Innovation happens when people come together – this was the maxim behind the Customer Focus Summit five years ago. What began as a bold idea is now a permanent fixture for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, customer experience and shaping the future.
Initiated by coeo, the focus is not on a single company – but on the diversity of voices, experiences and visions from the entire world of finance and technology. Under the motto “AI in Real Life: Roadmap, PoCs & Fails”, specialists and managers once again came together to exchange perspectives, practical examples and future ideas on artificial intelligence, customer centricity and innovation. Reason enough to take a look back at five years of concentrated diversity of ideas and a culture of dialog.
2021 – Kick-off in Cologne: Data science and analytics
The first Customer Focus Summit celebrated its premiere above the rooftops of Cologne at KölnSKY – and made a strong statement with the topic of “Data science and data analytics along the customer journey”. It became clear early on that data is the key to understanding and shaping the customer experience. Dr. Rainer Sommer (Generali) impressively demonstrated how insurers can use AI and data-driven processes to respond faster and more precisely to customer needs – without losing sight of the emotional component. Sommer emphasized:
“Data and AI can speed up processes, but they cannot replace the human element.”
A personal example from his experience made this particularly tangible – when the material damage caused by a burglary was compensated, but not the lost memories on a stolen device.
Julius Kretz (ALH Group) and Slobodan Pantelic (HDI Vertriebs AG) contributed a different perspective on data-based ecosystems: they discussed whether the insurance market is facing a similar revolution with “Open Insurance” as banking is with PSD2. Their impulse: insurance data could not only enable new services through open interfaces, but also fundamentally change efficiency in the industry. Alexander Michel (Finanzguru) went one step further and explained how bank data forms the basis for completely new, personalized financial advice.
Finally, investor Frank Thelen, known from “Die Höhle der Löwen”, broadened the view and, in his presentation “10xDNA”, pleaded for the courageous use of exponential technologies such as AI, blockchain or robotics to enable real leaps in customer interaction.
It became clear in the first year that it is not about ready-made solutions, but about open dialog about real challenges.
2022 – AI along the cash & customer journey
For the second year, the summit returned to the tried-and-tested KölnSKY venue, but the focus shifted more towards artificial intelligence and automation. How can simple, robust solutions be developed without getting bogged down in technical complexity? This question was the common thread running through many of the presentations.
Prof. Dr. Florian Artinger (Simply Rational GmbH) dispelled the misconception that complex problems necessarily require complex solutions – sometimes simple, robust models lead to the goal. His message was particularly memorable: “Not every technical solution has to be highly complex – it is often the simple and robust solutions that lead to good results”. He illustrated this with examples in which simple augmented intelligence systems outperformed complex algorithms – in terms of transparency, robustness and comprehensibility.
Lea-Sophie Cramer (Amorelie) set an emotional tone with her plea for love brands: these are brands with attitude that build long-term relationships. “People follow people, not companies” – with this quote, she struck a chord with the audience. She showed how Amorelie has become a real love brand through authentic communication, a clear target group approach and continuous innovation. The presentation by Henner Heistermann (Nitrobox GmbH) also focused on customer loyalty. In his talk, he showed how subscription models and digital communication lead to efficiency and customer loyalty.
The common denominator of this round: successful customer journeys are the result of simplicity, efficiency and genuine customer orientation.
2023 – Munich: rethinking omnichannel
With the move to Munich, to the light-flooded rooftop location MH5, the Customer Focus Summit also opened a new chapter in terms of content. The focus was on omnichannel, data-driven personalization and AI-supported customer communication – always with the key question: How do we create real experiences in an increasingly digital world?
Julian Craemer (uptain) opened the discussion with practical examples of how AI can specifically prevent shopping cart abandonment in e-commerce. With a clear statement:
“The critical moment is not the first click – it’s the last.”
Around 70 percent of customers who add an item to their shopping cart do not complete the purchase. His solution: personalized triggers in real time – such as pop-ups or emails that motivate users to complete the purchase. Following on from this, Ingo Gregus (adesso experience) showed that successful customer journeys are only really brought to life through intelligent personalization. Prof. Dr. Anja Hanisch-Blicharski (coeo) rounded off the discussion with a critical look at the opportunities and risks of ChatGPT.
Markus Joost (SIXT) takes a special look at receivables management and advocates more transparency towards customers, because:Even if the customer is not happy about a reminder, customer satisfaction still plays a role at this point.A bad experience can certainly have a long-term effect on customer loyalty.His practical example: SIXT was able to increase payment morale through simple digital tools such as payment links and adapted communication channels – without pressure, but through understanding.
In 2023, there was a consensus that technology is the tool – but it is still crucial to use it wisely and empathetically.
2024 – AI in customer dialog: From buzzword to attitude
In its fourth year, the summit remained true to the rooftop location MH5 in Munich – but the focus clearly shifted towards attitude and responsibility in dealing with AI. The boom in generative models and the ethical discussions surrounding new technologies shaped the program.
Karin Gerhardy’s (Google) appeal was clear: AI must make the leap from pure hype to real value creation.She emphasized: “Anyone can use AI – it is crucial to take AI out of the experimental phase and integrate it into real, value-adding processes”. In particular, Gerhardy addressed the shortage of skilled workers in this context: AI is an important lever in this area to increase productivity and strengthen innovative power at the same time. This is precisely where the Google Future Workshop comes in: an educational program specifically aimed at promoting digital skills among the general population. Prof. Dr. Patrick Glauner (Deggendorf Institute of Technology) also focused on people and spoke about how human decisions can be made automatically – and yet comprehensibly.
Ranga Yogeshwar’s presentation was particularly influential: with his talk “Emil’s World”, based on the birth of his grandson, he took an empathetic, cross-generational look at social change through AI. His warning: “We must not create a world in which algorithms make decisions without us understanding the reasons”.AI does not understand what it sees, acts according to patterns and probabilities and can also simply be wrong when confronted with atypical data. Despite this warning, Yogeshwar is optimistic: in a world in which AI is becoming increasingly present, Yogeshwar sees people as key players who can ensure that technological progress benefits everyone through empathy and a focus on values.
The industry perspective was not neglected either: Jan Hansson (Klarna) and Elias Reitter (coeo) discussed new approaches in debt collection, Frank Hartmann (Payone) and Dr. Steven Lemm (Ratepay) showed how AI can accompany processes invisibly but effectively.
The year 2024 brought a new insight to the fore: artificial intelligence is not just a technological challenge, but a question of attitude, governance and social responsibility.
2025 – AI in Real Life: Experiences from the field
At the fifth Customer Focus Summit, high above the rooftops of Vienna at k47.wien, the focus was on reality: under the motto “AI in Real Life: Roadmap, PoCs & Fails”, everything revolved around real applications, insights gained and what AI can already achieve – or not yet achieve – beyond all visions.
Andreas Wenk and Ingolf Putzbach (Cleo & You) showed how closely technology and emotion can be linked and shared valuable insights from the world of pet insurance. Christoph Schmidt (Vienna Airport) took the participants into a digital innovation ecosystem that is rethinking airports. His plea:
“The airports of the future are not isolated infrastructures, but open, networked spaces – economically relevant, technologically leading and socially responsible.”
Marieke Merkle (Noerr Partnerschaftsgesellschaft) and Dr. Robert Kazemi (Kazemi & Partner Rechtsanwälte) gave an overview of the EU AI Act – a step forward for legal certainty, but also a clear wake-up call for companies to deal with new requirements at an early stage. Nina Pütz (CEO parfumdreams & Niche Beauty @ Douglas) spoke passionately about why even the best AI cannot do without clear human leadership – attitude, clarity and responsibility remain essential, especially in customer contact: “AI can optimize processes – but it cannot shape a culture, develop a vision or lead people. This is where real leadership begins.”
Finally, Dr. Kevin Yam (coeo Group & cAI Technology) and Sebastian Ludwig (coeo Group) discussed what Germany needs to do to keep up with the global AI competition. Their appeal: Generative AI has long been a reality – now we need the courage to really take advantage of these opportunities.
The conclusion of the fifth summit: AI has long been part of everyday life – the question is how we shape it.
Future open, stage remains
The Customer Focus Summit is not a showcase for individual projects, but a place to meet across industry boundaries. It is a place to discuss how customer relationships can be shaped responsibly, empathetically and innovatively in a digitalized world. With five successful editions, the Summit has established itself as an indispensable meeting place for customer centricity, AI and innovation culture.
Cover © coeo
