Networking is not an end in itself. It is a strategic necessity. Those who want to rethink service in mechanical engineering must be in dialogue with those who live service every day. That is why CEO Gerd Bart is now a personal member of the AFSMI German Chapter - the leading community for service management professionals.
What Is AFSMI?
AFSMI stands for Association for Services Management International - a global community of service professionals from a wide range of industries.
The German Chapter brings together executives, service managers, and experts from the German-speaking region. Here, service is not theorized about. Here, service is lived, discussed, and developed.
For Transaction-Network, this is exactly the right environment: Not developing in isolation, but in exchange with those who organize service every day.
Why Personal Membership Matters
There are corporate memberships. And there are personal memberships.
The difference is decisive:
A corporate membership is a business card. A personal membership is a commitment.
Gerd Bart joins as a person - not just as CEO of Transaction-Network. This shows: the exchange with the service community is not a marketing measure. It is part of the strategic DNA.
Service only works in a network. Those who develop in isolation lose touch with reality. AFSMI is exactly the right place for genuine exchange.
- Gerd Bart, CEO Transaction-Network
Networking as a Strategic Success Factor
Platforms do not arise in ivory towers. They arise in dialogue.
Transaction-Network develops not at will, but in close coordination with OEMs, producers, and service managers.
AFSMI offers the ideal framework for this:
This is not a nice-to-have. This is a strategic necessity.
- Direct exchange with service professionals - No theory, but practical experience
- Access to best practices - What works in other industries? What can be transferred?
- Strategic impulses - Where is service heading? Which trends are relevant?
- Long-term relationships - Not one-time events, but continuous dialogue
Connection with the Service Community
Service in mechanical engineering is not an island.
The challenges that OEMs and producers face are not unique. Other industries have solved similar problems - or are struggling with the same questions.
AFSMI creates exactly this cross-industry connection:
How do other industries scale service? What can we learn from software service? How do medical technology manufacturers organize their after-sales?
These perspectives are valuable. They prevent one from stewing in one's own juice. They open the view to new solution approaches.
That is exactly why membership in the AFSMI German Chapter is so important.
A Look into the AFSMI Community
What does AFSMI do concretely?
The community organizes regular events, workshops, and exchange formats. Service professionals share their experiences, discuss trends, and jointly develop solution approaches.
Topics include among others:
These are exactly the questions that also occupy Transaction-Network.
- Service scaling - How does service grow without proportional headcount growth?
- Digitalization and automation - Which tools really work?
- Customer satisfaction - How is service quality measured? How is it improved?
- New business models - How does service move from a cost factor to a revenue driver?
Video: Insight into AFSMI Work
A brief insight into the work and philosophy of AFSMI:
Exchange at Eye Level
AFSMI is not a sales event. It is a community.
Here there is no pitching. Here there is discussion. At eye level. Without hierarchies. Without sales pressure.
This is the decisive difference from many other networks:
AFSMI brings together people who truly understand service. Who struggle with the same challenges every day. Who are looking for real solutions - not marketing messages.
Exactly this authenticity makes the community so valuable.
What Does This Mean for Transaction-Network?
AFSMI membership is more than a network entry.
It is a strategic signal:
Transaction-Network does not develop in isolation. We are part of a larger service community. We learn from others. We share our experiences.
This makes us better.
Better in product development. Better in understanding customer needs. Better in strategic alignment.
And this ultimately benefits our customers.
Those who want to think about service strategically must be in exchange with the service community. AFSMI is the right platform for this.
Next Steps
Membership is the first step. Now it is about active participation:
The goal is clear: Transaction-Network should not only be technically leading, but also firmly anchored in the service community.
AFSMI membership is an important building block for this.
- Regular participation in AFSMI events - Show presence, seek exchange
- Contributing own experiences - What have we learned at Transaction-Network?
- Building bridges - Between mechanical engineering service and other industries
- Building long-term relationships - Not once, but continuously
Service is teamwork. Not only internally, but also in exchange with others. AFSMI makes exactly this possible.
