seniors economy: improving the qualitiy of life a future market for smes and skilled trades georg...

Seniors Economy: Improving the qualitiy of life a future market for SMEs and Skilled Trades

Georg Cramer: North Rhine-Westphalian Crafts and Skilled Trades Council

Improving the Quality of Life

a Future Market for SMEs and Skilled Trades


Das Handwerk in Nordrhein-Westfalen

Enterprises 122,800 Employed 986,000 Sales 97.7 b Euro p. a.

Key characteristics:• direct contact with clients• products made to order - very small series• provision of individual services and goods• small-sized and independent enterprises• emphasis on training, skills, and high quality


Example: cabinet maker/joiner8.000 enterprises, 37.000 employed

• adjustable kitchen furniture• Paternoster wardrobe• adjustable bed• multifunktional

bedside table

marketing concept: „barrier-free living“


example: plumber / fitter9.300 enterprises, 53.000 employed

• sanitary installation for handicapped• barrier-free shower• adjustable fittings in kitchens• high comfort


example : electrical fitter10.600 enterprises, 69.000 employed

• electrical fittings with an easy reach• intelligent facility management• safety - alarm system• lighting


Example: painters9.000 enterprises, 40.000 employed

»Composition of colours»design of home decoration»illusions painting»comprehensive renovation

cleaning up


example: Information technician2.600 enterprises, 11.000 employed

»Implementation of radio and tv sets communications appliances

»control services - emergency call»devices for handicapped


example: metal workers5.700 enterprises, 38.000 employed

»railings and banisters»lift installation»aids for transportation purposes


Demand for construction serving the needs of seniors

assumptions:60 per cent are owners of flats and houses 22 per cent plan to invest in the near future (IAT)average investment: 20,000 Euro

total estimated demand : 6.4 b Euro in NRW

average savings: 55 - 65 year-old people: 90,000 Euro

65 - 75 year-old people: 73,000 Euro (Einkommens- und Verbrauchsstichprobe, Stat. Bundesamt)


Desire to consume

„I deserve to come first to spend my money on my own needs“

...said 56 % of 70 to 75 year-old people.(Quelle: GfK-Studie)


Desire to consume

Essential aims of seniors are:• to be mobile• to stay in own house/flat• to be independent

Note: heirs often are seniors.

There is a considerable and growing potential for senior‘s demands.


Seniors economy

Where lies the problem ?

• Is the supply side not yet sensible ?

• Is there a lack of confidence in services and products ?

• Do regulations fit ?


Seniors economy:Problems on the supply side

• supply does not conform with needs of seniors• a lack of comprehensive solutions• a lack oftechnical competences• marketing not adapted to the target market• trades people are lacking sensibility with regard to seniors• Image is poor and does not include comfort and wellness

Yet:• cooperation of joiners: „Barrierefrei leben“• „Wohnen ohne Barrieren“; 11 individual enterprises cooperate Best Practices do exist and give proof of feasibility.


Seniors economy:Problems on the demand side

Senior clients • are missing information• orientate towards mass production• do not know reliable suppliers • do not trust in capacities of the seniors economy• fear that trades people come with dirt and disturbance

yet: • advice to seniors• consumer organisations• social service


What we do:The Centre for Living in Age (Wohnen im Alter)

Centre of competence for • building and living for seniors and handicapped• Wellness• realisation of medical appliances

The Centre provides a network for all those who aim at• qualified senior-conform products and services • developing a seniors economy• optimising and harmonising training modules • providing a better quality of life and more mobility for the aged.

The centre is advised by a councelling board.


Zentrum Wohnen im Alter; its main tasks:• Collecting information for the trades and for their customers• publishing brochures with technical hints• marketing support• developing and providing training (500 participants so far)

one day seminars on marketing; role playstechnical courses on standards distance learning for fitters

• lobbying public and social financing• assisting in fairs and expositions (Deubau, Vitactiv)• mailings to enterprises, 10.000 mailings in September• guide to the market: ca. 300 registered as part of a pilot project• internet-site including database, see: www.wia-handwerk.de• public relations, lobbying• cooperating with partners such as scientists, industry etc.


Zentrum Wohnen im AlterExample Handbook

collection of services and products for seniors:

• containing 305 keywords in 12 categories on building in a senior- and handicapped-conform way

• detailed description of products and services• standards and technical information• proposals for marketing concepts• hints for better cooperation between companies• addresses und contacts


Zentrum Wohnen im Alterexample training

• sensitization• „expert for barrier-free building“• technical seminars for joiners, fitters,

and the construction trades• standards• marketing with a particular focus on

communicating with seniors• distance learning for fitters and plumbers• assisting in experimental projects


Zentrum Wohnen im Alter

Finance

• own ressources of Handwerkskammer Düsseldorf• projects (creation of handbooks and training modules etc.)• fees for training and registration in guides


Why should we cooperate at European level ?

The centre already assists in a European Project on „mobility for the aged“

• exchange of experience with SME-organisations in Europe• cooperation with experts such as gerontologists, architects etc.• learning from developments and markets in the EU

Targets:• stimulating a common development of concepts • training materials and concepts• e-learning• benchmarking

seniors economy: improving the qualitiy of life a future market for smes and skilled trades georg...

Documents

future market

skilled trades slide

seniors economy

qualitiy of life

skilled trades example

skilled trades demand

skilled trades desire

skilled trades council