and several
With SpeakUp the Otto Group has pre-empted the new EU
other elements. “We want as directive on establishing secure channels to protect
many teachers and school- whistleblowers, which will go into effect for all companies in
children as possible to use December 2021. The system also is a clear affirmation of
ManoMoneta, especially now Data analysis the group’s corporate values.
that the pandemic has made
EOS in France tests cloud-based
eos-solutions.com
data storage
EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT data-driven
approaches have a direct impact on payment receipts at
EOS. The more efficiently the data is used, the better the
result. To improve the use of the data analysis, the Center
of Analytics and EOS in France are currently working
on a sophisticated infrastructure that gives easier access
to the data. At the heart of the system is cloud-based 10-year anniversary
storage that collects data from all core operating
systems in a central location. The aim is to streamline Congratulations, EOS in Bosnia
reporting activities and automate data processing, and Herzegovina!
E O S e x p l o r e 01 _ 2021
leaving more time for the actual data analysis and EOS launched its business in Bosnia and Herzegovina with
Photos: GettyImages (2); Shutterstock
decisions on what to do next. In future, the prototype just a handful of staff, a great vision, and even greater will-
developed will be the foundation of the EOS analysis power. Today, 10 years later, the workforce of 67 people can
system and, if successfully implemented, will be made look back on several successful years.
available to other EOS national subsidiaries.
How successful? EOS Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Managing
Director Petar Mrkonjić tells you.
Pages 38 to 41
6 7
starting up starting up
New Swiss debt collection system Accolade
35,000
EOS in Denmark
wins second
Gazelle Award
project hours
EOS IN DENMARK, having won an award in 2019
WERE INVESTED in the now completed and bankruptcy law. Among other things, it in acknowledgment of its exceptional growth,
development. In November 2020, EOS in governs interactions between natural persons, repeated the experience again last year. Despite
the COVID-19 crisis, our Danish national
Switzerland successfully migrated its two legal entities governed by private and public
subsidiary managed to continue its growth
different collection systems that had evolved law, and debt collection authorities.
trajectory and in 2020 received the second Gazelle
over time into IKAROS, the new debt collec- Award in a row from the leading financial magazine
tion-ERP system. For customers it brings a Once the new ERP system has been con- Børsen. Through the Gazelle award the prestigious
high level of automation and individual nected to customers’ digital accounts receiv- magazine honors companies that have at
customizing. The new system allows proc able management systems, the digital least doubled their revenue over a period of four
years. Peter Haegerstrand Jensen, Managing
esses to be adapted to customer prefer- exchange of data with the Swiss collection
Director of EOS in Denmark, talks about the
ences and automated without a lot of authorities can begin. The Debt Collection
company’s success strategy:
programming. From now on, analyses and Office in Switzerland is a cantonal or munici-
conditions can be customized too. pal authority responsible for collecting debt Peter, congratulations on yet another award!
under Swiss law. It also maintains various How is your success reflected in the figures?
Most importantly, IKAROS provides the registers. The digital connection with those Thank you very much! The reason for the first
award in 2019 was a revenue gain of 450 percent
technical basis for the exchange of electronic offices not only makes the transfer of data
in the previous four years. Last year we were able
debt collection data in accordance with the faster and more secure, but also saves a lot
to increase our pre-tax earnings by another
Swiss eSchKG standard for debt enforcement of paper and postage costs. 21 percent. We are naturally delighted by the
second award in a row, especially as this accolade
eos-solutions.com
is granted to a mere 0.05 percent of all Danish
companies. This is great recognition of our work.
What do you think is the secret to your s uccess?
New EOS survey In 2019 we did not make any major investments in
debt portfolios, so the growth is based more on our
improved operational processes. Moreover, we
prioritized our resources to a greater extent when
In debt due to the crisis “It’s perfectly under- processing cases, primarily by focusing on the most
During the COVID-19 crisis, consumers
standable to take on promising cases and giving our staff further training.
have not simply refrained from planned debt temporarily What impact has the COVID-19 pandemic had
expenditures. Many had to take on debt
just to make ends meet. For the COVID-19 to cover the on your work?
E O S e x p l o r e 01 _ 2021
Financial Report, EOS asked more than necessities of life.” Where possible, our staff worked from home during Peter Haegerstrand Jensen
and his team at EOS in
7,000 people from five European countries the first and second waves. However, working
Denmark are working remotely
about their pandemic experiences to date. remotely from home was nothing new for them, so
Andreas Kropp, from home due the pandemic –
Member of the EOS Group’s Board there were no negative effects on the work and that has proven to be very
You’ll find the survey results on successful!
Page 32
of Directors with responsibility performed. That’s also reflected in our figures,
Photos: EOS (3)
for the German market
which have improved substantially since the
completion of the annual report in February last
year. We feel very fortunate in this respect.
8 9
dossier no
1
Lesen Sie hier:
How office use might look in times of hybrid
working models.
What managers have to look out for during
and after the COVID-19 crisis.
Why remote working and a productive meeting
culture are not contradictory.
Normal, just
different
eos-solutions.com
The COVID-19 crisis has turned the work environ-
ment as we knew it completely upside down. These
exceptional situations offer the opportunity to
break down outmoded structures and reorganize
them to create a ‘new normal’.
I l l u s t r a t io ns _ DAQ
E O S e x p l o r e 01 _ 2021
10 11
Offices dossier 1 _ the new normal
Insider viewpoint
About desk sharing, home
zones and multi-spaces
As part of a project team, Vera Handler is guiding the EOS headquarters
in Hamburg into the new normal. In this interview she explains what
the pilot workplaces are all about and why EOS will let employees decide
where and how they do their work.
P h o t o _ Be n n e O ch s
Vera, you are part of the project team What are your initial ideas? choice and design of the new spaces, but
called ‘The New Normal’. How We are experimenting with multi-spaces, also discuss different forms of hybrid
did the idea for the pilot workplaces ranging from welcome zones and social collaboration, questions of identity, and the
come about? spaces to desks that can be booked using technical requirements for creating the ideal
VERA HANDLER: The abrupt switch to an office management tool and large, work environment.
remote working from home during the flexible areas for workshops and planning
COVID-19 crisis worked out surprisingly meetings. We know for sure that the need So what’s next for Hamburg, and can pilot
well. Data security was guaranteed, for fixed workstations in the office is workplaces be taken to other EOS
performance was strong, and the workforce decreasing, so we are looking at desk-shar- national subsidiaries?
was highly satisfied. Nine out of ten EOS ing too. In my regular team we have been The conversion of the pilot workplaces will
What will the office of employees have the desire and the working without our own desks for quite continue until late summer. The first
eos-solutions.com
the future look like? Vera feasibility to work from home in the future, some time and have had positive experi- colleagues can start using them in autumn.
Handler and her project
team are lookin into this and suggest doing so three days a week.We ences. We use mobile containers for We envision gradually adapting other areas
issue at EOS. also found that even before the crisis, one in personal items and documents. A survey in Hamburg to the new work environment.
five desks at EOS headquarters was empty, conducted in-house showed that nine out of Not all spaces will be made from the same
due to business travel, vacations or illness. ten employees at EOS in Germany are mold, but will be planned according to the
So the pilot workplaces are the first step willing to share their workspaces, and purpose and the needs of the teams. The
into a new working world! two-thirds are amenable to alternating concept for EOS headquarters gives the
workstations. Nevertheless, some ‘residents’ entire building a thematic framework that
What is your approach? will still have permanently assigned desks. makes it easy for employees and visitors
The key questions everyone needs to ask For teams we are planning to introduce alike to find their way around the building.
are: How and where can I best get my job identity-building areas known as ‘home This ‘story’ cannot be converted one-to-one
done? Work quietly alone? Or in collabora- zones’, which provide a base for those times for other countries because the work
tion with coworkers? We assume that when they are in the office. cultures are too diverse internationally.
E O S e x p l o r e 01 _ 2021
employees will come into the office for However, the insights gained in Hamburg
collaboration, socializing and teamwork. Is the idea simply to create new spaces will help colleagues in other countries and
But solo work of a confidential nature will and let the rest take care of itself? locations with similar projects of their own.
be accommodated too. We emphasize what No, not at all! The new normal is much more.
may be done, not what must be done. Modified spaces are just an sign of
To find out how you can turn your own
There are no quotas for the time employ- changing modes of collaboration. When we
office into a collaborative space in just a
ees spend working in the office, at home, meet with teams in dedicated workshops, few steps, go to:
or elsewhere. we purposely do not talk only about the Page 54
12 13
Offices dossier 1 _ the new normal
Outsider viewpoint Location-independent
working is a challenge for
Dropbox favors
companies and their
employees, but also a chance
to gain more flexibility.
“Virtual First”
When it comes to office use, Dropbox is taking a strict
approach. The tech company’s employees will be
allowed to meet in the office only for collaborative work
in what will be known as “Dropbox Studios”.
Te x t _ N icho las Braut lecht
hile EOS will let its staff choose for all employees, according to Laura Ryan,
W whether, when and how they will
use an office in the future, some
Silicon Valley tech companies
Director of International HR. Complete free-
dom, on the other hand, could lead to a jum-
ble of unwritten rules. That had become clear
are writing the rules. For the 2,900 employ- when Dropbox discussed the issue with other
ees of Dropbox, for example, this summer will companies. “Ultimately, there are problems
see the end of their own desks and private of- with inclusion, promotion, career trajectory,
eos-solutions.com
fices. At Dropbox, remote working will become cliques and different standards arising in dif-
the default. ferent teams,” says Ryan.
As part of a “Virtual First” initiative, an
alternative will be “Dropbox Studios”. The A model with a future?
company’s head office in San Francisco and When questioned about its rigidity regarding
other offices in places like Dublin, for exam- office use, Dropbox says that staff members
ple, will then be open only for “collaboration now have more flexibility about where they
and community building” but specifically not want to live. For example, they could move to
for solo work. regions where Dropbox doesn’t have an of-
Dropbox is making the change even fice, provided their role allows it. Now employ-
though the company signed in 2017 what was ees can benefit from cheaper rents on the out-
then the largest office rental lease ever seen skirts of cities, for example, or even live abroad
in San Francisco. A company spokesman left for a few months.
E O S e x p l o r e 01 _ 2021
open the question of whether the almost Whether “Virtual First” will really work re-
70,000 square meters will now be converted mains to be seen. Dropbox is being low-key
completely to collaborative spaces or partially about its expectations. Although the initiative
sublet. Dropbox also will not disclose details was the right thing to do, “it’s new to us and
Photos: GettyImages (2);
of the studios’ design until a later date. we know that we may not get it 100 percent
Jasper Sanidad (2)
Dropbox is giving an interesting reason right immediately.” With its consistent willing-
for its rigid stance on office use. The new rule ness to learn, Dropbox is once again acting in
is intended to ensure equality and inclusion typical Silicon Valley fashion.
14 15
Leadership dossier 1 _ the new normal
Insider viewpoint Outsider viewpoint
“I’m not ashamed to Dissent
show my fears.” obligatory
Barbara Cerinski is the Managing Director of EOS in Croatia. What the Anja Förster thinks that encouraging employees to be independent thinkers
crisis has taught her above all is that managers have to be honest! doesn’t go far enough and that managers have to make it obligatory.
ne Tuesday last December, Bar- In times of remote working, managers here’s no place in a company for 1. An explicit obligation to dissent
O bara Cerinski’s home country liter-
ally began shaking yet again, when
Croatia was devastated by the
have to empower employees and encourage
them to take the initiative. “Just asking some-
one to speak up occasionally will get you no-
T bobbleheads. No one who automat-
ically nods in agreement whenever
the boss says something is of value
The obligation should not be misunder-
stood as an invitation to all troublemakers
or those I’m-against-it-on-principle types,
worst earthquake in more than 140 years. As where,” says Barbara. to a company. That’s why managers should but to all who have a different opinion and
if the pandemic hadn’t already been enough encourage critical, independent thinkers in can defend it with sound arguments.
of a test for everyone. “These kinds of earth- Less is sometimes more their own ranks. An independent voice grabs
quakes trigger primal fears,” says Barbara. She Virtual working practices are pushing women, attention and stimulates thinking, steering it 2. Managers who accept dissent
had to do whatever she could to help her staff, even those at the management level, into the in new directions and ultimately improving the Wherever you have a lot of yes-men and
both as a responsible manager and a fellow background. In a survey conducted in the US, quality of decisions. yes-women, you often find authoritarian
human being. There was no time to worry almost half of the female managers polled said Take the example of Bridgewater, the and inwardly weak bosses who cannot
about appearances. “I am not ashamed to that it was difficult for women to get a word in world’s largest hedge fund, where the prin- handle dissent. Conversely, managers who
show my fears at times like these.” during video conferences. One in five said that ciple of critical, independent thought is im- are strong create an environment in which
Looking to the future, she wants to take she had felt “ignored” in virtual meetings. plemented in the breathtaking form of an people exercise constructive criticism. This
the lessons learned in this “abnormal” phase To empower staff, managers generally “obligation to dissent”. Not a right to dissent, is the mark of a culture of trust.
and combine them with modern approaches need to step back more, says Barbara: “More but an obligation to dissent! At Bridgewater,
eos-solutions.com
from the previous work environment to devise humility in your words, actions and body lan- constructive criticism is expressly encour- 3. People with backbone
a new form of leadership. “The long phase guage!” This also means not always giving an aged, with no regard for hierarchies and This kind of culture needs people who are
away from normality has shown us how far we answer right away. “Instead of making false interests. adults and want to be treated as such, and
Barbara Cerinski can test our limits,” says Barbara. “For the ‘new promises, you should come up with an answer Anja Förster Essentially, it is understanding the use- who reflect, question, have their own opin-
has headed EOS in Croatia for normal’, it is important that we have our feet later.” This brings us back to the concept of is an entrepreneur and speaker. ful potential of dissent and constructive crit- ion and can defend it when questioned.
more than a decade. She nurtures a Her book ‘Vergeude keine Krise!’
culture of trust within the company. on the ground, keep our eyes on the ball and honesty. Barbara believes a culture of trust (Don’t waste a crisis!) is a battle icism. After all, if everyone always agrees,
remain open to new developments.” can be created only with honesty both in ex- cry against conformist groupthink. nothing happens. Controversies create mo- To sum up:
In everything they say and do, managers treme situations and in the “new normal”. mentum and contain the inherent potential An obligation to dissent is no easy matter
should be transparent and accessible. Bar- to initiate a process of renewal. Controver- for team members or managers. It takes a
bara says the end has come for the era in sial points of view, and the resulting discus- certain amount of resilience to grit your
which managers could while away their time, sions in which dissent has its place, stimu- teeth, hold your head high and carry on.
aloof and detached from reality on the top Photos: EOS / Petar Santini Photography; Lydia Jonas late a rethink and serve as a hazard warning But it also allows the smartest minds to
floor of an office building. “I am very pleased light: Stop! It’s absolutely imperative to think make the best decisions.
E O S e x p l o r e 01 _ 2021
that the ‘new normal’ is breaking down those again! For this to work, three conditions need
outdated structures!” to be met:
To really feel the heartbeat of a company,
managers have to pay regular visits to its ‘en-
gine room’, like call centers, for example, and
talk to staff members in depth about their
expectations.
16 17
Communication dossier 1 _ the new normal
Outsider viewpoint
Be present like
on’t worry, you don’t need to per- joints to be free and mobile, and our energy
D form like a ballerina in your next
virtual meeting! There are, how-
and focus to surge.”
Once the meeting starts, we’re most fo-
a ballerina
ever, some surprising parallels be- cused on faces, arms and hands. “In an ideal
tween the world of dance and business, as world, we want our audience’s faces to appear
Rachel Cossar, a former professional balle- engaged, focused and intent,” says Cossar.
rina, explains in her book “When You Can’t But when watching others we tend to forget
Meet in Person”. about ourselves. Facial muscles become
slack, cheeks and mouth move downwards,
You’ve got trouble maintaining presence throughout virtual meetings? It all starts with … presence: which may make us appear unapproachable
Don’t know what to do with your hands and you suspect that Cossar knows her stuff. As a member of the to others. Imagine prima ballerinas doing that.
your facial expression looks off-putting to others? You’re not alone! Boston Ballet, she used to perform lead roles
in front of thousands of people across the Mirror, mirror on the wall…
A ballerina reveals how to throw your “physical anchor”.
globe. She reminds us that feeling the con- To change that Cossar advises us to try acti-
nection to our bodies brings us into the pres- vating our upper cheek muscles in front of a
Te x t _ N icho las Braut lecht ent moment. Being “present” for ballet danc- mirror. “You can play around with a very small
ers means they “can respond to unexpected hint of a smile, or think about brightening your
changes, pick up on live feedback from audi- eyes.” The self-view camera may also initially
ence” and communicate their “message with help us to get a feel for our facial expressions.
increased resonance”. To be more present in “Once you notice a difference for the better, Rachel Cossar
virtual meetings, Cossar suggests we initially go ahead and raise the stakes by taking your From ballet to business: Rachel
Cossar was a dancer with the
activate our posture through a technique she self-view away,” as the self-view tends to dis- Boston Ballet for 10 years. Since
calls “physical anchoring”. tract us, according to Cossar. 2017, she‘s been sharing her
experience through communica-
tion and presence training in the
Simple ways to anchor include: Demonstrate more gravitas workplace
Placing your feet firmly on the ground at To communicate our message “with increased choreographyforbusiness.com
about hip width distance resonance,” we should position our camera at
Pressing your sit bones into the chair and least an arm’s length away and raise our hands
lengthening your upper body slightly higher while we’re talking. “You want
Keeping your pelvis in a neutral position. to avoid moving your hands below where your
You can picture a bowl of water: if it is tilted lens picks up.” To demonstrate gravitas we
eos-solutions.com
too far back or forward, water spills out – may slow down our movements. “I tell clients
we want to keep it all in. to imagine they have weights in their hands”,
Cossar says. “Don’t be afraid to really mirror
Energy and focus your intention with your movements: When
Before a meeting, Cossar advises us to do a something is big and inspiring, move big!
few shoulder rolls, stretch our arms up and to When something is detailed and precise,
the side and roll our neck to free it up. “Moving showcase that with precise finger move-
around increases circulation, enabling our ments.” Just like a ballerina.
E O S e x p l o r e 01 _ 2021
Photo: PR
18 19Communication dossier 1 _ the new normal
Insider viewpoint
The “mute” function? 4. Use your body
A conversation killer!
I am the energetic type of
person, so I like getting
up from my chair and using the
white board – even in situa-
tions when it isn’t really neces-
sary. I am convinced that body
language is a key factor on
Communication is key to remote collaboration. how a message is perceived.
Still, many people stick with the view that a But it’s not all show! Using
the white board helps me
face-to-face meeting is the only way to create an to structure ideas and it helps
atmosphere of openness and trust. Alexander my colleagues to understand
my presentation.
Bauwens’ experience has been different. We asked
him to share his top seven communication tips.
Te x t _ N icho las Braut lecht
1. Be creative 2. Think kitchen! 5. “ Zone in” with people
How can we get the vibe and the I am convinced that everyone will benefit from the symbiosis of working Remote communication will never resemble face-to-face
excitement of live presentations from home and in the office in the “new normal” as it combines the communication and that’s good! At the end of the day, it’s a
transferred into the digital world? human and the professional. Office kitchens or coffee corners have people’s business. But before giving feedback to others, we
My answer is simple: Try to put more always been places where colleagues casually interact and chat. In video should still try to “walk in their shoes”: What’s the colleague
energy into digital presentations conferences, I try to actively recreate that “kitchen atmosphere”. I make thinking or experiencing right now? What was the other person
and feedback sessions and be cre- use of weekly calls for instance to touch some more personal issues: doing before the meeting? What’s the mood? That way
ative: Simple tricks like fun photos How is the renovation going? How are your kids? You’ll see: It’s fun! In we ensure that we sit in the same boat and steer in the same
or texts can take your message an atmosphere of trust, people will start to behave more naturally. direction. In more complex situations, don’t hesitate to use the
to another level and lift the mood phone, as old-fashioned as it might feel. Complicated emails
eos-solutions.com
for everyone involved. Small effort, may lead to misunderstandings. Phone calls help to remove the
big impact! But watch out: Too much distance barrier.
positivity can also kill a situation.
Because sometimes we all get tired
of hearing positive encouragement
messages – let’s be honest!
6. Mindset helps communication
It’s about striking the balance in The “new normal” will have to be continuously reinvented.
your messages. 3. Background noise? Yes, please! In other words: There won’t be a “normal” again, but rather an
Statements like “Sorry guys, I’ve been on mute!” are true conver “innovative tomorrow”. It may be difficult to get that message
sation killers. To avoid it, I’ve told my team: Nobody is on mute across from top to bottom as people tend to prefer staying in
Alexander Bauwens their comfort zone. But it is necessary as an innovative mindset
anymore! If you want to cough, cough! If the kids are screaming – is Collection Team Leader and Culture
that isn’t a problem! Even if we hear the craftsmen that renovate is key to good communication.
Companion at EOS Aremas in Belgium.
the house shouting – that’s fine! It’s only human! Life goes on! During the crisis he has been dealing with
Or do you prefer listening to a monologue of someone presenting the topic “Cooperation in home office”.
bullet points? 7. Forget about stereotypes
E O S e x p l o r e 01 _ 2021
People often have pre-defined images of others, including
that colleagues in their 20s may adapt more quickly to change
than those in their 50s. I say: Forget about it and you will be
positively surprised! Sometimes the people who really embrace
change and new technologies aren’t the ones you initially
expected would do so.
Photo: EOS
20 21perspectives
Tackling the problem Ms. Radic, the Otfried-Preußler Elementary School is one Outsider viewpoint
at its core
of the first pilot schools to test the ManoMoneta program.
What convinced you to get involved? “For children, proper
TATJANA RADIC: I do not think enough attention is paid to
financial literacy in German schools. In our school the topics money management
money and finances are only ever discussed in mathematics
lessons at the most. When I heard about ManoMoneta is now more
Through its non-profit finlit foundation, EOS promotes financial literacy. The aim is to
lay the foundations early to protect upcoming generations from excessive debt. One of
I thought that this might allow us to close this gap a little.
Because proper money management is now more important
important than ever.”
the founders and a teacher say why they believe this social engagement pays off. than ever for children.
What makes you think that?
Times have changed in many respects: Due to equal rights
for women, money has also become an important issue for
girls. In addition, lifestyle consumption, targeted marketing
Insider viewpoint Sebastian, finlit is committed to ensuring financial and digital payments can be overwhelming. And along with
literacy even among very young schoolchildren. How the stress of their jobs, most parents hardly have time
“We need to take are you doing that? to teach their children about handling money responsibly
SEBASTIAN RICHTER: Our educational program and to be a role model for them in this area. But in fact, even
a pro-active approach ManoMoneta is designed to make it easy for teachers to elementary schoolchildren are already preoccupied with
to excessive debt impart financial knowledge. We offer teaching materials,
a financial game and an online learning portal with
money. It starts with their betting smaller amounts. I recently
heard one child say to another: “You owe me another euro,
through corporate digital worksheets and explanatory videos. The package
is free of charge and ad-free, because it is important to
because you lost the bet.”
social responsibility.” us for finlit to be separate from the business operations Why are programs like ManoMoneta a useful addition to
of EOS. the curriculum?
Because money and finances are something that children
How did this commitment come about? constantly have to deal with, now and in the future. Children
Cultural change had greatly changed the perspective at have to be made aware of this. They have to learn:
EOS in many respects. Employees are increasingly How much pocket money do I have? How do I divide it up?
aware of social components and the responsibility of And what does it actually mean if I borrow money? Mano-
companies towards society. In all areas of the company Moneta teaches these principles in a way that is fun
eos-solutions.com
there is a desire to give something back to society. In and easy to understand. It also makes it easy for me as a Tatjana Radic
addition, Dr. Michael Otto was immediately very receptive teacher. The teaching material is compact, varied and is a teacher at the Otfried-Preußler
Elementary School in Berlin, Germany. With
to the idea of the finlit foundation. child-friendly. It is the ideal lesson plan, even for teachers the help of the finlit foundation’s teaching
who do not teach mathematics. materials, she instructs her pupils in the
Why is social responsibility so important to EOS? proper handling of money.
It stems from our purpose of a debt-free world. If we are How do children approach the topic of financial education?
really committed to achieving a debt-free world, we I believe that the children in my class have generally been
cannot do it through our operational business alone. We pretty clueless about finances so far. Many of them have no
need to tackle excessive debt pro-actively, and this is idea about the value of money. Of course I can only speak
where education as a social responsibility is the key. for the children in my school, which is located in Berlin-
Heiligensee, a rather affluent area where most people lack
You want to prevent people from falling into the nothing materially. As a result, many children grow up
debt trap. Is EOS not destroying its own debt collection feeling that they can have everything they want, regardless
E O S e x p l o r e 01 _ 2021
business in the process? of how much it costs. At an early age they do not think
We are a long way from killing ourselves off. Around one that money is a finite resource. And that’s exactly why I find
Photos: Matthias Oertel; private
in two German households has debts. Often these debts financial education for children so important.
Sebastian Richter are what is known as good, healthy debts, for example
was a project manager at EOS for eight if you take on a loan to buy your own home and can
years. He is now part of the management
team of the finlit foundation. pay it off. We want to tackle the problem of excessive
debt at its core and protect people from it through better
financial literacy.
22 23fintech
Digital tool for skilled trade
businesses
Through its fintech subsidiary FinTecrity, the EOS Group is developing hen FinTecrity launched its new
s olutions and services not tied to specific third-party collection
systems. Its products help small and medium-sized companies to digitize W online portal in April 2020 in
Germany, no one could have
guessed then that the timing
their invoicing and receivables management.
would turn out to be so favorable. The
C OVID-19 pandemic was still in its infancy
Text _ Phil i pp Sti e n s P h otos _ B e n n e Och s and many companies were already wrestling
with serious concerns about their liquidity. Until now it has been difficult for smaller
Even in non-crisis periods, the young compa- trades-based businesses to find a suit-
able factoring partner. FinTecrity aims to
ny’s products are designed to help its custom- change this through its digital processes.
ers stay solvent and reduce the default risk
as much as possible.
within two banking days at the latest. The fac- not just typical for Schoeb, but also for many
Digital factoring solution frees up toring fees are billed to the customer on a other trades-based businesses.
liquidity monthly basis.
“There are around three and a half million Other solutions in progress
SMEs in Germany. For many of them, invoice Focus on SMEs Until now, EOS affiliate EOS KSI in Germany
management is a necessary evil, something The main target group includes smaller re also was unable to take on smaller compa-
that is done in an incidental way but without tailers, service providers, consultancies, nies as debt collection clients. The expendi-
much enthusiasm,” says Marco Gaspar (in agencies and traditional skilled trade busi- ture was simply too great relative to the ex-
photo), who is responsible for business devel- nesses. One such firm is Schoeb electrical pected order volume. The fact that the
opment at FinTecrity. The company’s DV engineering service provider, whose owner company can now handle the overdue in-
AbrechnungPlus and DV FactoringPlus prod- Bernd Schoeb now uploads all his invoices to voices of FinTecrity customers is due primar-
ucts are designed to change that by leverag- the Deutsche Verrechnungsstelle portal. ily to the ongoing digitization of the pro-
ing digital solutions. The products are cur- “Factoring allows me to manage my cash cesses involved. As Johannes Brummer, who
eos-solutions.com
rently being sold exclusively via DV Deutsche flows in a way that suits me, including for tax is responsible for marketing at EOS KSI and
Verrechnungsstelle, a subsidiary of Deutsche purposes. When I have earned my money for FinTecrity, says: “The SMEs can now upload
Vermögensberatung, and are intended for the month I do not upload certain invoices un- and administer their overdue invoices in the
companies that have previously struggled to til the turn of the month with the knowledge system by themselves, which keeps the pro-
implement a professional invoice and receiv- that I will have my money within two days.” For cessing costs down for both parties.”
ables management system, for example, due receivables not purchased by the factor he Meanwhile, FinTecrity is working on new
to their small size. uses the integrated billing solution. His rea- features to resolve existing media interface
“Especially in times of crisis, companies soning is quite simple: “I just don’t want to be issues and streamline the processes even
are asking themselves fundamental ques- messing around any longer with sending out more. Marco Gaspar cites one example: “For
tions: How do I get my money, and how do I reminders or chasing after payments.” a few weeks now, customers have been able
get it as quickly as possible? Our factoring After starting off as a one-man operation, to send their invoices to the portal with just
solution means that they no longer need to Schoeb now employs around 20 people. How- one click. This does away with the manual up-
worry about issues like payment terms and ever, trying to find a suitable factoring prod- load, which saves time. Our solutions are de-
E O S e x p l o r e 01 _ 2021
defaults,” says Gaspar. Instead, companies uct for his business was no easy matter. “Fac- signed to make the customer’s work easier.
can upload their invoices to the DV portal. toring for trades-based businesses has always With this in mind we listen closely to our cus-
Thanks to a real-time creditworthiness check, been a difficult market,” says Schoeb. “We tomers and observe how they use our ser-
the company will know after just a few mo- were simply too small for most providers.” DV vices.” Other services, such as a factoring so-
ments whether the factor – TeamFaktor NW FactoringPlus is specifically intended for com- lution for lawyers and a billing platform for
GmbH – will purchase its invoice or not. If the panies with an annual turnover of less than driving schools, are already a work in prog-
invoice is purchased, the company then re- EUR 2.5 million. The average value of each ress. The driving school solution is now in
ceives the full amount in its bank account invoice is around EUR 1,500, a figure that is the pilot phase.
24 25test case
Step by step: 3.
Choosing a secure
Client onboarding at EOS
interface
The next step is for EOS to work with the client
to determine how the transfer files are going to
reach our system. Debt collection cases involve
particularly sensitive data, so when choosing our
At EOS, new customers benefit from a clearly structured and transparent interfaces our priority is a secure transfer that
onboarding process that connects them efficiently to our processes and systems. complies with data privacy legislation. The sim-
The main priority is to establish a secure interface. 2. plest and most secure transmission channel is
Correct data our web portal and the SFTP interface.
formats
Te x t _ P h ilipp S t iens Web portal
To ensure seamless and efficient processing of Our web portal, which is encrypted using the
all collection cases, the parties first define the HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure)
scope and format of data the customer will sup- protocol, can be reached via all major browsers.
ply in the future. Customers are sent a sample Customers can log into the web portal using
he terms and conditions have been file as a guide, which primarily answers two their personal logins and upload their transfer
T negotiated and the ink has dried on
the contract, so we’re good to go.
As with the induction of new em-
questions:
Which data are needed?
files at the agreed intervals.
SFTP interface
ployees, a well-structured onboarding process The sample file shows which data EOS needs For file transfers via the SFTP protocol (Secure
for clients leaves no questions unanswered from the customer in order to achieve the best File Transfer Protocol), a direct IP interface is
and gets productive collaboration off to a possible outcomes. Generally, personal details created between customer and EOS. You sim-
quick start. of the defaulting payers are required, along with ply place your transfer files on the server and
The greatest challenge for onboarding in information about the amount and due dates of we are notified of their availability. Beforehand,
debt collection is making sure that the right the receivable. In special cases we need addi- an SFTP application is completed that specifies
data move securely from the customer to the tional data such as the title and other details of what is to be transferred, when and how often.
debt collection service provider. At EOS, this legally enforceable claims or certain industry- The Client Data Inte-
responsibility rests with the Client Onboard- specific information. gration team sets up
ing & Projects, Client Data Integration and the server and sup-
Client Data Exchange teams, all of which are In which format are the data required? ports the customer
eos-solutions.com
part of Client Services. The teams personally The sample file provides a template showing through the entire
support new clients by taking them through how the data need to be arranged. The more process.
the onboarding process step by step. transparent and clearly structured the data in
the transfer file, the better they can be pro-
cessed. In certain cases it may be useful to pro-
1. vide a dataset description that shows where we
Contract can find which data in the transfer file. We work
signing of with all common file formats like Excel spread-
sheets and CSV, XML or TXT files.
EOS Client Journey The customer has agreed to general conditions
for working with the EOS Sales Team and put
Transparent, flexible and personalized them in the contract. Once the contract has been Illustrations: Gutentag-Hamburg (3); C3 Visual Lab 4.
To maintain the transparency of the onboarding process, every client goes
signed by both parties, the Client Onboarding & Test run and
E O S e x p l o r e 01 _ 2021
through a customer journey tailored to its specific circumstances. Once
Projects, Client Data Integration and Client Data interface release
all requirements have been recorded and questions clarified, it takes Exchange teams get down to work and initiate
about 14 days until the interface has been set up and the first cases can the first steps of the collaboration. The last step is to simulate the data transfer in a test environ-
be transferred. ment to check that all data get to the correct location free of
errors. If this is the case, the interface is released and work
The process can be adapted flexibly to accommodate specific preferences.
For we know that every customer has special requirements of the onboard-
can begin. For quality assurance purposes, we monitor the ini-
ing process. The customer may have had little or no previous experience tial data transfers so that any transmission errors can be iden-
with debt collection or may have to deal with industry-specific complexity. tified and rectified promptly.
26 27inside
People at EOS:
And who are you?
The jobs to be done at EOS are just as diverse as its workforce. Gunnar
Four of our colleagues introduce themselves briefly to tell us who they Woitack
are, what they do and what drives them. Has worked
at EOS since 1998 and is
currently our Chief Informa-
tion Security Officer.
Is particularly
passionate about
Is particularly passionate
Kerstin about books. He is currently
reading ‘When She Was
Schulz Good’ by Michael Robotham.
His favorite TV series: ‘The
Has worked Sopranos’.
at EOS since 2018 and is
currently a Consultant in the
People & Development Team.
Is particularly “WHAT DO COLLEAGUES NEED to
passionate about deliver an excellent performance within the
traveling to distant organization? This is one of the key
countries. Her next
preferred destinations are questions that we ask in the People &
Mexico, Peru and Columbia. Development Team. In this context, the
focus of my work is on issues of leadership
and culture. In our Leadership Startup
program, brand new managers learn how to
get a grip on their new roles q uickly. I was
able to help develop the program from
eos-solutions.com
scratch and am now involved in it as a
trainer. I find it great fun to experience the
participants and interact with them!
In my private life I am very interested in PEOPLE SAY: “Cyber-security is the ugly stepsister of
mindfulness and regularly do yoga. I also digitization”. Accordingly, there is a lot to do in this
associate mindfulness with painting, walks, area at EOS. I have been active in the EOS IT environ-
hikes and runs outdoors, for example ment for more than 20 years now. Since 2015 I have been
around the Alster here in Hamburg. After responsible for the information security of the entire
the pandemic is over I am most looking group. In our business we cannot avoid dealing with a
forward to relaxing evenings with friends, in large volume of personal data, so security obviously plays
a bar or restaurant, at home or outdoors.” a major role. The purpose of my work is to avert damage
to the company that could occur in the handling of this
E O S e x p l o r e 01 _ 2021
information, for example, in a case of data theft. Person-
ally, what excites me about my work is the international
Photos: EOS; Achim Multhaupt
outlook. Every day I am in contact with colleagues from all
over the world, from America to Russia. In the process
you inevitably get to know a very diverse range of
people and cultures. The same is true of travel, which I
also enjoy very much.”
28 29inside
“I LIKE TO TEST MY LIMITS. That’s why
I like hiking. Also because it makes me Esther
calmer. I am normally a very impatient van Oirsouw
person. My first longer hike took me more
Has worked
than 181 kilometers from the tri-border at EOS Technology
region Czech Republic-Germany-Poland Solutions as Head of Portals
to Prague. I then covered twice that & Integration since 2020.
distance to the Austrian border. For that Is particularly
trip I launched a fund-raising campaign. passionate about
For each of the 348 kilometers covered, her adopted home town of
Hamburg, where she has
I collected money for children with cancer, been living for six years now.
which was a huge motivation for me! She particularly likes the
Currently I am walking more than proximity to water and the
Kateřina 500 kilometers a month. My next goal
city’s many green spaces.
Tichá is to do the Portuguese Camino,
from Lisbon to Santiago de
Has worked
at EOS in the Czech Compostela.
Republic since 2016,
currently as a Database At EOS I started off on the
Programmer.
admin side, before moving
Is particularly to IT in 2018. Apart from
passionate about my work and my hikes,
all kinds of sports, except
ball games. She broke two I do yoga daily and also
fingers playing volleyball. enjoy jogging and rock
climbing.”
eos-solutions.com
“FOR ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE are my family, my
health and the professional challenges that help me develop as a person.
And thankfully, my job as Head of Portals & Integration has plenty to offer
in this respect. A further challenge is the COVID-19 pandemic, which
coincided with my starting my job at EOS. Having to reconcile remote
E O S e x p l o r e 01 _ 2021
working, home schooling and family life, and still schedule some time for
Photos: jirikralovec.com; Benne Ochs
myself, was an momentous experience for me.
I am planning to marry my life partner in May, which is quite a project in the
current times. Apart from all the paperwork and other formalities, you
also have to deal with the constantly changing Covid-19 restrictions. If all
goes well, I will be married by the time you are holding this magazine in
your hands!”
31Single parents in difficulty Single parents in Childless couples dataflow
Parents without partners were hit particular are are affected
especially hard by the crisis. going into debt relatively little
Couples without children, on the
Limited to the bare essentials*
other hand, rarely took on debt. Germany 26 Germany 8 Without debt, many of those affected would
not have been able to cover their basic
Data in percent.
Spain 23 Spain 13 living costs. Most respondents also did not 57 %
take vacations. 56 %
Croatia 33 Croatia 14
*The results refer to the mean values from the
Romania 34 Romania 22 five participating countries.
24 %
Bulgaria 35 Bulgaria 30 36 %
28 %
24 %
Basic necessities
Housing costs
Europe in crisis mode Health costs
Vacations
Renovations
What did people take on debt for What did people cut back on
The pandemic has turned the lives of many people Furniture during the COVID-19 crisis? during the COVID-19 crisis?
u pside down – from a financial perspective too.
For the COVID-19 Financial Report, EOS asked people
in five European countries about their debt
situation and consumption patterns during the crisis. The crisis continues
Respondents tended to view the future
pessimistically. Consumers in Bulgaria Vacations
Bulgaria
and Romania in particular assume
that they will need to take on new debt
in the next six months.
56 %
32 %
Bulgarians took on the most debt Data in percent.
In an international comparison, German
consumers have come through the crisis so far in
the best financial shape. In Bulgaria, on the other Furniture
hand, one in three consumers has been forced to Germany 19
take on debt as a result of the pandemic.
Spain 24
19 % Renovations
Croatia 20
28 %
eos-solutions.com
Romania 35
Debts
Bulgaria 36
19 %
15 % When the pandemic is over, 29 %
12 % Germany 65 let the vacations begin!*
Spain 45 Whether for financial reasons or COVID-19
restrictions, 2020 was not a year for travel. So it
Croatia 42 is not surprising that most respondents would
Germany Spain Croatia Romania Bulgaria
No debts like to go on vacation once the crisis is over. Far
Romania 39
People cannot pay their debts fewer respondents were prioritizing expenditure
The percentage of people who have not Bulgaria 29 on renovations and furniture.
been able to pay their debts since the crisis
12 %
*The results refer to the mean values from the five
began is nearly the same as for those who participating countries.
E O S e x p l o r e 01 _ 2021
16 % 18 %
have taken on debt.
Germany 14
Illustrations: Gutentag-Hamburg
Spain 30
24 % Croatia 36
To see the entire survey with all results in detail, simply scan
this QR code.
30 % Not sure
Romania 25 Source: EOS survey of 7,000 people aged 18 and over in five
European countries (Germany, Spain, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria).
Bulgaria 32 Online interviews conducted in January 2021.
32 33You can also read
