- EOS Group
Transcription
- EOS Group
Publication details Published by KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co Corporate Communications Steindamm 71, 20099 Hamburg, Germany Telephone: +49 40 2532-8657 Telefax: +49 40 2532-8658 Internet: www.eos-solutions.com 10.05 a.m. 7.53 a.m. 1.30 p.m. Contact KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co Lara Flemming (Overall responsibility) Head of Corporate Communications & Marketing Email: l.flemming@eos-solutions.com Berit Ewald (Project management) Senior Public Relations Consultant Email: b.ewald@eos-solutions.com Editorial Content 12.15 p.m. Maja Alfke Helmut Broeg Claudia Gottschalk Denkspot, Kathrin Thomsen, www.denkspot.de Storydock : Redaktionsbüro, Dörte Schmidt Sommer-Texte, Melanie Sommer 9.30 a.m. Design Matthias Welker (Concept) Claim GmbH, www.claim.de Lisa Mäkinen (Art Director) Square Media GmbH, www.squaremedia.de Grindelberg 77, 20144 Hamburg, Germany 04 A day at EOS Creation Carolin Westner (Project management) Claim GmbH, www.claim.de Contents Picture credits Our new iPad app gives you even more Photographer: Sebastian Vollmert The wood used for this paper comes from responsibly managed forests, certified compliant with the guidelines of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®). Insights Other pictures: Gettyimages (p. 3 bottom, S. 21), istockphoto (p. 13 top, middle, p. 23, p. 27 bottom, p. 39), panthermedia (p. 11 right), shutterstock (p. 13 bottom, p. 27 middle, p. 36, p. 38 left), PR EOS: p. 3 (bottom right), p. 27 top, p. 30 to 34, p. 38 right Infographics: Square Media GmbH Date of publication: 1 September 2011 Disclaimer of warranty This report contains statements relating to the future which are based on assumptions and estimates by the company management. Although the management assumes that these anticipatory statements are realistic, it cannot guarantee that the expectations will turn out to be correct. The assumptions can involve risks and uncertainties which might result in the actual results deviating significantly from the anticipatory statements. If the report contains editorial mistakes or is incomplete in some respects, KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co shall assume no liability or guarantee for this. KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co has made no plans for any update of the anticipatory statements or any correction of, or addition to, the annual report and shall accept no obligation to do so. KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co nevertheless reserves the right to update the report at any time without making any specific announcement. In the event of contradictions between the German and English versions of the annual report, the German version shall take precedence. Preface by Hans-Werner Scherer KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co Steindamm 71 | 20099 Hamburg | Germany Phone: +49 40 2532-8657 Fax: +49 40 2532-8658 www.eos-solutions.com The EOS Group in 2010/11 insight into a typical day at work at EOS worldwide: background information about 06 EOS Field Services The Fiat Bank utilises EOS’s articles, employee reports as well as facts competence for debt collection in the field and the and figures are recovery of vehicles all available for 09 Combined studies Collaboration between EOS and download free the Hamburg School of Business Administration (HSBA) of charge. Have 10 New markets Companies founded in Bosnia and fun discovering everything! Herzegovina, Ukraine and China 13 News EOS news in brief 14 EOS CreditCN The website operator Sohu.com With head and heart in finance delegates receivables to the Asian EOS company based in Beijing Publication details Published by KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co Corporate Communications Steindamm 71, 20099 Hamburg, Germany Telephone: +49 40 2532-8657 Telefax: +49 40 2532-8658 Internet: www.eos-solutions.com 10.05 a.m. 7.53 a.m. 1.30 p.m. Contact KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co Lara Flemming (Overall responsibility) Head of Corporate Communications & Marketing Email: l.flemming@eos-solutions.com Berit Ewald (Project management) Senior Public Relations Consultant Email: b.ewald@eos-solutions.com Editorial Content 12.15 p.m. Maja Alfke Helmut Broeg Claudia Gottschalk Denkspot, Kathrin Thomsen, www.denkspot.de Storydock : Redaktionsbüro, Dörte Schmidt Sommer-Texte, Melanie Sommer 9.30 a.m. Design Matthias Welker (Concept) Claim GmbH, www.claim.de Lisa Mäkinen (Art Director) Square Media GmbH, www.squaremedia.de Grindelberg 77, 20144 Hamburg, Germany 04 A day at EOS Creation Carolin Westner (Project management) Claim GmbH, www.claim.de Contents Picture credits Our new iPad app gives you even more Photographer: Sebastian Vollmert The wood used for this paper comes from responsibly managed forests, certified compliant with the guidelines of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®). Insights Other pictures: Gettyimages (p. 3 bottom, S. 21), istockphoto (p. 13 top, middle, p. 23, p. 27 bottom, p. 39), panthermedia (p. 11 right), shutterstock (p. 13 bottom, p. 27 middle, p. 36, p. 38 left), PR EOS: p. 3 (bottom right), p. 27 top, p. 30 to 34, p. 38 right Infographics: Square Media GmbH Date of publication: 1 September 2011 Disclaimer of warranty This report contains statements relating to the future which are based on assumptions and estimates by the company management. Although the management assumes that these anticipatory statements are realistic, it cannot guarantee that the expectations will turn out to be correct. The assumptions can involve risks and uncertainties which might result in the actual results deviating significantly from the anticipatory statements. If the report contains editorial mistakes or is incomplete in some respects, KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co shall assume no liability or guarantee for this. KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co has made no plans for any update of the anticipatory statements or any correction of, or addition to, the annual report and shall accept no obligation to do so. KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co nevertheless reserves the right to update the report at any time without making any specific announcement. In the event of contradictions between the German and English versions of the annual report, the German version shall take precedence. Preface by Hans-Werner Scherer KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co Steindamm 71 | 20099 Hamburg | Germany Phone: +49 40 2532-8657 Fax: +49 40 2532-8658 www.eos-solutions.com The EOS Group in 2010/11 insight into a typical day at work at EOS worldwide: background information about 06 EOS Field Services The Fiat Bank utilises EOS’s articles, employee reports as well as facts competence for debt collection in the field and the and figures are recovery of vehicles all available for 09 Combined studies Collaboration between EOS and download free the Hamburg School of Business Administration (HSBA) of charge. Have 10 New markets Companies founded in Bosnia and fun discovering everything! Herzegovina, Ukraine and China 13 News EOS news in brief 14 EOS CreditCN The website operator Sohu.com With head and heart in finance delegates receivables to the Asian EOS company based in Beijing 3.48 p.m. 2.05 p.m. 8.00 p.m. 2.20 p.m. 4.58 p.m. 3.16 p.m. 17 EOS Cross-border Center Optimized international debt 27 News EOS news in brief 28 Social media EOS makes use of social networks in its collection managed centrally 18 EOS Payment Solutions Deutsche Telekom relies on the EOS specialist when it comes to processing payments from 30 10 years of EOS The EOS brand is celebrating its tenth its online portals internal and external communications anniversary 21 EOS Immobilienworkout Certified management of non- 36 Development Regions, companies, markets and earnings 40 Figures The key figures of EOS Consolidated at a glance performing mortgages 22 EOS Call centre Reminders by phone in Germany and the Czech Republic 24 EOS CCA The US-American EOS company expands to the West Coast 43 Publication details EOS business model EOS at a glance The EOS Group and its subsidiaries • Data generation • Address validation • Target group marketing • Data enhancement • Online targeting More than 45 EOS companies in over 20 countries around the world provide services to 20,000 clients in the areas of marketing information, risk information, payment services and the Group’s core business of receivables management. West. Europe Germany East. Europe US Asia 196,036 64,926 58,446 49,464 Marketing information Excellent credit rating 2010/11 • Analytical services • Consumer information • Business information • Payment experience pool For the seventh time in succession, credit 2,027 insurer Euler Hermes awarded KG EOS 2009/10 183,653 55,163 Risk information Serving clients Securing cash Holding GmbH & Co an ‘A’ rating for its 35,220 39,185 815 high earning power and capital structure. EOS Consolidated: Sales development by region in thousand EUR Payment services 5,545 5,160 ‘Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ukraine and China – in 2010/11 EOS once again expanded into some strategically important markets.’ Hans-Werner Scherer, Chairman of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors Quality reaps rewards The EOS Group sets itself high standards. More and more EOS subsidiaries are applying to have their companies and processes certified. 370.9 314.0 10 The companies in the EOS Group have been operating internationally under the EOS brand for ten years. • Electronic payment control • Processing payments • Integrated fraud protection 2,806 2,674 Receivables management • Arrears management • Arrears billing • Finetrading • Factoring • Debt purchase • Debt collection • Recovery service • Realization of securities • Telephone training 107.9 782 EOS modules 887 The services of the EOS Group are organized as four modules: marketing information, 13 12 GER EU* US 2009/10 Asia Total 2010/11 EOS Consolidated: Workforce development according to head count and region As per 28.02.2011 *Rest of Europe risk information, payment services and receivables management. Every EOS company is a specialist in one or more of these modules, and clients can use the services individually or in combination. ithin the marketing information module, EOS experts find the right communica• W tion channels for targeting potential customers. OS clients make use of the business and consumer information services in the • E risk information module before signing agreements with customers, in order to A focus on progress • The payment services module enables EOS clients to offer their customers a wide range of suitable payment methods whilst minimizing the risk of bad debts. ‘Our international growth strategy is bearing fruit: • Receivables management is EOS’s core business. Services offered by EOS companies within this module include recovering unpaid receivables and purchasing EOS Consolidated increased its turnover by 18.1 per cent 2009/10 in 2010/11 and its EBITDA by 21 per cent.’ 2010/11 Global sales EBITDA Slovakia Russia Germany Hungary Romania Serbia Ukraine Bosnia and Herzegovina Justus Hecking-Veltman, Member of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors and CFO receivables portfolios. LLC EOS Ukraine Credirec SAS Employees: 28 Managing Director: Aleksey Teslenko Head office: Kiev Employees: 240 Managing Director: Nathalie Lameyre Head office: Paris France United Kingdom Czech Republic Croatia Greece Switzerland Poland Macedonia/FYROM China Spain Bulgaria Austria Brazil Netherlands Slovenia 1,840 1,691 minimize the risk of bad debts. 89.1 EOS USA Belgium Ukraine* france* China* EOS CreditCN Credit Management (Beijing) Ltd. Employees: 25 General Manager: Kuiyuan Li Head office: Beijing Bosnia and Herzegovina* EOS Matrix DOO Employees: 8 Managing Director: Mirjana Vuković Head office: Sarajevo Brazil* Hoepers Recuperadora de Crédito S. A. Employees: 2500 Managing Director: Manfredo Hoepers Head office: Porto Alegre EOS worldwide EOS in america EOS in germany RatePAY GmbH EOS Matrix DOO (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Collecto, Inc., known as EOS CCA (USA) BÜRGEL Wirtschaftsinformationen GmbH & Co. KG Schober Direct Media GmbH + Co. KG EOS Matrix DOO (Bulgaria) Hoepers Recuperadora de Crédito S. A. (Brazil) Coxulto Marketing Solutions GmbH WCF Finetrading GmbH EOS Matrix DOO (Croatia) EOS DID – EOS Deutscher Inkasso-Dienst GmbH xplosion interactive GmbH EOS Matrix DOO (Macedonia/FYROM) EOS in Western Europe EOS Deutschland GmbH Credirec SAS (France) EOS Field Services GmbH EOS in eastern europe EOS Matrix S.A. (Greece) EOS Aremas Belgium SA/NV (Belgium) EOS Health Honorarmanagement AG EOS Faktor Magyarország Zrt. (Hungary) LLC EOS (Russia) EOS Nederland B.V. (Netherlands) EOS Immobilienworkout GmbH EOS KSI Magyarország Inkasszó Kft. (Hungary) LLC EOS Finance Ukraine (Ukraine) EOS ÖID Inkasso-Dienst Ges.m.b.H. (Austria) EOS Information Services GmbH EOS Finance IFN S.A. (Romania) LLC EOS Ukraine (Ukraine) EOS Schweiz AG (Switzerland) EOS KSI Inkasso Deutschland GmbH EOS Investment Poland GmbH (Poland) EOS Solutions UK Plc (United Kingdom) EOS mercator inkasso GmbH EOS KSI România S.R.L. (Romania) EOS in Asia EOS Spain, S. L. (Spain) EOS Payment Solutions GmbH EOS KSI Česká republika s.r.o. (Czech Republic) EOS CreditCN Credit Management (Beijing) Ltd. (China) Zahnärztekasse AG (Switzerland) EOS Serviceline GmbH EOS KSI upravljanje terjatev d.o.o. (Slovenia) EOS Hong Kong Ltd. (China) EOS SID Süddeutscher Inkasso-Dienst GmbH EOS KSI Polska Spółka z o.o. (Poland) EOS VIK – EOS Verlegerinkasso GmbH EOS KSI Slovensko, s.r.o. (Slovakia) EOS Consolidated: Sales development in million EUR *EOS market entries in recent months, as at 01.07. 2011 EOS Matrix DOO (Serbia) EOS business model EOS at a glance The EOS Group and its subsidiaries • Data generation • Address validation • Target group marketing • Data enhancement • Online targeting More than 45 EOS companies in over 20 countries around the world provide services to 20,000 clients in the areas of marketing information, risk information, payment services and the Group’s core business of receivables management. West. Europe Germany East. Europe US Asia 196,036 64,926 58,446 49,464 Marketing information Excellent credit rating 2010/11 • Analytical services • Consumer information • Business information • Payment experience pool For the seventh time in succession, credit 2,027 insurer Euler Hermes awarded KG EOS 2009/10 183,653 55,163 Risk information Serving clients Securing cash Holding GmbH & Co an ‘A’ rating for its 35,220 39,185 815 high earning power and capital structure. EOS Consolidated: Sales development by region in thousand EUR Payment services 5,545 5,160 ‘Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ukraine and China – in 2010/11 EOS once again expanded into some strategically important markets.’ Hans-Werner Scherer, Chairman of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors Quality reaps rewards The EOS Group sets itself high standards. More and more EOS subsidiaries are applying to have their companies and processes certified. 370.9 314.0 10 The companies in the EOS Group have been operating internationally under the EOS brand for ten years. • Electronic payment control • Processing payments • Integrated fraud protection 2,806 2,674 Receivables management • Arrears management • Arrears billing • Finetrading • Factoring • Debt purchase • Debt collection • Recovery service • Realization of securities • Telephone training 107.9 782 EOS modules 887 The services of the EOS Group are organized as four modules: marketing information, 13 12 GER EU* US 2009/10 Asia Total 2010/11 EOS Consolidated: Workforce development according to head count and region As per 28.02.2011 *Rest of Europe risk information, payment services and receivables management. Every EOS company is a specialist in one or more of these modules, and clients can use the services individually or in combination. ithin the marketing information module, EOS experts find the right communica• W tion channels for targeting potential customers. OS clients make use of the business and consumer information services in the • E risk information module before signing agreements with customers, in order to A focus on progress • The payment services module enables EOS clients to offer their customers a wide range of suitable payment methods whilst minimizing the risk of bad debts. ‘Our international growth strategy is bearing fruit: • Receivables management is EOS’s core business. Services offered by EOS companies within this module include recovering unpaid receivables and purchasing EOS Consolidated increased its turnover by 18.1 per cent 2009/10 in 2010/11 and its EBITDA by 21 per cent.’ 2010/11 Global sales EBITDA Slovakia Russia Germany Hungary Romania Serbia Ukraine Bosnia and Herzegovina Justus Hecking-Veltman, Member of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors and CFO receivables portfolios. LLC EOS Ukraine Credirec SAS Employees: 28 Managing Director: Aleksey Teslenko Head office: Kiev Employees: 240 Managing Director: Nathalie Lameyre Head office: Paris France United Kingdom Czech Republic Croatia Greece Switzerland Poland Macedonia/FYROM China Spain Bulgaria Austria Brazil Netherlands Slovenia 1,840 1,691 minimize the risk of bad debts. 89.1 EOS USA Belgium Ukraine* france* China* EOS CreditCN Credit Management (Beijing) Ltd. Employees: 25 General Manager: Kuiyuan Li Head office: Beijing Bosnia and Herzegovina* EOS Matrix DOO Employees: 8 Managing Director: Mirjana Vuković Head office: Sarajevo Brazil* Hoepers Recuperadora de Crédito S. A. Employees: 2500 Managing Director: Manfredo Hoepers Head office: Porto Alegre EOS worldwide EOS in america EOS in germany RatePAY GmbH EOS Matrix DOO (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Collecto, Inc., known as EOS CCA (USA) BÜRGEL Wirtschaftsinformationen GmbH & Co. KG Schober Direct Media GmbH + Co. KG EOS Matrix DOO (Bulgaria) Hoepers Recuperadora de Crédito S. A. (Brazil) Coxulto Marketing Solutions GmbH WCF Finetrading GmbH EOS Matrix DOO (Croatia) EOS DID – EOS Deutscher Inkasso-Dienst GmbH xplosion interactive GmbH EOS Matrix DOO (Macedonia/FYROM) EOS in Western Europe EOS Deutschland GmbH Credirec SAS (France) EOS Field Services GmbH EOS in eastern europe EOS Matrix S.A. (Greece) EOS Aremas Belgium SA/NV (Belgium) EOS Health Honorarmanagement AG EOS Faktor Magyarország Zrt. (Hungary) LLC EOS (Russia) EOS Nederland B.V. (Netherlands) EOS Immobilienworkout GmbH EOS KSI Magyarország Inkasszó Kft. (Hungary) LLC EOS Finance Ukraine (Ukraine) EOS ÖID Inkasso-Dienst Ges.m.b.H. (Austria) EOS Information Services GmbH EOS Finance IFN S.A. (Romania) LLC EOS Ukraine (Ukraine) EOS Schweiz AG (Switzerland) EOS KSI Inkasso Deutschland GmbH EOS Investment Poland GmbH (Poland) EOS Solutions UK Plc (United Kingdom) EOS mercator inkasso GmbH EOS KSI România S.R.L. (Romania) EOS in Asia EOS Spain, S. L. (Spain) EOS Payment Solutions GmbH EOS KSI Česká republika s.r.o. (Czech Republic) EOS CreditCN Credit Management (Beijing) Ltd. (China) Zahnärztekasse AG (Switzerland) EOS Serviceline GmbH EOS KSI upravljanje terjatev d.o.o. (Slovenia) EOS Hong Kong Ltd. (China) EOS SID Süddeutscher Inkasso-Dienst GmbH EOS KSI Polska Spółka z o.o. (Poland) EOS VIK – EOS Verlegerinkasso GmbH EOS KSI Slovensko, s.r.o. (Slovakia) EOS Consolidated: Sales development in million EUR *EOS market entries in recent months, as at 01.07. 2011 EOS Matrix DOO (Serbia) 4 editorial A day at EOS Dear readers, Establishing the EOS brand back in the year 2000 presented our Group with the unique opportunity to make a fresh start. Decades of professional experience of several subsidiaries were combined with the eagerness of the new companies. An enterprise emerged that was capable of becoming something new and stronger. The Board of Directors took the opportunity as a mission and reflected on the factors that would contribute to EOS’ long-term success. Obviously, the company had to be efficient. Clearly defined key performance indicators provide us with evidence of how well we understand our business. But for the Board, seeing the positive figures EOS generates, never gave reason to lean back in complacency. We continually keep analyzing the factors crucial for us to achieve good results. This always brings us back to the core of the EOS Group: our employees. It is the way we interact with each other and how we work that makes us successful. EOS works with head and heart in equal measure. This basically rather ordinary insight is nevertheless so important to us that we have made it our claim. ‘EOS. With head and heart in finance’ – no success without the head, no success without the heart. It was for this reason, dear readers, that we have decided – on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of our still young EOS brand – to present more of ourselves than usual in our annual report. Accompany EOS on a day at work. We’ve been looking over the shoulders of staff all around the world in order to focus clearly on our greatest success factor. Our employees bring our work forward on your behalf every single day. Therefore, they deserve sincere thanks for the 10-year success story of EOS, which we hope will continue for many years to come. I hope you enjoy reading our Insights and that you gain an even clearer view of EOS. Sincerely yours, Hans-Werner Scherer Dr Andreas Witzig Chairman of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors Member of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors and Head of the Western Europe Business Unit a day at eos 5 Justus Hecking-Veltman Paul Leary, Sr. Klaus Engberding Christos Savvides Member of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors and Chief Financial Officer Member of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors and Head of the US Business Unit Member of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors and Head of the German Business Unit Member of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors and Head of the Eastern Europe Business Unit 6 eos field services 7.53 a.m. Anke Schürmann: Fervent about Field Services A DAY AT EOS 7 ‘Work in the fields’ with head and heart Every day over 200 field services employees ‘Our core business is financial services that boost are out and about for EOS getting client’s sales of new Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo cars. contracts back on track – for example those We also develop financing options for the brand- of the Fiat Bank. independent selling of second-hand automo The ‘field worker’ Anke Schürmann has been biles.’ He adds: ‘With respect to debt collection travelling throughout Germany for EOS Field in the field and the recovery of vehicles, we prefer Services GmbH for six years. Every day her work to rely on experienced specialists. The advantage takes her to a different point on the compass. of this procedure is its cost-efficiency, because She travels over 50,000 km per year by car; work we can place assignments according to the without a cell phone would be unthinkable. Her situation.’ goal: to collect delinquent leasing or loan payments from defaulting customers. Leasing to accelerate sales ‘The best assignments are those that show Most cars out on German roads today are not up in my activity report at the end of the week,’ fully paid off. About two thirds of all new cars are says the likeable Schürmann as she explains what purchased on credit or leased, and even second- drives her. The fact that she and her colleagues hand car sales involve cash deals less frequent- achieve a high rate of success is not least due to ly these days. That is why individual financing her professionalism; which is what distinguishes options are important to traders for accelerating the 200-plus colleagues employed at EOS Field sales. Of the 290,000 or so orders that EOS Field Services. ‘We work consistently at getting our customers’ contracts up and running again.’ In meetings with debtors it’s important to establish trust. ‘If we succeed in motivating the person to work with us, we can generally devel op good solutions. We see ourselves as companions rather than debt counsellors,’ says the 50-year old, who carries out assignments for Fiat Established in 1929, the Fiat Bank has been operating as a Bank, among others. For over 15 years, the bank subsidiary of the FGA Bank Germany GmbH since 2009. The has counted on EOS Field Services to handle service provider offers a large number of financing and contracts that have ground to a halt. Manfred leasing options to the traders and customers of all makes Schmidbauer, Head of Receivables Management from the Fiat Group. Department at Fiat Bank, talks about the reasons: www.fiatbank.de 8 eos field services A DAY AT EOS Knowledge of human nature is required: tact and a clear strategy often bring the desired success when staff come face to face with customers. Services handles every year, about 40,000 are and his dog return from their walk. One talks. It is attributable to lease arrangements. the combination of head, heart and a clear strat egy that leads the EOS employee to success. High recovery ratios Thirty minutes later she’s back in her car – with It’s 8.42 a.m. Anke Schürmann rings unan- a new entry for her activity report. Schmidbauer nounced at the door of a defaulting customer. is also happy about the positive outcome: ‘EOS’s There’s not a sound to be heard. But the Field recovery rates are high and usually result in solid Services employee does not give up easily. long-term compliance with the contract.’ She decides to take a closer look at the creditfinanced Fiat in front of the house. A glance in- Quick communication side the car at a leash reveals that the man has Equipped with a notebook and modern software, a dog. ‘Let’s wait,’ she says firmly. Her patience Anke Schürmann records the results of her work is rewarded just ten minutes later – the debtor in the field. ‘Thanks to my mobile internet connection, I can connect quickly with the back-office team. Data must always be up to date to prevent hiccups in communication between the customer and our back office,’ explains Ms Schürmann, who keeps in close contact with her colleagues back at base. The 33-strong team takes care of any necessary research or checks bank account statements for the workers out in the field. ‘This is important when we plan our schedules so that we can avoid unnecessary visits in the interests of everyone involved,’ says Ms Schürmann, whose day is drawing to a close having made 12 visits and covered 400 km. The next morning, after checking lists of ac- count balances and making several phone calls, it’s time get back out in the field. www.eos-fieldservices.com Mobile office: After each visit the results are recorded and sent to the back office. a day at eos Combined Studies 9 Twice as good! 9.30 a.m. From 1 October 2011, EOS will be offering a combined study programme in cooperation with the Hamburg School of Business Administration (HSBA). We talked to Ulrike Fischer from Corporate Human Resources at EOS, who is Head of Training, and Dr Uve Samuels, Executive Vice President of HSBA. About ten school leavers start their vocation al training at EOS each year, and EOS also provides funding for university graduates un Ulrike Fischer (EOS) and Dr Uve Samuels (HSBA) are satisfied: der a trainee programme. So why this com through a joint effort new training positions are being created bined study programme now? Ms Fischer: Because today’s school leavers have higher expectations of their training companies. We want to attract the best school leavers to EOS – and so we need to offer them a good incentive. What makes EOS and HSBA a good team? Dr Samuels: We feel it’s important to work with to apply. In particular, we expect students to be exciting companies: EOS is a very successful, good at Mathematics, German and English. We internationally renowned company. don’t do this to annoy anyone, we simply want to Ms Fischer: And we wanted to work with a part- protect the people involved. It’s important to en- ner who fits our international focus. One major sure a common basis, so that we can maintain a aspect is that Carsten Dudas, Head of Corporate good pace. And, in fact, it pays off: 97 per cent Human Resources at EOS, teaches at HSBA. He is of all students conclude their course within the enthusiastic about the capabilities of its students! normal period. What’s the general structure of the programme? And who will be the new EOS employees? Dr Samuels: Students on a three-year course in Ms Fischer: During the first year we’ll be sending Business Administration alternate between the two students, a young woman and a young man, ory modules at our college and several months of to HSBA – and we’re already excited about our practical modules at training companies. The major subjects we offer include financial management, sales, marketing and HR management. Finally each student writes a dissertation and receives a Bachelor or Arts. What are the requirements for applicants? Dr Samuels: School leavers with excellent or good university entrance qualifications are invited Founded in 2004: HSBA offers international study programmes and research. new colleagues! www.eos-solutions.com 10 New markets 10.05 a.m. New EOS offices in Bosnia and herzegovina: Managing Director Mirjana Vuković with analyst Zoran Trpkov Sailing into the sun ‘Off to explore new shores’ has been the EOS Eleven years later and the Group is now busy Group’s motto for the past few years: this establishing its Bosnian subsidiary in the sixth year too, new havens in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Balkan state. ‘There’s a lot of demand,’ explains Ukraine and China are just some of the entries Managing Director Mirjana Vuković. ‘Ten per cent appearing in the company’s log book. of all loans here are in default.’ Yet loans contrib When they hoist the sail and set course for new lands, ute greatly to the development of the Bosnian sailors know they are voyaging into the unknown. economy, which is still recovering from the adverse When a company heads for new shores, it will have effects of the Bosnian War. a well-prepared boat and a skilled and practiced crew to hand. This was the case, for example, when World Bank Group enters into collaboration EOS set off for the Balkans. ‘Shortly after the turn of with EOS the millennium we opened a small office in Slovenia,’ It is estimated that overdue loans in Russia amount remembers Hans-Werner Scherer, Chairman of the to some USD 50 billion. LLC EOS specializes in EOS Group’s Board of Directors. collecting these debts. The Russian company a day at eos Brief consultation: to develop new client relations the Bosnian team analyzes data in regular morning meetings. City on the Dnepr: EOS opens new subsidiary in the Ukrainian capital Kiev, in December 2010. benefits from the cooperation between the EOS Group and International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. In December 2010, EOS and IFC invested jointly in a package of defaulted bank loans in Russia, which LLC EOS is processing locally. Further options are currently being examined. The backdrop to this joint investment is a part- ‘Each new EOS location opens up new perspectives, both financially and culturally.’ Hans-Werner Scherer, Chairman of the nership, concluded in June 2010, between EOS and EOS Group’s Board of Directors IFC for the purpose of tackling the overdue loans in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. ‘Nonperforming loans hinder post-crisis recovery of the banking sys- reports Christos Savvides, Member of the EOS tem,’ explains Snezana Stoiljkovic, IFC Director for Group’s Board of Directors and Head of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia. ‘We help banks Eastern Europe Business Unit. get rid of these assets and release funds to expand lending to companies and private customers.’ Basing its approach on the successful Rus sian model, the Ukrainian company initially started In the context of their collaboration, EOS and operations with a crew of 15. Now a team of 25, IFC are making up to USD 100 million available they collect overdue invoices in writing, by tele- for purchasing defaulting debts at a nominal value phone and by text message. Managing Director of up to USD 2 billion over a period of three years. Aleksey Teslenko and his team are benefiting The measures will initially focus on Russia. from the good relationships established by their colleagues in eastern Europe in the field of cus- High service quality in Ukraine tomer acquisition: Mr Teslenko is currently review- The developments taking place at LLC EOS ing a cooperation deal with a bank that operates in prompted the Group to set sail for the neighbour other countries. ‘Internationally active companies ing country in December 2010 and found LLC are looking for partners – such as EOS – who EOS Ukraine. ‘We compared the situation in the offer top-class service quality, protect the client’s two countries and prepared a realistic scenario reputation and don’t forget to keep the defaulting for market entry and development in the region,’ customer satisfied,’ explains Mr Savvides. 11 12 New markets a day at eos IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in developing countries. www.IFC.org Consulting Ltd. It was agreed to establish EOS CreditCN Credit Management (Beijing) Ltd. in Beijing. EOS holds 51 per cent of the shares in the company, which offers receivables management and consulting services to clients catering to both business and private customers (see page 14). EOS will stay on course to faraway shores – A reliable procedure for collecting debts is required but not simply to maximize profits and increase in all countries if clients are to be convinced. One the Group’s financial strength. Captain Scherer of the reasons: in Ukraine, the competition never gives an additional reason: ‘It is an enriching expe- sleeps. Mr Teslenko was confronted with 40 rience to work with people from different cultures. competitors when he started the company. Yet I’m convinced that the EOS Group also benefits the outlook in Ukraine is still promising. ‘Of all the culturally from each and every acquisition.’ loans in Ukraine, which total around USD 24 billion, www.eos-matrix.ba almost 30 per cent are non-performing,’ declares www.eos-solutions.ru Mr Savvides. At the beginning of May 2011, EOS www.eos-ukraine.com expanded its range of services in Ukraine. The www.eos-creditcn.com company was licensed to purchase debts. Firmly on course to China EOS navigated to a newly chartered Asian port of call in mid-2010. The Group entered into a strategic cooperation with CreditCN Business 10.3 per cent higher GDP in comparison to the previous year: China is strategically an important market for EOS. At the opening ceremony: General Manager of CreditCN, Jiaping Han. a day at eos news 13 EOS world news >>> More security in online business – with RatePAY The company RatePAY has been part of the EOS Group since May 2010. Miriam Wohlfarth, Managing Director of RatePAY, explains the business model: ‘We enable German online retailers to offer their customers the options of payment by in stalments and purchase on account. We bear the default risk.’ RatePAY also handles the payment processing. www.ratepay.de >>> Pooled competence In December 2010, BÜRGEL Wirtschaftsinformationen, Euler Hermes and EOS launched DDMonitor. Credit agency and debt collection data plus information about payment experiences from over 3.8 million debitors makes this one of the biggest German commercial databases for use in the business customer segment. www.eos-deutschland-b2b.de >>> EOS KSI Slovakia sets up debt collection association with competitors In October 2010, EOS KSI Slovakia, together with four other internationally active collection firms, founded the Association of Slovakian Debt Collection Companies (ASINS). The primary aims of the association are to represent the companies’ interests on the market and to promote the professionalization of the debt collection industry in Slovakia. The President of the association is Michal Šoltes, Managing Director of EOS KSI Slovakia. www.eos-ksi.sk 14 EOS CreditCN 12.15 p.m. Midday in Beijing is time for ‘guanxi’: cultivating relationships is one of the Chinese people’s most important cultural traits, both business-wise and privately a day at eos 15 ‘Guanxi’ in Beijing Networking is extremely im this Web hosting company and portant in China. ‘Guanxi’, provider of network-based the Chinese word for rela Web 2.0 solutions transferred tionship, is the key that can receivables to EOS CreditCN, open a lot of doors during, EOS’s Chinese subsidiary. say, small talk at lunchtime The company emerged in July or in virtual interaction on the internet. In China, 34 per cent of the population 2010 from a strategic cooperation with CreditCN Business Consulting Ltd. and thus managed to is on the information superhighway. According to win a very attractive client very soon after the con- statistics from CNNIC (China Internet Network tract was signed. Information Center), China had a total of 457 million ‘internauts’ by the end of 2010. With more Handling debtors with professionalism than 100 million registered users and around 700 Last year Sohu.com generated total annual turnover million daily hits, the internet pioneer Sohu.com of over USD 6.1 billion. Rebecca Wang, Finance ranks top among Chinese online service providers. Manager at Sohu.com in Beijing, relies on the debt Most Chinese people can no longer do without the collection experts at EOS CreditCN to deal with search machine ‘sogou’ – or ‘search dog’. It was unpaid receivables and appreciates the benefits: launched in 2004 and has a database of some ‘We don’t just gain from their high success rate. 10 billion internet pages. Other services provided Even more important is the professionalism with by the company include specialized Web portals which defaulting customers are handled. This for online games, property searches or route is essential for the reputation of our company.’ planning, for example. This is a point that Chong Tan, Sales Manager The biggest Chinese online alumni club has at EOS CreditCN likes to stress: ‘In China, as in over 77 million registered users and maintains its other countries, lack of knowledge and prejudice contacts virtually via Sohu.com. In November 2010, in relation to the debt collection business is wide The mind map of EOS values: all EOS companies have agreed to follow a common code of conduct which is explained to all employees in a brand book. 16 EOS CreditCN a day at eos ‘Thanks to EOS CreditCN, we are now able to extend our activities in Asia to mainland China – an exciting task.’ tions. The first few months of cooperation with the new partner were an inspiring time. ‘The ceremonies to mark the contract-signing and the start of the new business were unusually fes tive for Europeans. More than 30 eminent guests were invited to celebrate the launch,’ remembers MONICA SAWHNEY, MANAGING DIRECTOR EOS INTERNATIONAL Ms Sawhney. spread. That is why we are focusing on raising A strategically important step awareness in order to build trust. In the medium Since 2007, EOS has been represented in China term we want EOS CreditCN to be the number through a further subsidiary in Hong Kong. The one.’ founding of EOS CreditCN was a strategically important step in expanding its range of ser A dialogue of equals vices on this growing market. In CreditCN, EOS Monica Sawhney is convinced that prospects in has found its perfect partner: the company was this relatively new market are good. As Managing founded in 1987, has sound local knowledge of Director of EOS International with responsibili- the Chinese credit management sector and brings ty for Asia, she has been involved in the young plenty of ‘guanxi’ into the joint venture. Sino-German cooperation in Beijing since the www.eos-creditcn.com contract negotiations: ‘We define the strategic direction and advance our business together. As an EOS CreditCN board member, I’m there on a regular basis. We’re also connected via Skype several times a week for meetings,’ explains Ms Sawhney, who has German and Asian roots and a lot of experience in intercultural collabora- Economic indicator: in 2010, Chinese industry had to accommodate a 26 per cent increase in receivables. a day at eos eos cross-border center 17 1.30 p.m. Romina Rosiello and Rebecca Giesecke: frequent visitors to the world’s airports Across borders The EOS Cross-border Center and the IT remain in touch with their EOS partners locally, platform ‘Global Collection’ guarantee inter while all international debt collection cases are national debt collection quality with mini channelled through the platform. It is also a mum effort for the client. source for all country-specific information and ‘Passengers for the Lufthansa flight LH 3142 enables clients to review how the debt collection to Milan are asked to proceed to gate A20 im- process is progressing at all times. ‘If an EOS mediately.’ Instead of taking a breather during client from Germany has outstanding receivables their lunch break, Rebecca Giesecke and Romina in Italy, these are automatically forwarded via the Rosiello from the EOS Cross-border Center are platform to the appropriate local debt collection checking in at the airport. They are about to spend expert,’ explains Ms Rosiello, Product Manager three days in Italy to meet up with a potential part- International Sales. In line with the EOS motto ner for EOS’s debt collection abroad. ‘think global, act local’, this expert is an EOS International trade is booming. In 2009, glo- company in the region. It can also be an external bal turnover in export trade amounted to USD partner in countries in which EOS does not yet 12,178 billion. This is around 65 per cent up on operate. 2003. ‘But very few of these companies are fami- In their search for business partners, the Europe 41.2 % liar with the payment mentalities and attitudes to colleagues have collected over 30,000 air miles CIS 3.7 % debt collection of their foreign partners,’ says Ms in recent months and become acquainted with Giesecke. Since August 2010, she has managed ten airports: ‘Our partners must abide with our a team of five that has handled all cross border quality criteria and comply with the EOS Code of debt collection cases for EOS clients. EOS has Conduct.’ To guarantee common standards, the been providing debt collection services abroad team attaches great importance to making per- for its internationally-active clients for a number of sonal contact with the partners and inspects their years now. ‘But,’ says Ms Giesecke, ‘it was time to processes and working methods on site – as they improve this service for our clients.’ have just been doing in Italy. www.eos-solutions.com One platform for all North America 13.2 % Africa 3.2 % Asia 29.4 % Middle East 5.7 % South and Central America 3.8 % The new IT platform ‘Global Collection’ plays a central role in the improvements. The clients Share of world exports by region 18 EOS Payment Solutions 2.05 p.m. After lunch: Bernd Schultze reads an e-book at Deutsche Telekom’s own ‘Product Experience Center’ Gripping! EOS Payment Solutions helps companies to Germany. Apart from PagePlace, its services in process the payments made through their clude the Musicload, Gamesload, Softwareload online portals and makes online shopping and Videoload portals. It is a growing market: secure for retailers and their customers. songs, games, software, and films are not only Have you ever had to make a rush to the sold in shops, but are also increasingly available station bookshop with your luggage just before to download via the internet. Last year, for exam your train was due to depart? No need, for there ple, the number of music downloads in Germany is a simpler way to get hold of the latest crime rose to around 69 million according to Bitkom, the thriller for your journey: by going to pageplace.de Federal Association for Information Technology, and visiting the PagePlace portal, Deutsche Telecommunications and New Media. Telekom’s online kiosk, which gives readers ac cess anytime, anywhere to over 40,000 digital Smooth processes books, 50 newspapers and 450 magazines. Once Customers pay for their downloads from Deutsche you have purchased your book, it is loaded into a Telekom either via a Telekom account or, increas free PagePlace app from where it can be retriev ingly, by credit card. ‘Credit card payment is the ed effortlessly by using popular terminals such as leading alternative to payment on account, with smartphones, tablet PCs or laptops. a share of 25 per cent of purchases,’ says Bernd The digital kiosk is the latest digital service to Schultze, Head of Financial Operations at Deutsche be offered by Deutsche Telekom. The company Telekom Products & Innovation. Deutsche currently has a total of 19 online portals, mak Telekom works with EOS subsidiary EOS Payment ing it one of the biggest download providers in Solutions GmbH to process these payments. The a day at eos 19 solutions offered by the company are designed to ensure that payment processing is trouble-free and secure. This is how it works: if customers want to pay for a book on PagePlace using a credit card, they must first register on the download portal. The actual credit card data is transmitted to EOS in an encrypted form. Its databases are certified un der the international Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), and therefore meet the most stringent security requirements. This means that Deutsche Telekom can offer its cus tomers an extremely secure payment system. Background monitoring identifies any irregulari A control system installed on EOS’s servers ties in payment behaviour. ‘If, say, someone were checks the data in real time to see whether the to download the same software 50 times in the credit card really exists and whether funds are space of an hour, that would lead us to suspect available for the customer to pay the relevant that he is not doing it for his own private use,’ ex amount using this card. Only then can the prod plains Michael Hülsiggensen, Managing Director uct be downloaded. EOS Payment Solutions also of EOS Payment Solutions. For this reason, EOS supports the portal operator in combating credit and Deutsche Telekom have set specific limits on card fraud. the number of downloads of each product that can a day at eos 20 EOS Payment Solutions Convenient: with PagePlace, the reading material is downloaded directly to the tablet. ‘With EOS Payment Solutions we minimize the payment default risk and provide our customers with secure online shopping.’ Bernd Schultze, Head of Financial Operations, Deutsche Telekom stresses Mr Schultze. Together they have been continuously refining the credit card payment pro cessing system and updating it to take account of new developments, such as multichannel market ing. ‘There is no longer a clear separation between devices. In our business, mobile phones, normal PCs and today’s television sets with set-top boxes are increasingly merging into an overarching whole,’ be purchased. In addition, the operators set a max explains Mr Schultze. The payment processes, too, imum purchase total per day and per credit card. must also work on all three types of devices. EOS conducts these individual ‘limit checks’ on its own computer system for each separate product. Customers expect the user interface of the payment systems to look the same and display effectively in all contexts. This is technically chal Product development partnership lenging. ‘If you transfer a normal HTML page EOS and Deutsche Telekom have been working from a PC to a mobile phone it looks awful,’ says together since the end of 2007 – ‘as partners,’ Mr Hülsiggensen. Not only is there a growing number of distri bution channels – the spectrum of products on offer is also expanding constantly. What is more, Deutsche Telekom is extending its download ser vices to more and more countries. With all these changes and adaptations, Deutsche Telekom and EOS are in close and constant contact. ‘We pool Deutsche Telekom is one of the world’s top integrated our ideas, and EOS recognizes our needs and telecommunications companies. Its Load family of online knows the market. We don’t have to argue our marketing platforms has now been joined by its online case – we just work in tandem. Both sides benefit kiosk PagePlace. from that,’ says Mr Schultze. www.telekom.de www.eos-payment.com a day at eos EOS Immobilienworkout 21 ‘We want to grow in a healthy way.’ Jochen Prinz, MANAGING DIRECTOR EOS Immobilienworkout Way out west EOS Immobilienworkout takes off: the receive ISO 9001:2008 certification and has German-based provider in the field of hand- recently been re-certified. ling non-performing mortgages moved from Kamp-Lintfort in the Lower Rhine region to More satisfied clients Duisburg and had itself certified. ‘This means that we have had our high quality stan ‘Way out west, where the sun gets dusty’ sings dards assessed again by independent experts,’ Herbert Grönemeyer in ‘Bochum’, one of the big explains Mr Prinz. ‘The certificate demonstrates to gest-selling records in German-speaking coun outside observers that we are gearing our processes tries. In Duisburg, just 40 kilometres from Bochum, to clients’ needs. And it gives us competitive advan it certainly is sunny and it certainly isn’t dusty. On tages.’ In the long term, however, he is certain that a street called Sonnenwall (literally ‘sun wall’), 15 internal quality management (QM) will be the key EOS Immobilienworkout GmbH staff have started factor. ‘Its requirements alone ensure that we contin work with vigour. uously assess ourselves and improve,’ stresses Jochen Prinz, Managing Director of EOS Mr Prinz, backing up his argument with a real-life ex Immobilienworkout, beams as he lists the ad ample: ‘For the first time, we have bundled our forms vantages of the company’s relocation from online into a manual. In this way we can minimize Kamp-Lintfort in the Lower Rhine region to the errors and always remain up-to-date.’ His conclusion corner between the Rhine and Ruhr rivers during with regard to QM: ‘What’s established on a small an afternoon meeting: ‘As one of the European scale will still be going strong when it’s big!’ Capitals of Culture, Duisburg gained in signif icance last year. We have an ICE railway station Healthy growth and are just 15 minutes away from Düsseldorf air Continued growth remains the ultimate goal. This, port.’ And what is more, all the teams now sit within however, must be accompanied by continuity and earshot and speaking distance of one another in a firm intention to set oneself apart from black the new, larger offices.This is a crucial success fac sheep on the market. The final chapter is a long tor, emphasizes Mr Prinz, because of the complex way from being written. Especially on Sonnenwall and sensitive nature of the business. in Duisburg. www.eos-immobilienworkout.com Full service or modules The experts have been evaluating and process ing collectible loans secured by mortgage since 2006. They either purchase receivables port folios or handle them by way of fiduciary collec Certified: quality thanks to client-friendly processes tion. Clients can choose between a full-service package and individual service modules. In Feb ruary 2010, EOS Immobilienworkout, a mem ber of the Federal Association of German Debt Collection Companies (BDIU), became one of the first German companies in the industry to 2.20 p.m. 22 eos call centre 3.16 p.m. rudolf lange: in action for EOS Empathy on call Quality pays – especially for debt collec payers to settle their debts. EOS Serviceline is tion over the phone. The EOS call centres in one of the very few call centres in Germany whose Germany and the Czech Republic that special aim is not to sell. Instead, it specializes in the ize in this area are also acutely aware of this. extremely data-sensitive area of debt collection It’s afternoon at the Berlin call centre. The phones by phone. are running hot. But there’s not a hint of stress. Since the summer of 2010, 24 agents at the The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. ‘A good new location, in addition to 95 colleagues at the environment makes it easier to be empathetic,’ subsidiary in nearby Potsdam, have been following says Dr Petra Thiele, Managing Director of EOS up on late payers via telephone. And numbers are Serviceline GmbH. ‘Only agents who really listen swelling as demand for this service grows. Staff at to their callers achieve their goal.’ And everyone EOS Serviceline negotiate payments for the total knows what that goal is: to induce defaulting sum or in the form of instalments and remind debt ors about outstanding invoices. The EOS agents make around eleven calls per hour. Each one re- ‘Our call centre employees have to be flexible, alert and excellent advisors.’ quiring sound specialist knowledge and tactical skill. All agents go through a six-month training programme before they start and have an experienced colleague at their side plus personal help from the respective team leader. Technology facilitating feedback Technology also helps to improve quality and the Dr Petra Thiele, Managing Director EOS Serviceline success rate of calls. A software program, which a day at eos 23 Satisfied is also used very effectively by police and emergency services, records all the agents’ calls at the Czech receivables management provider EOS KSI Česká republika s.r.o. It evaluates conversations according to their duration, specific keywords or emotions and enables the team leader to pass on highly individual feedback to the staff. ‘We don’t do this to expose mistakes or put pressure on people. This has more to do with learning from experience and being able to pinpoint what we could do better,’ explains Ivan Fibír, Head of the Collection Department at EOS KSI. ‘We use the re- Armed with ham and eggs was how a debtor recently wanted to thank EOS corded dialogues as examples to demonstrate KSI in Slovenia for their good cooperation. A German survey conducted in when an agent has reacted particularly well and March 2010 by the market research institute Ipsos, indicated that successful to indicate where more responsiveness would receivables management is not at the expense of the defaulting customers. help.’ The survey questioned 400 customers of EOS Deutschland B2B’s clients. Ongoing training is the key Debt collection by telephone is always going to be a balancing act. The colleagues in the Czech Republic are just as aware of this as their German Unencumbered relationships counterparts. They must be sympathetic to the Business relationships between defaulting payer while at the same time repre- EOS Deutschland B2B’s clients senting the interests of the creditor. Above all, and their customers are not im- they always have to find a practical solution paired at all by default actions – that will enable the debtor to make a realistic this was confirmed by almost half payment. A high degree of concentration and the people questioned. No, not at all 49 % Not particularly 12 % Not sure 13 % Does the business relationship suffer? To a considerable extent 7 % Yes, definitely 19 % mental mobility are indispensable in this field. At EOS Serviceline, in-house trainers therefore provide all the employees with ongoing training, Staff commended teaching them how to negotiate difficult conver- 67 per cent of those interviewed rated the contact between defaulting sations and preparing them for psychologically challenging situations. EOS Serviceline is putting the quality of its ser- customers and EOS Deutschland B2B as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’. Excellent Good Moderate Poor/Bad vices to the test this year and will be undergoing a certification process by the German Technical Control Board (TÜV) which will involve regular 21 % 46 % 27 % auditing. This will motivate the telephone teams and set a positive signal for further expansion of www.eos-serviceline.com The situation is stabilising www.eos-ksi.cz Following the default action, the the conveniently located Berlin office. economic situation of 90 per cent 4 % 3 % Improved 29 % Tended to improve 32 % Unchanged 29 % of the people surveyed improved Got worse 5 % or remained unchanged. No answer 5 % 24 eos cca 3.48 p.m. ramona hernandez visits a client: True North has staff who work on-site in the accounts departments of hospitals EOS CCA’s acquisition of True North AR extends its healthcare solutions reach to the West Coast. When Paul Leary, Jr. wants to invite a colleague to a telephone conference at 4 p.m., he checks the An eye on all time zones location of that colleague first. Based in EOS CCA’s Norwell, Massachusetts corporate office on the East Coast of the U.S., Mr. Leary, Jr. has to consider the time zone in which that colleague is located. ‘EOS CCA has ten business locations in the continental USA across four separate time zones,’ reports the CEO of EOS CCA. ‘If several people from different time zones have to take part in a telephone conference, finding the right time to hold it can be a bit chal a day at eos 25 lenging – but so far we’ve always picked up the healthcare sector, offering an array of billing and phone at the same time.’ collection solutions. It also provides debt collection Since it was founded in 1991, EOS CCA has services to public authorities and other sectors. continued to grow to become one of the largest accounts receivable outsource firms in the Unit Experts on the healthcare market ed States. The company now serves over 2000 True North’s healthcare business is handled by clients through five distinct divisions: Communica three offices including the headquarters near tions, Education, Financial Services, Government San Francisco. The company assists hospitals and Healthcare. A sophisticated central data and in getting their bills paid by patients, insurance telephony network provides the infrastructure to companies, employers, and federal and state support the divisions across all US time zones. governments. Last year, EOS CCA extended its reach to the ‘Our clients are over 60 hospitals in California, West Coast when it acquired the Californian com Hawaii and other Western States, which include pany True North AR, LLC and its three subsidiaries. many of the largest US hospital systems,’ says True North, established in 1968, focuses on the Manoj Sharma, President of True North. 26 eos cca a day at eos Goal-oriented communication: the team approaches defaulting customers by phone, email, letter, and soon by text message. Incentive: the goals of each receivables contract are clearly visible in front of the staff at all times. ‘True North has made a significant impact in Education (ED) entrusted EOS with the collection improving patient cash collections, increasing of outstanding payments from student loans. In cash collections by 150 percent over the last two 2009, it renewed the ED Contract. ‘Loans for tui years and reducing Patient Days Receivables tion and fees enable many young people to improve while maintaining high levels of patient satis their career opportunities with a college degree. If faction for our hospital,’ says Ken Kedziorek, the system is to continue, it is important to make Executive Director of Revenue Cycle Operations sure that the loan repayments are made on time,’ at Marina del Rey Hospital. explains Mr. Leary, Jr. U.S. Department of Education Renews Contract gets involved and offers several repayment In addition to its acquisition of True North, EOS options to borrowers. ‘The Student Loan Reform CCA chalked up another achievement during the Law includes provisions that shift the loan origi last fiscal year. In 2004, the US Department of nation process from the private sector to the fed If repayments are not made on time, EOS CCA eral government and this will increase the volume of loans requiring resolution by EOS CCA. This division has enormous potential and we are happy that the Department of Education has renewed our contract.’ P P California P Illinois P New York P P PP Massachusetts Colorado P Mission accomplished The years to come promise to be as eventful as EOS CCA’s 2010/11 fiscal year. But there is one thing Mr. Leary, Jr. can be sure of: he won’t have to take yet another time zone into conside- P Texas EOS CCA offers receivables management solutions to more than 2000 clients. Over 1000 employees provide services and deal with clients’ concerns at ten locations. The Californiabased company True North AR was acquired in 2010. ration when scheduling meetings. www.eos-cca.com a day at eos news 27 EOS world news >>> A strong brand Reliable, rational, flexible and modern is how the EOS brand is perceived on the market. This positive image distinguishes the still young brand from its competitors, many of which have an arrogant or non-transparent image. This is the result of a survey conducted by EOS and TNS Infratest in March 2010. www.eos-solutions.com >>> Two become one Since February 2011, the Spanish company EOS Acción de Cobro España has operated under the name of EOS Spain. The companies EOS Field Services and EOS Acción de Cobro España had already merged earlier, in December 2010. EOS Spain has subsidiaries in A Coruña (head office), Madrid and Barcelona. www.eos-spain.es >>> Heading for the top together EOS Debita was incorporated into EOS Schweiz on 1 March 2011. This concludes the process of standardizing EOS’s brand identity in Switzerland. EOS Schweiz is headed by Rolf Steenbock. www.eos-schweiz.com 28 Social Media Like! EOS is now using social media 76 per cent of internet users actively use social networking sites. EOS, too, deploys modern communication channels to promote an interactive exchange of information. A conversation with colleagues over a quick coffee or a browse through the staff newspaper – there are many different channels of communica tion at EOS. And the same applies to the exchange of information with external target groups. During the last financial year, a number of projects were initiated with the aim of bringing people closer together. ‘Facebook, Twitter & Co. have redefined the basic tools of communication. We are more involv ed in dialogue with our target groups. It will be interesting to see how this develops,’ says Lara Flemming, Head of Corporate Communications & Marketing at EOS. ‘Knowing how to deal with social media platforms is quite a challenge, particularly in B2B – this is relatively unknown territory.’ To learn more about the new environment, EOS carried out a social media test phase during the last year. ‘We wanted to find out which chan nels and platforms are relevant to EOS,’ explains Berit Ewald, Senior Public Relations Consultant at EOS. Professional social media monitoring helps during the analytical process: The net is trawled every day for posts about the EOS Group. ‘This keeps us up to date and we find out which issues our target groups are concerned about,’ says Ms Ewald’s colleague Maja Alfke. Facebook: www.eos-solutions.com/facebook-eosgroup Using Facebook, Twitter & Co. intelligently Twitter: www.eos-solutions.com/twitter-eosgroup Various committees have been discussing needs, Xing: www.eos-solutions.com/xing objectives and ways to fulfil them. The subject of LinkedIn: www.eos-solutions.com/linkedin crisis prevention was a particular issue. ‘We don’t just want to jump onto the social media bandwagon,’ a day at eos 29 4.58 p.m. At work: Maja Alfke and Berit Ewald says Ms Flemming. ‘We want to be part of an online developments in everyday operations and give a per communication system that makes sense for EOS.’ sonal perspective on issues. The important thing for the two managers is to be involved in two-way com A direct line to employees munications. ‘We explicitly welcome comments,’ con The company also wants to use the principles of social firms Mr Borgartz, the new blogger on the scene. networking to improve in-house communication. At Over 400 employees have subscribed to the blog the beginning of 2011, the Managing Directors of and staff have already commented on a number of EOS Deutschland B2C, Jürgen Borgartz and news items. ‘Having a direct line to the management Andreas Kropp, launched their blog on the German is a little unfamiliar at first,’ says Ms Flemming. ‘But intranet. They inform employees about the latest I’m sure people will gain confidence in time.’ 30 10 years of EOS 8.00 p.m. Glückwunsch, Congratulations, Gelukwensen, Gratulacje! In 1974, the arrears billing and legal department of the company Otto Versand was turned into a financial services company for receivables management. Operating today under the name of EOS, it is one of the most successful international providers. A reason to celebrate! ‘Land, ho!’ is the call from the decks of the boat as the crew stands and gazes in suspense at the unknown territory looming up on the horizon. What sounds and looks like a journey full of adventure is the first company musical in EOS history, performed by 14 members of staff. According to the a day at eos 31 motto ‘Off to explore new shores’, the successful de- support clients with services catering to the money velopment of the Group was celebrated with a staff flow in their companies. party at its home port in Hamburg. ‘We have come a long way to conclude the past financial year with the From the arrears billing department to the best operating result ever since the Company was umbrella brand EOS founded. A magnificent success,’ said Hans-Werner Growth that no one could envisage in 1974: at Scherer, thanking the 1300 employees from all over that time Otto Versand detaches the receivables Germany who attended the event. He has been the management from its arrears billing and legal Chairman of the Board of Directors since 2003 and department. With a nationwide field team and is thus also captain of the Group. The success of the another specialized in debt collection by phone, Company is multi-faceted. In over 20 countries, more the newly founded debt collection provider than 8000 (status 01.07.2011) employees today Mercator-Inkasso GmbH & Co KG, renamed in 32 10 years of EOS In costume: captains, pirates and mermaids all followed the maritime motto of the staff event – also CEO Hans-Werner Scherer. 1975 to Deutscher Inkasso-Dienst, DID for short, Other additions include Schweizer Zahnärztekasse soon becomes the market leader in Germany. In AG, Verleger-Inkasso-Stelle Wallstab, a stake in response to the increasing number of enquiries for Bürgel-Wirtschaftsinformationen, and mercator support from international clients, DID cautiously inkasso. This is followed by the acquisition of sails to the first ports abroad and drops anchor Kasolvenzia in Bad Rappenau in 1999, and with in the 1980s, first in the Netherlands and then in that, Kasolvenzia’s five branch offices in Eastern Switzerland. Here DID collaborates with local spe- Europe. By the turn of the millennium, DID has cialists to ensure that the needs of the market are 17 companies under its belt, thus making it one catered to correctly. of Europe’s leading financial services providers. In addition, the Company starts buying recei- The umbrella brand EOS was about to emerge. vables portfolios. In the early 1990s, the course To ensure that the clients realize at first sight that of expansion picks up speed: Österreichischer the individual companies are all part of a strong Inkasso-Dienst (ÖID) is founded in Vienna and network, a uniform name was needed. Therefore, DID takes over the Logic Group in Great Britain. EOS was chosen. Hans-Werner Scherer feels that EOS Chronicle: the book on the ten-year history of the EOS brand Issued in 19 languages: the EOS Brand Book communicates the Group’s values, identity and brand claim in retrospect it was a stroke of genius: ‘The name’s corporate strategy,’ says Mr Scherer. Meanwhile neutrality was the main advantage for us. We were it is EOS’s 10th anniversary and more than 45 able to shape EOS with our own values and make it companies now operate under the umbrella of a synonym for quality. And we obviously did a pretty the Group. Svetlana Goryunova, Marketing and good job: whenever people in Europe talk about Sales Manager at LLC EOS in Russia: ‘When co- financial services, the name EOS is mentioned.’ operating with new clients, the EOS values have a day at eos 33 opened doors in this sensitive industry. And these With head and heart values have had an equally positive effect on Standardization of the brand identity began in our day-to-day dealings with each other. That is 2004 and since then the red-grey EOS logo why I am promoting these values in the way we has become a symbol for quality and compe- communicate with each other every day. How? I tence through focus and understanding. ‘The simply live them.’ EOS values are an important part of the way we Having staff that identify with the principles and see ourselves and form the foundations of our values is the key to success, not least because this Birthday music: a CD featuring a No. 1 hit from each year of EOS’s existence EOS Code of Conduct: corporate behaviour in accordance with globally binding rules of conduct City sportster with the EOS look: the practical city car for short trips 34 10 years of EOS a day at eos canon of values accepts cultural differences and integrates them into the corporate culture. Across the oceans of the world, spanning Europe, the USA and Asia, these values serve as a compass, in the middle of which stand ‘focus’ and ‘understanding’. They are encircled by the key attributes ‘openminded’, ‘versatile’, ‘determined’ and ‘reliable’. Since 2008, the Group has had a claim that hits the nail on the head: ‘EOS. With head and heart in finance’. Stephan Steinmetz, Managing Director of EOS ÖID in Austria, knows why head and heart are so important. ‘As service providers in arrears management and debt collection, we encounter clichés. The EOS values signal: We assume responsibility for our clients, the staff and debtors.’ Quality and perfect service From companies listed on the stock exchange to small and medium-sized enterprises, around 20,000 clients rely on the services of the EOS Under the open sky: the EOS crew danced on the decks of the museum ship under the night sky from 8 p.m. until the early hours of the morning. becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. For us, it’s the people that make the difference. As a Group. Operative excellence and perfect service distinguishing feature, excellent, easily accessible have top priority. Specialized know-how, clear- customer services that provide fast solutions to ly defined responsibilities and well-functioning problems are essential.’ processes play an equally large role as the corresponding IT tools. Comprehensive quality ma- Off to explore new shores nagement supports the ‘learning organization’, Alongside expansion as far as area is concerned as the management likes to say, and promotes EOS is continually testing new waters to extend a process of continual improvement. Stephan its range of products. The area of trade financing Spieckermann, Managing Director of EOS is an example. Since October 2009 EOS has had Deutschland B2B in Bad Rappenau, Germany, a majority holding in WCF Finetrading, putting the explains the special role his staff play: ‘In times company in the fortunate position of being able to of rising pressure from competitors, the advan- provide an innovative commodities purchase pre- tage gained from providing innovative services is financing service. Successful explorations such as these are to take the Company into the future: ‘There will always be a ship that flies the EOS flag, ‘There will always be a ship that flies the EOS flag, setting off to explore new shores.’ setting off to explore new shores,’ Hans-Werner Scherer is convinced. And as if to prove it, the company celebrations took place in the port of Hamburg, the third largest harbour in Europe. 1300 guests of the EOS staff event went on a boat trip on the River Elbe and ended the day with a wonderful party on board the biggest seaworthy museum freighter in the world, the Cap San Hans-Werner Scherer, Chairman of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors Diego. www.eos-solutions.com development and figures 35 figures Data facts 2010/11 36 evelopment EOS Consolidated D continued with its international expansion, establishing new companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, China and the Ukraine and acquiring a company in the USA. 40FIGURES Carefully targeted investments helped EOS Consolidated increase turnover by 18.1 per cent in 2010/11. 36 development Business development Asia 0.6 % From the pleasing growth in German receivables management to the acquisition in the USA, 2010/11 was a successful year for EOS Consolidated Western Europe 17.5 % Turnover increases in all regions, but particularly in Eastern Europe, laid the foundations for gratifying overall turnover growth in 2010/11. EOS Consolidated generated turnover of EUR 370.9 million, an increase of 18.1 per cent over the previous year. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and US 13.3 % Eastern Europe 15.8 % Germany 52.8 % amortisation (EBITDA) were EUR 107.9 million, compared with EUR 89.1 million the previous year. In addition, net profits for the year were EUR 63.9 million, compared with EUR 50.2 million the year before. Germany remains the most important regional market for EOS Consolidated, accounting for 52.8 per cent of turnover. The German economy picked up in 2010: GDP went up by 3.6 per cent, compared with a drop of –4.7 per cent the previous year, and employment figures rose. As a result, EOS Consolidated’s turnover in Germany rose 6.7 per cent to EUR 196.0 million. This was due in large part to the growth momentum on the receivables management market, the impact Consolidated sales by region of which was reflected in higher collection rates. EOS Health Honorarmanagement Aktiengesellschaft, the EOS factoring expert for the healthcare industry, played an equally important role: the company was able to acquire more new clients and increase its turnover by 31.1 per cent compared with the previous year. In the field of risk and marketing information, the growth in turnover achieved by xplosion interactive GmbH, the relatively new EOS company, which provides retargeting solutions, deserves a special men tion. Overall, the 2010/11 financial year was dominated by investments in new business models in this basel III segment and in the payment services area. The purpose of Basel III is to make the financial world more stable and reliable The international regulatory standard Basel III places more stringent demands on banks’ key stability indicators. This response to the deficiencies in Basel II that were revealed by the global financial crisis is scheduled for implementation in a step-by-step process as from 2013. 37 Recovery in Western Europe, mixed economic performance in Eastern Europe, moderate growth in the USA and full employment in Hong Kong Economic developments in almost all the western European countries where EOS has offices led to economic recovery in the 2010/11 financial year. Although year-on-year unemployment rates remained stable almost everywhere, GDP moved from negative to positive territory – except in Spain. EOS Consolidated, too, registered growth in Western Europe as a result of good collection rates in the debt purchase segment and the strategic further development of EOS Aremas Belgium SA/NV. Even in Spain, where the effects of the financial crisis persisted, the EOS companies achieved positive results. The company EOS Acción de Cobro España S.A., which was acquired in September 2009, was successfully integrated into EOS Consolidated and merged with the debt collection company EOS Field Services Spain. The company has operated under the name EOS Spain since 2011. Against this backdrop, EOS Consolidated succeeded in increasing its turnover in the region by 17.7 per cent to EUR 64.9 million. Economic developments in Eastern Europe varied widely from country to country. The GDP in Russia and Slovakia grew by 3.8 per cent and 4.0 per cent respectively in 2010, following negative growth in the previous year. In contrast, Greece saw a further decline of 4.5 per cent. However, with the exception of Russia and Macedonia, all countries in which EOS operates reported higher unemployment figures. Following the major challenges associated with the previous year’s financial crisis, the EOS compa nies performed much better in Eastern Europe in 2010/11. Overall, EOS Consolidated saw its turnover in the region go up by 65.9 per cent to EUR 58.4 million. This was due in large part to the EOS companies in Romania, Slovakia and Russia. The US economy reported moderate growth: GDP rose by 2.9 per cent compared with a drop of –2.6 per cent the previous year, but unemployment worsened, rising to 9.6 per cent from 9.3 per cent 70 % Striding confidently 60 % into the future 50 % 74.3 per cent of European 40 % companies are expecting their 30 % customers’ payment behav iour to either stay the same or 20 % improve in the next two years. 10 % This was one of the findings of 0 % BE BG DE GR UK PL Improvement in payment behaviour RO RU SK ES No change in payment behaviour The proportion of companies expecting an improvement in payment behaviour over the next two years and the proportion of companies expecting payment behaviour to stay the same. the EOS Ten Nations Survey 2011 ‘European Payment Practices’ conducted by Ipsos and EOS in the spring of 2011. eos survey the previous year. 38 development Panorama From Belgium to Hamburg Welcome to EOS Once a client, now an em ployee: Peter Hemkentokrax has known the EOS Group for many years. As Managing Director of Santander Consumer Debit GmbH in Mönchengladbach, Germany, he worked together with EOS until 30 June 2010. On 1 July 2010, Mr Hemkentokrax switched to EOS and built up the EOS Corporate Business and Process Consulting unit as its head. 1,167 On 1 September 2010, Charles De Munter, former Operations Manager at Intrum Justitia in Belgium, started in his new job as Regional Director for France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Mr De Munter is responsible for the strate gic development of EOS in these countries. Superior performance The ‘Global HR Awards 2010’ ceremony was held in Decem ber 2010 in Macedonia’s capital, Skopje. Marina Sivakova Taskov from EOS Matrix Macedonia was awarded the title ‘HR Manager of the Year’ by the trade journal ‘Global HR’. Against this backdrop, EOS Consolidated’s turnover in the USA rose 26.2 per cent to EUR 49.5 million. The positive performance of existing debt purchase operations played a key role in this growth, as did the acquisition of True North AR, LLC, a company that provides cash flow solutions for the healthcare sector as well as debt collection services. This acquisition continued EOS Consolidated’s successful 719 expansion programme on the West Coast. There was almost no trace left of the financial crisis in Hong Kong. After falling 2.7 per cent the previous year, GDP rose by 6.8 per cent in 2010 and the national statistics office reported full employment – the country’s unemployment rate was just 3.8 per cent. Turnover generated by the Asian subsidiaries 259 67 East. Europe Ger West. Europe of EOS Consolidated in 2010/11 amounted to EUR 2.0 million, compared with EUR 0.8 million the 122 US previous year. Total Volume of debt purchases by region in millions of euros In the top three on all relevant markets and quality leader status – EOS Consolidated’s goals for the future are clear Experts are speculating that compared with 2010, economic growth will lose a little of its momentum over the next two years. In respect of classical debt collection in Germany with its tight margins and aggressive pricing environment, EOS Consolidated will be sticking to its strategy of focusing on quality and sustainability. The intense competition will maintain the pressure on profit margins in Western Europe. Nevertheless, EOS Consolidated still has promising plans for further growth – including the expansion of its third-party business in Belgium and its market position in Switzerland. At the same time, it intends to optimize its processes in the UK and explore further options in the region following its successful acquisition in France. As far as Eastern Europe is concerned, EOS Consolidated is expecting the overall earnings situ ation to improve. EOS plans to expand its debt purchase operations prudently and continually assess opportunities for entering new markets. With this in mind, and with an initial focus on Russia, EOS Consolidated entered into a partnership with International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World 39 On course Five submissions for PR competitions, three nomina tions, two awards. These are results to be proud of. Last year, Health AG received the European Change Communi cations Award and the Econ Award for its brand-oriented organizational development with the maritime title ‘KURS 2010’ (COURSE 2010). Certified Macedonian companies that operate as service providers for banks and work with the banks’ data have to be certified. This has been stipulated by the country’s national bank. EOS Matrix Macedonia has now fulfilled this requirement: at the beginning of May 2010 the company was awarded the ISO/IEC-20000 certificate. ‘We have adapted all the technologies to the required standard,’ explains Branislav Bajlovski, IT Manager at EOS Matrix Macedonia. Bank Group, in mid-2010. EOS’s goal is to be represented on the most important fast-growing markets of Eastern Europe. Worth mentioning in this regard is EOS Consolidated’s entry in the Ukrainian market for fiduciary collection and debt purchase with TOV EOS Ukraine and the formation of a new company, EOS Matrix in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition, EOS is expecting its subsidiaries in the US to continue to maintain their market position. EOS Consolidated plans to grow organically in the US market and to make balanced assessments of any market opportunities in the debt purchase field. The EOS company in Hong Kong is waiting to see what impact the disaster in Japan, Hong Kong’s third largest trading partner, will have. EOS Consolidated expects to see growth in the area of B2B debt collection as a result of EOS CreditCN, the joint venture it set up in mid-2010 in Beijing (China), and in the factoring area thanks to its activities in Hong Kong. There are plans to offer more products, such as B2C debt collection, on the Chinese market and to expand the selling of existing products in the region. EOS Consolidated remains on course for growth and is striving to attain or retain a position among the top three providers in all relevant countries apart from the USA over the next few years. To do so, it plans to move into other strategically important countries and to continue expanding its product portfolio. The acquisition of the French firm Credirec SAS in April 2011 expanded EOS Consolidated’s receivables management business in Europe shortly after the end of the 2010/11 business year. It also entered the South American market after the conclusion of the reporting period, in June 2011, by acquiring a 60 per cent stake in the Brazilian company Hoepers Recuperadora de Crédito S.A. Since August 2010, the EOS Cross-border Center has been ensuring high standards in cross-border debt col lection cases. And since the middle of 2010, EOS Corporate Business & Process Consulting has been helping with the integration of new companies, finding solutions to operational problems on the ground in conjunction with the local units and advancing the exchange of knowledge within the Group. Reporting period: 01.03.2010–28.02.2011 Happy birthday: EOS ÖID now 20 years old Another anniversary: EOS ÖID was founded in 1990 in Vienna and today employs a staff of 48. The arrears management and debt collection specialist over sees receivables amounting to more than EUR 4 billion. 40 figures Pleasing rise in turnover to EUR 370.9 million Earnings before tax up by 24.7 per cent EOS Consolidated in figures Making the most of the partial recovery following the financial crisis, EOS Consolidated made carefully targeted investments in growth: turnover for the 2010/11 financial year rose by 18.1 per cent to EUR 370.9 million. EOS Consolidated also purchased receivables packages with a nominal value of EUR 1166.9 million. This success was generated by 5545 employees (headcount) – the increase in staff numbers led to a corresponding increase of EUR 22.2 million in personnel expenses at the end of the financial year. 5,545 5,160 4,298 1,506 1,167 954 08 09 10 08 09 10 09 10 11 09 10 11 Volume of debt purchases in millions of euros Number of employees (heads) as per 28.02.2011 41 Turnover by region In Germany, EOS Consolidated increased its turnover by 6.7 per cent. This region was therefore once again the most important, accounting for 52.8 per cent of total turnover. Growth was steep in Eastern Europe, where turnover rose 65.9 per cent. This was due primarily to an expansion of activities in Russia. 2010/11 2009/10 Comparison with previous year in % % of sales EUR (000) EUR (000) % of sales Germany + 6.7 196,036 52.8 183,653 58.5 Western Europe +17.7 64,926 17.5 55,163 17.5 Eastern Europe +65.9 58,446 15.8 35,220 11.2 US +26.2 49,464 13.3 39,185 12.5 Asia >100 2,027 0.6 815 0.3 EOS Consolidated +18.1 370,899 100.0 314,036 100.0 Profit and loss account (abbreviated version) EOS Consolidated reported a 24.7 per cent increase in earnings before tax (EBT) in the 2010/11 financial year. This was due in large part to an 18.1 per cent rise in turnover. The increase in operating expenses was small in relation to this growth, and as a result EBITDA increased by 21 per cent to EUR 107.9 million, compared with EUR 89.1 million the previous year. 2010/11 2009/10 EUR (000) EUR (000) Sales 370,899 314,036 Total operating income 377,706 321,331 Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) 107,896 89,140 Earnings before tax (EBT) 76,753 61,549 Profit for the year 63,906 50,233 42 figures Assets position Mainly as a result of more restrained investment in debt purchase, the EOS Consolidated increased its total assets in 2010/11 by a mere 0.4 per cent to EUR 752.0 million. 28.02.2011 EUR (000) 28.02.2010 % EUR (000) % Fixed assets 162,862 21.7 152,553 20.4 Other assets tied up in the long term 289,290 38.5 317,615 42.4 3,755 0.5 13,625 1.8 Assets tied up in the short term 296,060 39.3 265,461 35.4 Total assets 751,967 100.0 749,254 100.0 Deferred taxes Equity and financing EOS Consolidated’s equity ratio rose by 4.1 percentage points to 31.5 per cent in 2010/11 – a high level for a financial services provider. Current liabilities fell to 40.4 per cent, from 48.1 per cent the previous year. 28.02.2011 28.02.2010 EUR (000) % EUR (000) % Equity 236,996 31.5 205,163 27.4 Long-term borrowed capital 201,651 26.8 163,423 21.8 9,438 1.3 20,312 2.7 Short-term borrowed capital 303,882 40.4 360,356 48.1 Total financing 751,967 100.0 749,254 100.0 Deferred taxes Publication details Published by KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co Corporate Communications Steindamm 71, 20099 Hamburg, Germany Telephone: +49 40 2532-8657 Telefax: +49 40 2532-8658 Internet: www.eos-solutions.com Contact KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co Lara Flemming (Overall responsibility) Head of Corporate Communications & Marketing Email: l.flemming@eos-solutions.com Berit Ewald (Project management) Senior Public Relations Consultant Email: b.ewald@eos-solutions.com Editorial Content Maja Alfke Helmut Broeg Claudia Gottschalk Denkspot, Kathrin Thomsen, www.denkspot.de Storydock : Redaktionsbüro, Dörte Schmidt Sommer-Texte, Melanie Sommer Design Matthias Welker (Concept) Claim GmbH, www.claim.de Lisa Mäkinen (Art Director) Square Media GmbH, www.squaremedia.de Grindelberg 77, 20144 Hamburg, Germany Creation Carolin Westner (Project management) Claim GmbH, www.claim.de Picture credits Photographer: Sebastian Vollmert The wood used for this paper comes from responsibly managed forests, certified compliant with the guidelines of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®). Other pictures: Gettyimages (p. 3 bottom, S. 21), istockphoto (p. 13 top, middle, p. 23, p. 27 bottom, p. 39), panthermedia (p. 11 right), shutterstock (p. 13 bottom, p. 27 middle, p. 36, p. 38 left), PR EOS: p. 3 (bottom right), p. 27 top, p. 30 to 34, p. 38 right Infographics: Square Media GmbH Date of publication: 1 September 2011 Disclaimer of warranty This report contains statements relating to the future which are based on assumptions and estimates by the company management. Although the management assumes that these anticipatory statements are realistic, it cannot guarantee that the expectations will turn out to be correct. The assumptions can involve risks and uncertainties which might result in the actual results deviating significantly from the anticipatory statements. If the report contains editorial mistakes or is incomplete in some respects, KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co shall assume no liability or guarantee for this. KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co has made no plans for any update of the anticipatory statements or any correction of, or addition to, the annual report and shall accept no obligation to do so. KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co nevertheless reserves the right to update the report at any time without making any specific announcement. In the event of contradictions between the German and English versions of the annual report, the German version shall take precedence. EOS business model EOS at a glance The EOS Group and its subsidiaries • Data generation • Address validation • Target group marketing • Data enhancement • Online targeting More than 45 EOS companies in over 20 countries around the world provide services to 20,000 clients in the areas of marketing information, risk information, payment services and the Group’s core business of receivables management. West. Europe Germany East. Europe US Asia 196,036 64,926 58,446 49,464 Marketing information Excellent credit rating 2010/11 • Analytical services • Consumer information • Business information • Payment experience pool For the seventh time in succession, credit 2,027 insurer Euler Hermes awarded KG EOS 2009/10 183,653 55,163 Risk information Serving clients Securing cash Holding GmbH & Co an ‘A’ rating for its 35,220 39,185 815 high earning power and capital structure. EOS Consolidated: Sales development by region in thousand EUR Payment services 5,545 5,160 ‘Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ukraine and China – in 2010/11 EOS once again expanded into some strategically important markets.’ Hans-Werner Scherer, Chairman of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors Quality reaps rewards The EOS Group sets itself high standards. More and more EOS subsidiaries are applying to have their companies and processes certified. 370.9 314.0 10 The companies in the EOS Group have been operating internationally under the EOS brand for ten years. • Electronic payment control • Processing payments • Integrated fraud protection 2,806 2,674 Receivables management • Arrears management • Arrears billing • Finetrading • Factoring • Debt purchase • Debt collection • Recovery service • Realization of securities • Telephone training 107.9 782 EOS modules 887 The services of the EOS Group are organized as four modules: marketing information, 13 12 GER EU* US 2009/10 Asia Total 2010/11 EOS Consolidated: Workforce development according to head count and region As per 28.02.2011 *Rest of Europe risk information, payment services and receivables management. Every EOS company is a specialist in one or more of these modules, and clients can use the services individually or in combination. ithin the marketing information module, EOS experts find the right communica• W tion channels for targeting potential customers. OS clients make use of the business and consumer information services in the • E risk information module before signing agreements with customers, in order to A focus on progress • The payment services module enables EOS clients to offer their customers a wide range of suitable payment methods whilst minimizing the risk of bad debts. ‘Our international growth strategy is bearing fruit: • Receivables management is EOS’s core business. Services offered by EOS companies within this module include recovering unpaid receivables and purchasing EOS Consolidated increased its turnover by 18.1 per cent 2009/10 in 2010/11 and its EBITDA by 21 per cent.’ 2010/11 Global sales EBITDA Slovakia Russia Germany Hungary Romania Serbia Ukraine Bosnia and Herzegovina Justus Hecking-Veltman, Member of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors and CFO receivables portfolios. LLC EOS Ukraine Credirec SAS Employees: 28 Managing Director: Aleksey Teslenko Head office: Kiev Employees: 240 Managing Director: Nathalie Lameyre Head office: Paris France United Kingdom Czech Republic Croatia Greece Switzerland Poland Macedonia/FYROM China Spain Bulgaria Austria Brazil Netherlands Slovenia 1,840 1,691 minimize the risk of bad debts. 89.1 EOS USA Belgium Ukraine* france* China* EOS CreditCN Credit Management (Beijing) Ltd. Employees: 25 General Manager: Kuiyuan Li Head office: Beijing Bosnia and Herzegovina* EOS Matrix DOO Employees: 8 Managing Director: Mirjana Vuković Head office: Sarajevo Brazil* Hoepers Recuperadora de Crédito S. A. Employees: 2500 Managing Director: Manfredo Hoepers Head office: Porto Alegre EOS worldwide EOS in america EOS in germany RatePAY GmbH EOS Matrix DOO (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Collecto, Inc., known as EOS CCA (USA) BÜRGEL Wirtschaftsinformationen GmbH & Co. KG Schober Direct Media GmbH + Co. KG EOS Matrix DOO (Bulgaria) Hoepers Recuperadora de Crédito S. A. (Brazil) Coxulto Marketing Solutions GmbH WCF Finetrading GmbH EOS Matrix DOO (Croatia) EOS DID – EOS Deutscher Inkasso-Dienst GmbH xplosion interactive GmbH EOS Matrix DOO (Macedonia/FYROM) EOS in Western Europe EOS Deutschland GmbH Credirec SAS (France) EOS Field Services GmbH EOS in eastern europe EOS Matrix S.A. (Greece) EOS Aremas Belgium SA/NV (Belgium) EOS Health Honorarmanagement AG EOS Faktor Magyarország Zrt. (Hungary) LLC EOS (Russia) EOS Nederland B.V. (Netherlands) EOS Immobilienworkout GmbH EOS KSI Magyarország Inkasszó Kft. (Hungary) LLC EOS Finance Ukraine (Ukraine) EOS ÖID Inkasso-Dienst Ges.m.b.H. (Austria) EOS Information Services GmbH EOS Finance IFN S.A. (Romania) LLC EOS Ukraine (Ukraine) EOS Schweiz AG (Switzerland) EOS KSI Inkasso Deutschland GmbH EOS Investment Poland GmbH (Poland) EOS Solutions UK Plc (United Kingdom) EOS mercator inkasso GmbH EOS KSI România S.R.L. (Romania) EOS in Asia EOS Spain, S. L. (Spain) EOS Payment Solutions GmbH EOS KSI Česká republika s.r.o. (Czech Republic) EOS CreditCN Credit Management (Beijing) Ltd. (China) Zahnärztekasse AG (Switzerland) EOS Serviceline GmbH EOS KSI upravljanje terjatev d.o.o. (Slovenia) EOS Hong Kong Ltd. (China) EOS SID Süddeutscher Inkasso-Dienst GmbH EOS KSI Polska Spółka z o.o. (Poland) EOS VIK – EOS Verlegerinkasso GmbH EOS KSI Slovensko, s.r.o. (Slovakia) EOS Consolidated: Sales development in million EUR *EOS market entries in recent months, as at 01.07. 2011 EOS Matrix DOO (Serbia) EOS business model EOS at a glance The EOS Group and its subsidiaries • Data generation • Address validation • Target group marketing • Data enhancement • Online targeting More than 45 EOS companies in over 20 countries around the world provide services to 20,000 clients in the areas of marketing information, risk information, payment services and the Group’s core business of receivables management. West. Europe Germany East. Europe US Asia 196,036 64,926 58,446 49,464 Marketing information Excellent credit rating 2010/11 • Analytical services • Consumer information • Business information • Payment experience pool For the seventh time in succession, credit 2,027 insurer Euler Hermes awarded KG EOS 2009/10 183,653 55,163 Risk information Serving clients Securing cash Holding GmbH & Co an ‘A’ rating for its 35,220 39,185 815 high earning power and capital structure. EOS Consolidated: Sales development by region in thousand EUR Payment services 5,545 5,160 ‘Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ukraine and China – in 2010/11 EOS once again expanded into some strategically important markets.’ Hans-Werner Scherer, Chairman of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors Quality reaps rewards The EOS Group sets itself high standards. More and more EOS subsidiaries are applying to have their companies and processes certified. 370.9 314.0 10 The companies in the EOS Group have been operating internationally under the EOS brand for ten years. • Electronic payment control • Processing payments • Integrated fraud protection 2,806 2,674 Receivables management • Arrears management • Arrears billing • Finetrading • Factoring • Debt purchase • Debt collection • Recovery service • Realization of securities • Telephone training 107.9 782 EOS modules 887 The services of the EOS Group are organized as four modules: marketing information, 13 12 GER EU* US 2009/10 Asia Total 2010/11 EOS Consolidated: Workforce development according to head count and region As per 28.02.2011 *Rest of Europe risk information, payment services and receivables management. Every EOS company is a specialist in one or more of these modules, and clients can use the services individually or in combination. ithin the marketing information module, EOS experts find the right communica• W tion channels for targeting potential customers. OS clients make use of the business and consumer information services in the • E risk information module before signing agreements with customers, in order to A focus on progress • The payment services module enables EOS clients to offer their customers a wide range of suitable payment methods whilst minimizing the risk of bad debts. ‘Our international growth strategy is bearing fruit: • Receivables management is EOS’s core business. Services offered by EOS companies within this module include recovering unpaid receivables and purchasing EOS Consolidated increased its turnover by 18.1 per cent 2009/10 in 2010/11 and its EBITDA by 21 per cent.’ 2010/11 Global sales EBITDA Slovakia Russia Germany Hungary Romania Serbia Ukraine Bosnia and Herzegovina Justus Hecking-Veltman, Member of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors and CFO receivables portfolios. LLC EOS Ukraine Credirec SAS Employees: 28 Managing Director: Aleksey Teslenko Head office: Kiev Employees: 240 Managing Director: Nathalie Lameyre Head office: Paris France United Kingdom Czech Republic Croatia Greece Switzerland Poland Macedonia/FYROM China Spain Bulgaria Austria Brazil Netherlands Slovenia 1,840 1,691 minimize the risk of bad debts. 89.1 EOS USA Belgium Ukraine* france* China* EOS CreditCN Credit Management (Beijing) Ltd. Employees: 25 General Manager: Kuiyuan Li Head office: Beijing Bosnia and Herzegovina* EOS Matrix DOO Employees: 8 Managing Director: Mirjana Vuković Head office: Sarajevo Brazil* Hoepers Recuperadora de Crédito S. A. Employees: 2500 Managing Director: Manfredo Hoepers Head office: Porto Alegre EOS worldwide EOS in america EOS in germany RatePAY GmbH EOS Matrix DOO (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Collecto, Inc., known as EOS CCA (USA) BÜRGEL Wirtschaftsinformationen GmbH & Co. KG Schober Direct Media GmbH + Co. KG EOS Matrix DOO (Bulgaria) Hoepers Recuperadora de Crédito S. A. (Brazil) Coxulto Marketing Solutions GmbH WCF Finetrading GmbH EOS Matrix DOO (Croatia) EOS DID – EOS Deutscher Inkasso-Dienst GmbH xplosion interactive GmbH EOS Matrix DOO (Macedonia/FYROM) EOS in Western Europe EOS Deutschland GmbH Credirec SAS (France) EOS Field Services GmbH EOS in eastern europe EOS Matrix S.A. (Greece) EOS Aremas Belgium SA/NV (Belgium) EOS Health Honorarmanagement AG EOS Faktor Magyarország Zrt. (Hungary) LLC EOS (Russia) EOS Nederland B.V. (Netherlands) EOS Immobilienworkout GmbH EOS KSI Magyarország Inkasszó Kft. (Hungary) LLC EOS Finance Ukraine (Ukraine) EOS ÖID Inkasso-Dienst Ges.m.b.H. (Austria) EOS Information Services GmbH EOS Finance IFN S.A. (Romania) LLC EOS Ukraine (Ukraine) EOS Schweiz AG (Switzerland) EOS KSI Inkasso Deutschland GmbH EOS Investment Poland GmbH (Poland) EOS Solutions UK Plc (United Kingdom) EOS mercator inkasso GmbH EOS KSI România S.R.L. (Romania) EOS in Asia EOS Spain, S. L. (Spain) EOS Payment Solutions GmbH EOS KSI Česká republika s.r.o. (Czech Republic) EOS CreditCN Credit Management (Beijing) Ltd. (China) Zahnärztekasse AG (Switzerland) EOS Serviceline GmbH EOS KSI upravljanje terjatev d.o.o. (Slovenia) EOS Hong Kong Ltd. (China) EOS SID Süddeutscher Inkasso-Dienst GmbH EOS KSI Polska Spółka z o.o. (Poland) EOS VIK – EOS Verlegerinkasso GmbH EOS KSI Slovensko, s.r.o. (Slovakia) EOS Consolidated: Sales development in million EUR *EOS market entries in recent months, as at 01.07. 2011 EOS Matrix DOO (Serbia) Publication details Published by KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co Corporate Communications Steindamm 71, 20099 Hamburg, Germany Telephone: +49 40 2532-8657 Telefax: +49 40 2532-8658 Internet: www.eos-solutions.com 10.05 a.m. 7.53 a.m. 1.30 p.m. Contact KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co Lara Flemming (Overall responsibility) Head of Corporate Communications & Marketing Email: l.flemming@eos-solutions.com Berit Ewald (Project management) Senior Public Relations Consultant Email: b.ewald@eos-solutions.com Editorial Content 12.15 p.m. Maja Alfke Helmut Broeg Claudia Gottschalk Denkspot, Kathrin Thomsen, www.denkspot.de Storydock : Redaktionsbüro, Dörte Schmidt Sommer-Texte, Melanie Sommer 9.30 a.m. Design Matthias Welker (Concept) Claim GmbH, www.claim.de Lisa Mäkinen (Art Director) Square Media GmbH, www.squaremedia.de Grindelberg 77, 20144 Hamburg, Germany 04 A day at EOS Creation Carolin Westner (Project management) Claim GmbH, www.claim.de Contents Picture credits Our new iPad app gives you even more Photographer: Sebastian Vollmert The wood used for this paper comes from responsibly managed forests, certified compliant with the guidelines of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®). Insights Other pictures: Gettyimages (p. 3 bottom, S. 21), istockphoto (p. 13 top, middle, p. 23, p. 27 bottom, p. 39), panthermedia (p. 11 right), shutterstock (p. 13 bottom, p. 27 middle, p. 36, p. 38 left), PR EOS: p. 3 (bottom right), p. 27 top, p. 30 to 34, p. 38 right Infographics: Square Media GmbH Date of publication: 1 September 2011 Disclaimer of warranty This report contains statements relating to the future which are based on assumptions and estimates by the company management. Although the management assumes that these anticipatory statements are realistic, it cannot guarantee that the expectations will turn out to be correct. The assumptions can involve risks and uncertainties which might result in the actual results deviating significantly from the anticipatory statements. If the report contains editorial mistakes or is incomplete in some respects, KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co shall assume no liability or guarantee for this. KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co has made no plans for any update of the anticipatory statements or any correction of, or addition to, the annual report and shall accept no obligation to do so. KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co nevertheless reserves the right to update the report at any time without making any specific announcement. In the event of contradictions between the German and English versions of the annual report, the German version shall take precedence. Preface by Hans-Werner Scherer KG EOS Holding GmbH & Co Steindamm 71 | 20099 Hamburg | Germany Phone: +49 40 2532-8657 Fax: +49 40 2532-8658 www.eos-solutions.com The EOS Group in 2010/11 insight into a typical day at work at EOS worldwide: background information about 06 EOS Field Services The Fiat Bank utilises EOS’s articles, employee reports as well as facts competence for debt collection in the field and the and figures are recovery of vehicles all available for 09 Combined studies Collaboration between EOS and download free the Hamburg School of Business Administration (HSBA) of charge. Have 10 New markets Companies founded in Bosnia and fun discovering everything! Herzegovina, Ukraine and China 13 News EOS news in brief 14 EOS CreditCN The website operator Sohu.com With head and heart in finance delegates receivables to the Asian EOS company based in Beijing