If your company is eligible, you can access a series of workshops and ongoing targeted support to help you to understand servitization, decide whether a services-led strategy is appropriate for your business, and implement the strategy should you choose to.
Introductory event
An introductory event to introduce the concept of servitization, explain how it might be beneficial to your business, and allow you to meet others who have servitized their companies. After this workshop you will be in a position to decide whether to continue with the programme, so it is beneficial to attend the ½-day event before considering the 2-day workshop described below.
These workshops are run at regular intervals; typically we run 6 to 8 per year.
See the events page for more details
2-Day Workshop
This is a company review, conducted through two workshops, which will involve an assessment of existing company activity and the identification of opportunities for the development of value and additional turnover through services. These workshops provide a more intensive experience to allow you to get under the skin of servitization and to begin to explore how your business might benefit and the changes required to do so. The two days are scheduled approximately 1-2 weeks apart to allow you time to digest the learning from day 1, carry out some analysis on your business and begin to prepare an action plan to aid the implementation of your servitization strategy. You must commit to attending both days of the workshop programme in order to participate.
See the events page for more details
Further support
Following completion of the 2-day workshop programme, there will be additional support available to SMEs that wish to adopt servitization, including targeted support to tackle specific issues, either one-to-one or in small groups.
Our target is to help at least 55 SMEs at this stage. More details will be available at the workshops.
Eligibility
Aston Business School has been awarded West Midland’s European Regional Development Fund monies which, along with part funding from the Business School itself, mean that we are able to provide support to manufacturing companies in the West Midlands that meet the relevant SME eligibility criteria.
The funding means that this support is provided free of charge, although you will need to contribute your time, energy and enthusiasm to participate fully.
The support takes the form of workshops, with supplementary one-to-one advice and guidance, if required.
To be eligible to participate, your company must:
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Have between 10 and 250 employees
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Operate in the manufacturing sector
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Be based in the West Midlands
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Have a turnover of less than €50m or a balance sheet of less than €43m
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Not be more than 25% by a non-SME.
A useful test to check whether your company is an eligible SME can be found at:
http://smetest.uwe.be/
Please contact us on 0121 204 3580 or servitization@aston.ac.uk if you have any queries regarding eligibility. If it transpires that you do not qualify, there may be alternative routes to access business support.
