Industry software check: Clear answers to your questions about industry solutions!

Selecting and implementing the right industry software can be a real challenge for businesses. We therefore asked digitalisation expert Heiko Fischer from www.100prozent.digital (Website in German) about this topic. In his work, he has been supporting craft businesses on their path to digitalisation for many years, providing specific recommendations for action, designing workshops and passing on his knowledge directly to decision-makers in the companies.

In this interview, Heiko Fischer provides clear answers to key questions about industry solutions. Among other things, we talked about selection criteria, economic and practical aspects of implementation, and the most important features and functions that a modern, future-proof industry solution in a craft business must have today.

Heiko Fischer, craft entrepreneurs have to fulfil different roles every day in the workshop, on the construction site and in the office. How can industry software specifically alleviate this ‘analogue stress’?

Company management must always have an overview of their business. My uncle had a steel construction company in the last century. The overview of his company, which had around 70 employees at its peak, was in his head. His ‘data sources’ were senior employees and filing cabinets. That is not the idea of an overview that I have today for a sustainable company. Industry software is technologically capable of providing an overview at the touch of a button – provided that the right data is recorded correctly!

How do entrepreneurs recognise the right time to invest in industry software?

When they feel that everything is becoming too much and they are literally ‘in over their heads’. At this point, at the latest, it is time to think about the company in general. The question of how technology can help should be addressed quickly. Whether it is the right time depends on other factors, such as: Am I ready to change? Am I ready to invest? Am I ready to deal with resistance from my employees, to name just a few.

What key criteria must modern industry software for window construction, woodworking, etc. meet in order to be future-proof and protect the investment or make it economically sustainable?

When answering this question, I am not necessarily concerned with the functions. Other criteria play an important role in assessing future viability, for example:
- How was the software programmed and how old is the database it works with?
- Is the software ‘pure cloud’ software?
- Can users be easily removed and/or added?
- Is there a dashboard that can be customised to suit individual needs?
- Are the common interfaces available?

The list could be extended a little further. It is important to know that there is more to assess than ‘just’ the functions.

What current national or regional subsidy programmes can a company still take advantage of today to reduce the cost burden of new industry software?

The following important points can be made about the subsidy programmes:

1. The focus is on consulting subsidies. This means that the subsidy providers want to ensure that external consultants can help to increase the know-how in the companies more quickly.
2. There are few programmes that subsidise investment, e.g. in hardware and software.
3. There is only one nationwide subsidy programme. If you want more, you have to find out about the respective funding measures in your federal state.

In your opinion, how important is the integration of artificial intelligence in the field of industry software?

AI is a big hype topic at the moment. First of all, AI definitely has advantages when used correctly, for example in standardised processes. To do this, AI needs consistent data. This is lacking in many companies. I believe that software providers need to integrate AI into their products. I am not a fan of complex systems with different tools and interfaces.

Finally, what is your recommendation? What advice would you give to entrepreneurs when they talk to software providers?

I think it is important to be prepared for the discussions. You should know what you are looking for and already be aware of your software requirements. Then you can have much more concrete discussions.

Thank you very much for these insightful tips!

More tips and practical knowledge from Heiko Fischer on the subject of industry software will be available live in the Zukunftsraum (Future Room) at FENSTERRBAU FRONTALE + HOLZ-HANDWERK from 24 to 27 March 2026! Here you will also find innovative solutions, digital tools, trends and fresh ideas, live demonstrations, exciting presentations, lively expert interviews and a fully digitalised craft office that you can try out for yourself!