In the interview with Timo Kayser, Co-CEO of Luithle + Luithle GmbH

In times of saturated markets, intense competition and diverse global crises, the topic of corporate resilience has rightly gained significant importance. Luithle + Luithle GmbH has been a key player in the IT industry for over 30 years, continuously improving the availability and security of its customers' IT infrastructure. As a full-service IT provider, the company offers services tailored to customer needs, ranging from IT security and its proprietary Enterprise Service Management software Tesseron to complete cloud or on-premises environments.

We are therefore very pleased to present an interview with Timo Kayser, who began his career after completing commercial training and a dual degree as a Certified IT-Systems Manager as a software engineer at Luithle + Luithle and is now Co-CEO. Since 2019, he has been responsible for Business Development, Software, Human Resources, as well as Finance & Controlling in the management team.

In the upcoming interview, Timo Kayser will provide deeper insights into the world of Enterprise Service Management (ESM) and explain the benefits this technology offers to companies. It will be particularly interesting to learn how ESM contributes to strengthening corporate resilience and what specific advantages the onboarding and consulting of the ESM software Tesseron offers through the experts at Luithle + Luithle. Another important aspect is the security of the ESM solution Tesseron and how the company ensures that the highest security standards are met.

Look forward to an exciting conversation in which Timo Kayser shares his experiences and visions and gives us insights into the innovations and strategic approaches of Luithle + Luithle. This interview promises valuable insights into the current challenges and future perspectives of the IT industry.

Silicon Valley Europe: Mr. Kayser, Luithle + Luithle GmbH has been active in the IT industry for over 30 years. What are the biggest changes you have observed during this time in light of our topic, and how has the company adapted to them?

Timo Kayser: Our topic “Enterprise Service Management” is still a relatively young concept. The idea of company-wide service management can be understood as an evolution of classic IT service management.

Over the past years and decades, the IT industry has seen significant changes! Infrastructures and networks have become more complex, and more and more software and cloud services are being used. When Luithle + Luithle was founded, for example, the public internet did not even exist yet. The industry had to adapt quickly and find efficient methods to handle disruptions, requests, and changes. This is how working with tickets became established and has long been considered an industry standard. With ESM, we are taking a step further: Why should only the IT departments benefit from the enormous advantages in terms of efficiency and transparency when providing their services?

Silicon Valley Europe: You have been Co-CEO of the company since 2019. What are your top priorities in this role, and what vision do you have for the future of Luithle + Luithle?

Timo Kayser: Our vision is to establish Luithle + Luithle as a pioneer in the German market in the field of Enterprise Service Management (ESM). One of my most important tasks is to ensure that all company departments work together seamlessly. I see this as the foundation for achieving our strategic goals and for sustainable, financially healthy growth. My main focus is on continuous investment in our staff as well as innovations and technology, always following the motto “quality over quantity.” A strong, values-driven corporate culture that prioritizes agility, resilience, and talent development forms the foundation of our success.

Silicon Valley Europe: Could you explain what Enterprise Service Management (ESM) is and what the main benefits are for companies?

Timo Kayser: ESM is a software-supported approach to optimizing business processes. It extends the concept of IT Service Management (ITSM) and ticket-based work to the entire company to leverage its benefits.

Internal processes and workflows are optimized and standardized in this way. The services provided by the respective teams are made visible, making it easier to manage processes and projects.

An ESM therefore ideally supports the digitalization and standardization of processes, reduces complexity, and overall increases the efficiency of companies.

Silicon Valley Europe: To what extent can ESM contribute to strengthening a company's resilience? Are there any concrete examples from your experience?

Timo Kayser: At its core, corporate resilience consists of the two components of resilience and adaptability. The advantage of ESM in making processes agile has a doubly positive effect in this context:

Many companies struggle to design processes in a lean and efficient way. However, a high level of internal complexity has a wide range of negative effects. In terms of resilience, this primarily means a slow speed of adaptation. Unforeseeable crises can thus become an insurmountable obstacle. But even in crises that are foreseeable, a high level of complexity in internal processes puts companies at a disadvantage compared to better-organized competitors.

Silicon Valley Europe: How exactly can one imagine working in an ESM system? Which departments and projects actually benefit from this?

Timo Kayser: The benefits of cross-departmental work become very clear when we look at the example of ISO 27001. If this means nothing to you, here's a brief explanation: ISO 27001 is a certification that aims to ensure information security and resilience across the entire company. It is a framework that includes all corporate departments and processes. This ensures that all tasks, activities, and projects consistently meet the highest security standards. It is comparable, for example, to the NIS-2 Directive, which will become mandatory for some companies in October 2024.

As you can imagine, successfully introducing and actually implementing and living up to the measures required for ISO 27001 is not that easy. Different specialist departments often use their own software for their respective areas of application. Processes and working methods vary drastically from one area to another. Preferred communication tools differ from employee to employee, and unified documentation is rare.

The information security officer is therefore faced with a mosaic of individual components and must bring these together in a targeted manner while deriving concrete measures from the extensive requirements that are realistic and practical for all use cases within the company. No compromises may be made with regard to information security.

With the approach of company-wide work using tickets, all processes are centrally recorded and documented in a traceable manner in a single solution. Interfaces to other software solutions reduce complexity and eliminate isolated information silos.

The declared goal is to work together on solutions, not on documents!

Silicon Valley Europe: The ESM software Tesseron was developed by your company. What makes Tesseron unique and what specific benefits does the onboarding and consulting provided by your experts offer?

Timo Kayser: Tesseron comes with a very wide range of features and functions. Here’s a small selection of solutions integrated into the system: service contracts, service level agreements, project management, asset management ... The product becomes particularly brilliant thanks to the extensive customization options and our consulting services. We advise each customer individually to understand their processes and procedures in the greatest detail. We then configure the system for each customer according to their specific use cases. We support our customers from the very beginning and ensure that they benefit optimally from the system. Adaptability is already built into the product.

Silicon Valley Europe: IT security is a major topic, especially when purchasing software solutions. How does Luithle + Luithle ensure that the highest security standards are met in Tesseron?

Timo Kayser: Security is an integral part of the corporate identity of Luithle + Luithle and runs through every area and process. In development, we therefore adhere to clearly defined security requirements and conduct regular code reviews. The data is processed in our redundant data centers in Baden-Württemberg. Both our data centers and our company are fully certified in accordance with ISO 27001.

Silicon Valley Europe: What challenges do you see in the future for full IT service providers, and how is Luithle + Luithle planning to address them?

Timo Kayser: In the coming years, full IT service providers will face numerous challenges driven by rapid technological change and rising customer expectations. The first crucial step in our transformation was the shift to becoming a managed service provider, as the traditional IT system house business offers little growth potential and profitability. Operating in-house on-premises hardware (servers, etc.) is becoming increasingly costly and complex for customers and can often only be implemented with unfavorable compromises. Ralf Luithle, Co-CEO of L+L, has already extensively addressed this topic last year. Those interested in digital transformation and cloud topics can find further detailed insights here: Are servers soon obsolete? (llnet.de)

In our view, the periphery will continue to evolve in the future, with technologies such as VR and XR. Additionally, software development will increasingly be replaced by AI prompting instead of traditional development, with expert knowledge becoming centralized.

This means that the role of IT technicians/specialists must change—moving away from traditional support toward consultants who provide holistic advice, as complexity continues to increase. The goal is to fully understand our customers' needs and develop solutions that consider both their business processes and their modeling. As Luithle + Luithle, we must therefore increasingly transition into an advisory role. This means we will focus on networking and integrating various applications. Applications and processes that do not fit into this new ecosystem will lose significant relevance.

At the same time, the increasing capabilities of AI will automate complex processes, which will have massive implications for many job profiles—including our own. Simple IT support in its current form will no longer be needed by humans; instead, the demand for qualified process designers, consultants, and trusted advisors will grow, who are capable of offering comprehensive, tailored solutions.

We are firmly committed to shaping this transformation proactively. By strategically investing in the further training of our employees and adapting our business models, we ensure that we continue to serve as a trusted partner to our customers in a rapidly changing IT landscape.

Silicon Valley Europe: Alongside software and business development, you are also responsible for Human Resources. How important is employee development to you, and what measures do you take to ensure a motivated and qualified team?

Timo Kayser: Employee development is central to me in ensuring and expanding our company’s position as a quality leader. In a highly volatile environment where requirements and technologies are constantly evolving, it is crucial that our team stays ahead of the curve. Those who cut back on employee development risk losing ground in the long run.

Today more than ever, it is vital for Human Resources to act not just as an administrative unit but as a strategic partner within the company. HR plays a key role in actively supporting employees’ interests and aligning them with the company’s goals. This dual focus ensures we not only attract the best talent but also keep them motivated and engaged in the long term.

I am convinced that development can only thrive in an optimal environment. That’s why we place great emphasis on a corporate culture defined by clear values, a positive workplace environment, flexibility, and individualized working hours—benefit programs aside. Our managers undergo training at least three times a year to enhance both professional and personal growth, empowering them to lead their teams effectively.

Another key to success is fostering a strong sense of responsibility among all employees. At L+L, we see ourselves as a sports team where individual strengths and collective success are paramount. We embrace a culture of mutual respect and recognition, where performance is what matters.

Regular, transparent communication is essential—it not only fosters innovation but also strengthens trust within the team. Equally important is ensuring that our employees not only learn to accept criticism but actively embrace it. From my experience, this is a crucial distinction that must be understood. Continuous feedback, such as through digital suggestion boxes and pulse surveys, allows us to respond quickly to needs and challenges. Our leadership approach is designed to both challenge and support. We ensure that our employees understand the purpose and value of their work.

Silicon Valley Europe: Finally, which trends and developments in the IT industry are you particularly monitoring and why?

Timo Kayser: Aside from other trends like ESM, Edge Computing, or Private 5G, I am particularly focused on the AI trend (“hype”). The potential applications seem almost limitless. Our specialist departments are already actively using AI in a wide range of scenarios: from data analysis, creative writing, and support in planning and organization to language translations and complex problem-solving. We discover new, exciting use cases for this technology almost daily.

However, the potential of AI is not only being leveraged in terms of its technical advantages. I repeatedly observe that companies are using the term primarily for its media appeal. Many companies are jumping on the bandwagon without considering how AI can be meaningfully integrated into their own products and processes. The term “AI” has been adopted by almost every manufacturer in a very short time. Often, however, it is used more as a marketing buzzword or purely for cosmetic purposes—certainly driven by market pressure and rapid change. To truly benefit from the opportunities AI brings, it is crucial to understand its potential and integrate it purposefully and meaningfully into products and processes. AI for its own sake, on the other hand, delivers no added value! In consulting, for example, when presenting systems from Tesseron, questions like “Do you also have AI integrated?” often arise right at the start. When we then ask about the specific use case in which support is desired, the answer is often left unanswered.

Silicon Valley Europe: Thank you very much for the answers and insights you will provide to us and our readers.

For more information and a more extensive explanation of ESM, please also visit our YouTube channel: What is Enterprise Service Management (ESM) (youtube.com)