Otto Group @ betahaus

Coworking Conference 2011

Berlin, November 2011

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Agenda

• What is the Otto Group?

• Why does the Otto Group collaborate with a coworking space?

• And how exactly does this work?

• What do coworkers and coworking spaces need to collaborate with the „big fish“?

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What is the Otto Group?

• The Otto Group is a worldwide-operating retail and services group with 123 companies of primary significance in 20 countries.

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What is the Otto Group?

• The Otto Group is currently active in three segments:

- Multichannel Retail – with catalogue business, e-commerce and over-the-counter retail.

- Financial Services – providing retail-related financial services across the value-added chain.

- Services – covering the entire portfolio of retail services across the value-added chain as well as travel services.

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What is the Otto Group?

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What is the Otto Group?

2009/10 2010/11

10.1 bn10.1 bn 11.4 bn11.4 bn+12.6%+12.6%

Consolidated revenue in bn Euro

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Why does the Otto Group collaborate with a coworking space?

• Facing a lack of specialized workforce

• Freelancing or working in start-ups has become a good alternative for many people we would love to employ

• It would be arrogant to think that innovation can or should only come from inside a company – we need the crowd

• Coworking spaces are home to the first adapters of trends – who wants to understand which direction our markets develop, just go there

• Using coworking spaces makes it easy to get used to the „Trial and Error“-idea and test tools, work environments etc. without heavy investment in the beginning

• Working in a coworking space is a great incentive for our employees

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Why does the Otto Group collaborate with a coworking space?

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And how exactly does this work?

We have just started…

• …having strategy and innovation workshops for different business units

• …sending project teams

• …funding events and starting the conversation

What might be the next steps…

• …expand exchange, e.g, by inviting coworkers to our headquarter

• …reducing bureaucracy – internally and at the interface

• …maybe start our own coworking space – together with our partners, of course!

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What do coworkers and coworking spaces need to collaborate with the „big fish“?

Some rules, that might seem a bit too generic and simple – but from my experience, they aren‘t!

1.Be clear.

2.Be reliable.

3.Be honest.

4.Be agency.

5.Don’t be too expensive. Don’t be cheap.