When it comes to efficiency and customer satisfaction, many SMEs look to the big players for inspiration. But our interview partner of the month has not only kept up in this respect - he has set new standards.
With his company Dufour Treuhand AG Thomas Laeuchli has proven that modern technology is not just a tool for optimization, but a decisive factor in delivering the highest quality. His goal: to increase efficiency through digitalization without ever compromising on service quality.
"Customers are only marginally interested in technology," says Thomas Laeuchli. "What counts are reliable results that are delivered on time and in the best quality." This aspiration runs through his entire career. After working for large companies such as UBS, IKEA and Panalpina, where he held key positions in finance and treasury management, he decided to become self-employed. This decision allowed him to fully embrace his creative side and consistently drive technological innovation. As early as 2016, Thomas Laeuchli recognized the immense potential of automation and artificial intelligence for the fiduciary sector - long before many others began this transformation.
While large companies are creating entire departments dedicated to topics such as AI and digitalization, many smaller companies are still taking a wait-and-see approach. For Thomas Laeuchli, one thing is certain: the use of technology must not be an end in itself, but must always aim to relieve the burden on people - whether customers or employees - and enable greater efficiency. "Thanks to complete digitalization, we have enough time to respond to individual questions and needs," he adds.
Digitalization is changing the requirements: highly qualified specialists are needed to successfully integrate complex systems and master the increasing demands. Thomas Laeuchli recognized that automation not only improves the speed but also the quality of work. Increasing efficiency without sacrificing quality is what drives him. In this interview, he reveals how his understanding of success has changed over the years and why technological innovations and human collaboration are the key to his success.
Mr. Laeuchli, if you had taken a different path when you were younger, what would you have become?
"I'm sure that I would be doing exactly the same thing on detours and loops where I am today."
What is your favorite way to start your day?
"Preferably with a coffee from the Bialetti pot and a newspaper. It's my moment of calm before the day starts. Before I come into the office, I've usually already worked through my emails from the previous evening and planned the most important tasks for the day. This gives me a structured start to the day and I know that everything is running smoothly when I arrive at the office."
What does success mean to you personally?
"Privately, success for me means having the time and financial freedom to spend time with my wife and our grown-up children and to travel. Professionally, as a young manager, I would probably have put commercial success with a motivated team first. But that has changed a lot over time - also socially. Today, the inspiration and success of an entire team carry much more weight. Thanks to new media and technologies, teams can be mobilized quickly, even if they are partly decentralized, and thus not only achieve success, but also significantly better results."
What would you work for free for a week?
"I've actually been doing this for years, several months a year: we've been working for over ten years on software solutions that make the work of people in the trust business easier or take it off their hands completely. This work is inspiring, creative, challenging and exciting at the same time. It also encourages collaboration and exchange with people who are just as enthusiastic about these solutions as I am."
What was the best professional advice you ever received?
"The best advice was to start my own business after I left the large corporations as a manager. This not only allowed me to continue applying my financial knowledge, but also to fully develop my creative side in the development of system concepts."
We would like to thank Mr. Laeuchli for his contribution to this article.
This interview was conducted orally.
Batterman Consulting Basel AG
Executive Search,
Byfangweg 1a, CH-4051 Basel
T +41 58 680 55 55
basel@batterman.ch
