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Help to shape the digital future of one of the world’s best-loved brands.
Besides having a hugely successful direct-to-consumer business, for the past 20 years Miele has also been steadily building its B2B reputation, supplying a wide range of corporate clients with high quality, often customised products. We call this offering Miele Professional. Recognising the great impact that Miele X has had on our consumer business, it made sense to apply this knowledge and insight to our professional business too.
This is the primary focus of Dieter Fassbender, our eCommerce and Digital Marketing Director for Miele Professional. Dieter has over 20 years’ agency experience helping organisations understand the commercial benefits of digital transformation and marketing. We caught up with Dieter and asked him about his journey with Miele so far, his plans to grow the team and how he inspires collaboration through transparent leadership, humanity, and an unexpected talent for baking.
How does Miele Professional differ from Miele?
"Miele Professional is the part of Miele that works with professional clients. It used to be a small unit within Miele that was growing and growing. Then in 2020, it was separated from the domestic business unit, so there's a clear, dedicated focus on service for companies. This is a very important part of Miele, and I was asked to create a team that can do for Miele Professional what Miele X has done for the domestic business."
Tell us about your work at Miele
“It’s clear from the work that is already being done by Miele X that our direct-to-business offering will benefit hugely from the opportunities provided by digital marketing, eCommerce and customer relationship management. And that’s why I am here. Our Miele Professional business sees our products and services supporting a wide range of organisations from medical clinics and hotels to fire departments and even private luxury yachts. So, there is huge scope for growth. By introducing further digital strategies and tools we hope to accelerate our digital transformation to fuel and sustain this growth.
“Our direct-to-business market offers high quality and often bespoke products to both huge and very niche organisations. In many cases these products are designed to meet a customer’s specific needs, by helping them address a particular challenge, or supporting them to get the very best out of that product. Miele Professional also offers servicing, maintenance, and upgrades, while at the same time ensuring that our customers continue to get the very highest level of service. We’ve found that in every step of our sales and marketing process, digital can help us better support our customers, markets and the overall business.”
Amsterdam. Switzerland. Germany. And beyond.
“I think I am the epitome of the remote worker. My family is based in Switzerland. My team is predominantly based in Amsterdam. And I also spend time in our corporate HQ in Gütersloh. All of which, I think, gives me a unique perspective on how Miele operates. While my eCommerce and Digital Marketing team started out as just me, we’ve quickly grown it into small close-knit team with a clear ambition. And that ambition is to launch or optimise our digital marketing, eCommerce and customer relationship management services in 25 key markets by the end of 2023.”
What brought you to Miele?
“I have over 20 years’ experience in traditional and digital marketing and have previously led three businesses through transformational change. But I love a challenge and I have never lost my appetite to help businesses during times of transformation. And Miele offers me this challenge, but with a small difference. I am now an in-house resource, not an agency-based one.”
“What is refreshing is the Miele approach. Everyone here is so helpful, and we all work together to reach our respective goals. I can use the knowledge that I have gathered over my career and bring it all together at Miele. The team is based in Amsterdam, which means that we can call upon the experience and insight of the hugely talented ecommerce and digital marketing professionals of Miele X. There have already been fantastic examples where we’ve shared knowledge and experience.”
“This is my first time working on the client side of a project like this. Which offers me a slightly different perspective. A key difference being that we have direct access to our customers, complete transparency and access to all the insight. With no agency in between. We can build effective direct and long-lasting relationships while measuring the impact of the work we do. Giving us the data, insight and experience that will form the basis for key business relationships that should last for decades.”
It sounds like a huge project
“Miele is a much-loved brand for both customers and employees. And the direct-to-business aspect is well established and has been operating successfully for over 20 years. My role is to understand the opportunities that each market offers and help shape the digital solutions for that market. In some cases, this may simply be enhancing what is in place already. In others, the work may be greater. But in all cases, I feel the need to work hard, earn the trust of my colleagues and then together we’ll see the positive results of the changes I’ve suggested. I’ve often likened myself to Mary Poppins. In that, people may feel unsure about the changes we implement at first, but in the end, everyone is happy and want us to stay.”
It sounds like you’ve found a home at Miele
“This is a company with a huge entrepreneurial spirit, and a great opportunity for someone who has an open, honest and committed approach to work. To stretch themselves as they help create something new from the ground up. It’s a sociable business, so there are plenty of opportunities to have fun and get to know each other. Personally, I’m a keen cook and baker and enjoy nothing more than connecting with the people around me through good food. It’s one of the ways I like to show my appreciation for everyone’s hard work. And it’s how I unwind at the end of a busy day.”
What’s next? You decide
“This is a fantastic opportunity to join our world renowned and much-loved brand as we start on another interesting and exciting business journey. So, if you’d like the chance to build something new, with the support of an experienced leader and a diverse culture, then you may have just found a new home at Miele.”