The Düsseldorf corporate platform - The basic philosophy

The 'Virtual SME Office' of the state capital Düsseldorf – why?

– because SMEs are the engine of our economy!

SMEs employ 70% of the labour force in Germany and are responsible for 41% of the turnover generated; many SMEs are even global leaders in their sectors. In addition, SMEs provide 80% of all apprenticeship places in Germany and thus make a significant positive contribution to the future. SMEs are one of the fundamental pillars of the economy, including and particularly in Düsseldorf.

99% of all companies in Düsseldorf have fewer than 500 employees and are thus SMEs. With around 38,000 companies, SMEs in Düsseldorf provide around three quarters of the approx. 470,000 jobs in the city!

– because precise and prompt decisions and procedures make investments easier and safeguards jobs!

We want to focus even more strongly and closely on SMEs in our public services. More than ever before, we want to tailor our services to the requirements of our 'customers' – particularly the SMEs in Düsseldorf. We want to help them even more and even better in finding their way around the 'administrative maze' so that the role of SMEs can develop further in the long-term as the 'engine of jobs'!

– because we want to assume more responsibility for our 'customers', for the development of SMEs!

We do of course want to ensure constitutional procedures are complied with; however, our main focus is to be on 'results orientation'; we want to bring to the fore the perspective of the 'end client of bureaucracy', his or her requirements and the assistance needed. We want to think not only in problems but also in solutions for SMEs.

– because we want to consistently eliminate excessive and expensive bureaucracy!

Excessive bureaucracy is often the number one obstacle to investment for many SMEs. With our basic philosophy of the 'Virtual SME Office', with all its SME-relevant departments and facilities of the state capital, we want to work every day in our mindset, in our offices and at our desks towards securing and developing jobs and promoting investments in our city in the best possible way.

We want to remain in top position in the competition between business locations with such an enhanced performance of the overall administration. 

Despite all the 'third party influence' resulting from specifications by the EU, the federal government and the state of NRW, we want to make our own contribution to offering the best and promptest service and assistance within the realm of our capabilities.

For this purpose, we are not setting up any new office with furniture and folders: We are implementing the basic philosophy of our 'Virtual SME Office' at every desk in our administration, where decisions and solutions for SME are a daily agenda item!

– because we want to consistently develop our e-government services further to offer added convenience for your customers!

Companies and municipal administrations are increasingly using online means to communicate; this ensures faster and better decisions. We want to specifically develop these options further, also against the background of the EU Services Directive, the standardised national call number 115, which is to be expected soon, and further developments in the IT sector up to dialogue-based and high-quality online procedures and decisions.

The development of the state capital into the
'Virtual SME Office'
is an important concern and a core aspect of

'Düsseldorfer Entfesselungsimpulse 2006' – German
(impulses for reducing bureaucracy in Düsseldorf)
(Brochure PDF file 1 MB).

These impulses and the 'Virtual SME Office' are to be a consistent contribution by the state capital to the 'Entfesselungsprogramm' ('bureaucracy reduction programme') which is a goal of the new state government for NRW overall.

In this way, we want to expand our already existing concepts and ensure our employees adopt this consistent new way of thinking at their individual workplaces:

• Virtual
  Companies should be able to access the services offered by the municipal administration quickly, not only from Düsseldorf, but also from any place in the world, irrespective of geographical location or time; this will mean that, in many cases, it will no longer be necessary to make a trip to the respective authorities in person.
• SME
  Small and medium-sized companies are the backbone of our economy. Giving them excellent and prompt service strengthens Düsseldorf as a business location and safeguards the future for us all.
• Office
  Outstanding service is available in the entire administration, in each office, with the help of competent contact persons, who will provide prompt assistance in the SME-relevant service areas of the state capital.
  

The 'Virtual SME Office' is a continuous process that is to be developed further through progressive IT technology and also through your suggestions and comments.

That is why we are asking and offering:

Please use the feedback option on the homepage of our company portal – with your assistance in particular, we will be able to align our services even more closely to your requirements .

Your state capital Düsseldorf