ALSO Holding Bundle
Who are ALSO Holding AG's customers?
Understanding customer demographics and target markets is crucial for sustained success, especially in the fast-paced technology sector. A major shift towards cloud-based solutions and Everything-as-a-Service (XaaS) has impacted companies like ALSO Holding AG, making it vital to know their customer base to navigate this change effectively.
ALSO Holding AG, established in 1984 and based in Emmen, Switzerland, has transformed from an IT product distributor into a leading technology provider. It now functions as a B2B marketplace for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry, offering a broad ecosystem of logistics, financial, and IT services.
The company's customer base primarily consists of B2B partners, including resellers, system integrators, and IT service providers. These partners, in turn, serve end-customers across various industries. While ALSO still handles transactional sales of hardware and software, a significant portion of its business, particularly in the 'Service' division, focuses on subscription-based cloud offerings and digital platforms for areas like IoT, cybersecurity, and AI. This evolution means their partners are increasingly looking for digital solutions and services to meet the demands of their own customers in a digital-first world. Analyzing these dynamics can be further understood through an ALSO Holding Porter's Five Forces Analysis.
Who Are ALSO Holding’s Main Customers?
The primary customer segments for ALSO Holding Company are exclusively business-to-business (B2B) entities within the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. The company operates as a crucial intermediary, connecting over 800 vendors with approximately 135,000 resellers. This channel-driven approach means ALSO does not engage directly with end-users but rather supports its partners in enhancing their own and their clients' technological capabilities.
IT Resellers: Broad Product Needs
IT resellers represent a core segment, seeking a unified source for a wide array of products. This includes hardware, software, and essential IT services, streamlining their procurement processes.
Hosters & MSPs: Cloud and Digital Transformation Focus
Hosters and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are increasingly prioritizing subscription-based cloud offerings and digital platforms. They aim for scalable solutions and require support in transitioning to managed service models.
ISVs & SIs: Solution Design and Service Expansion
Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and System Integrators (SIs) utilize ALSO's expertise to build and implement comprehensive IT solutions. They leverage the company's building blocks to expand their service portfolios, particularly in specialized areas.
Shift to Solutions and Digital Platforms
There has been a significant evolution from transactional sales to a solutions-oriented approach, with a strong emphasis on digital platforms and cloud services. This strategic shift is driving substantial growth in these areas.
Growth in Digital Offerings
The company's digital platforms, including cloud, AI, and cybersecurity, have shown disproportionately strong performance. This focus is a direct response to the ongoing digital transformation trends within the IT industry.
- In the last three months of 2024, ALSO achieved its best EBITDA result, largely driven by these digital segments.
- For the first half of 2025, the cloud platform saw a 34% increase in unique users.
- The cloud platform generated €845 million in revenue during the first half of 2025.
- This demonstrates a clear market demand for advanced technological solutions and services.
The customer demographics for ALSO Holding Company are defined by their business needs and their role within the ICT value chain. The company's target market consists of businesses that require robust IT infrastructure, software solutions, and managed services to operate and grow. Understanding the specific requirements of IT resellers, Hosters, MSPs, ISVs, and SIs is crucial for tailoring offerings and support. This focus on channel partners allows ALSO to effectively serve a broad range of end-customers indirectly, facilitating their digital transformation journeys. The strategic pivot towards digital platforms and cloud services reflects the evolving landscape and the increasing demand for scalable, modern IT solutions, a trend also observed in the broader Competitors Landscape of ALSO Holding.
ALSO Holding SWOT Analysis
- Complete SWOT Breakdown
- Fully Customizable
- Editable in Excel & Word
- Professional Formatting
- Investor-Ready Format
What Do ALSO Holding’s Customers Want?
The primary needs and preferences of ALSO Holding Company's B2B clientele are centered on enhancing operational efficiency, achieving scalability, and gaining access to a diverse and continuously updated technology portfolio. Customers also highly value expert guidance in navigating the complexities of digital transformation.
Efficiency and Scalability
Customers seek to streamline procurement and optimize operations. They need solutions that can grow with their business needs.
Technology Portfolio Access
Access to a broad range of hardware, software, and IT services is crucial. This includes a growing demand for subscription-based cloud offerings and digital platforms.
Expert Support
Navigating digital transformation requires expert support. Customers rely on partners for guidance in adopting new technologies.
Risk Reduction and Opportunity
Purchasing decisions are driven by the desire to minimize risks and identify new business opportunities. This often translates to seeking comprehensive solutions.
Ease of Integration and Support
Key decision-making criteria include ease of integration and reliable support. Competitive pricing also plays a significant role.
Psychological and Practical Drivers
Customers are motivated by the need to remain competitive and optimize operational efficiency. They aim to expand service portfolios without substantial capital outlay.
The company's B2B customers, including Managed Service Providers (MSPs), System Integrators (SIs), and Value Added Resellers (VARs), seek a comprehensive 'one-stop shop' for their IT needs. This encompasses hardware, software, and a wide array of IT services, with a notable increase in demand for cloud-based solutions and digital transformation services. The psychological drivers for these customers include maintaining a competitive edge in a dynamic market, while practical motivations involve enhancing operational efficiency and expanding their service offerings. Aspirational goals often involve leveraging cutting-edge technologies to deliver complete IT solutions to their own clients, embracing Everything-as-a-Service (XaaS) models, and unlocking new revenue streams. Common challenges addressed by the company include the complexity of managing multiple vendors, the necessity for robust logistics and financial services, and the difficulty of keeping pace with rapid technological advancements in areas like AI and cybersecurity. The company's extensive ecosystem, cultivated over approximately 13 to 14 years, directly tackles these pain points by offering a unified platform for technology procurement, sales, and management, complemented by essential financial and logistical support. Market feedback and evolving trends, particularly the surge in demand for cloud and digital transformation solutions, have been instrumental in shaping the company's product development, leading to a strategic emphasis on its Service division. The company tailors its support, assisting MSPs with migration strategies and process flows to transition to service-oriented models. For SIs and VARs, it provides the technical services and foundational components required to design and deploy intricate IT infrastructures, enabling them to broaden their service portfolios even when facing resource limitations. Furthermore, the provision of white-label solutions, such as 'myStore,' allows partners to seamlessly integrate products into their existing systems or establish their own digital marketplaces, underscoring the company's commitment to bolstering its customers' sales and marketing endeavors. This approach reflects a deep understanding of the customer demographics for ALSO Holding Company and the specific needs within the ALSO Holding target market.
Addressing Partner Challenges
The company actively addresses common pain points faced by its partners. These include the complexity of vendor management and the need to stay abreast of technological advancements.
- Managing multiple vendors
- Staying current with technologies like AI and cybersecurity
- Need for robust logistics and financial services
- Complexity of digital transformation
ALSO Holding PESTLE Analysis
- Covers All 6 PESTLE Categories
- No Research Needed – Save Hours of Work
- Built by Experts, Trusted by Consultants
- Instant Download, Ready to Use
- 100% Editable, Fully Customizable
Where does ALSO Holding operate?
The geographical market presence of ALSO Holding Company is extensive, with operations primarily in 30 European countries and a reach extending to 144 countries globally through Platform-as-a-Service partners. The company has a significant footprint in Eastern Europe and the Nordic region, and has recently expanded into Spain, Portugal, and Italy in 2023.
European Dominance and Global Reach
ALSO Holding Company operates across 30 European countries and extends its services to 144 nations worldwide via PaaS partners. This broad geographical spread underscores its commitment to a global market presence.
Strategic Market Entry and Growth
The company has historically focused on Eastern Europe and the Nordics, with recent strategic entries into Spain, Portugal, and Italy in 2023. Future growth is planned through acquisitions, such as the proposed acquisition of Westcoast in the UK, Ireland, and France in 2025.
Key Markets and Market Share
As of 2023, ALSO held approximately 10% of the European IT distribution market. Major operational hubs include Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands.
US Market Expansion and Cloud Focus
In February 2025, ALSO commenced operations in the US market with a cloud-centric model, targeting the world's largest economy. This move leverages the high cloud-application usage among its approximately 90 million commercial unique users.
Localized Market Strategies
Regional economic factors, such as consumer spending restraint in Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands, have influenced revenues, necessitating localized market approaches. Understanding the Mission, Vision & Core Values of ALSO Holding can provide context for these strategic decisions.
Digital Platform Growth
The company's digital platform offerings show significant growth, with cloud sales reaching €1.1 billion in 2024, a 31% increase, and unique users rising to 4.4 million. For the first half of 2025, cloud revenue grew by 28% to €845 million, with unique users increasing by 34% to 5.5 million.
ALSO Holding Business Model Canvas
- Complete 9-Block Business Model Canvas
- Effortlessly Communicate Your Business Strategy
- Investor-Ready BMC Format
- 100% Editable and Customizable
- Clear and Structured Layout
How Does ALSO Holding Win & Keep Customers?
The company employs a multi-faceted strategy to attract and retain its B2B clients, focusing on its extensive ICT ecosystem, digital platforms, and value-added services. A key acquisition method involves its robust B2B marketplace, offering a wide array of hardware, software, and IT services from numerous vendors.
B2B Marketplace Acquisition
The company's B2B marketplace serves as a primary acquisition channel, providing resellers with a single source for over 800 vendors and 1,540 product categories. This comprehensive offering simplifies procurement for IT partners.
Digital Platform Focus
A strategic emphasis on digital platforms, including cloud, AI, and cybersecurity, attracts partners seeking to leverage cutting-edge technologies. This focus positions the company as a forward-thinking technology provider.
E-commerce Integration
The webshop facilitates product discovery and direct integration into partners' own shop systems via e-commerce services or white-label solutions like 'myStore'. This enables partners to efficiently 'Buy smart. Sell smart.'.
Transformation Narrative
Investor communications highlight the company's evolution from a transactional provider to a solution-oriented technology leader. This narrative indirectly attracts new partners seeking advanced capabilities and a more integrated approach.
Customer retention is bolstered by comprehensive support for partners in developing customized IT solutions and transitioning to new business models, such as Managed Service Providers. The company's commitment to sustainable processes, competent services, and flexible offerings like Everything-as-a-Service (XaaS), Workplace as a Service (WaaS), Device as a Service (DaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) fosters long-term partner relationships. Implicit in these efforts is the use of customer data and CRM systems to tailor offerings and marketing, ensuring relevance and enhancing customer experience. The growth in cloud platform users, which increased by 34% to 5.5 million in the first half of 2025, underscores the success of its digital platform strategy. Strategic acquisitions, such as the planned partnership with Westcoast in 2025, are intended to strengthen market position and expand the customer base. The company's consistent dividend increases, with a proposed 13th consecutive rise for 2025, also signal financial stability, which can enhance partner confidence and loyalty. These strategies collectively aim to maximize customer lifetime value and minimize churn by providing a continuously evolving and supportive ecosystem, as detailed in the Revenue Streams & Business Model of ALSO Holding article.
Loyalty Through Support
Comprehensive support for developing customized IT solutions and transitioning to new business models like Managed Service Providers is a key retention driver.
Sustainable & Competent Services
Emphasis on sustainable processes and competent services, alongside flexible 'as-a-Service' models, contributes to long-term partner relationships and customer loyalty.
Data-Driven Personalization
The implicit use of customer data and CRM systems allows for tailored marketing, product features, and customer experiences, ensuring relevant offerings and support.
Cloud Platform Growth
A significant increase in cloud platform users by 34% to 5.5 million in H1 2025 demonstrates the effectiveness of the digital platform strategy in attracting and retaining customers.
Strategic Expansion
Ongoing investments in the ecosystem, including strategic acquisitions like the planned partnership with Westcoast in 2025, aim to exploit market opportunities and strengthen the customer base.
Financial Stability Signal
Consistent dividend increases, with a proposed 13th consecutive rise for 2025, signal financial stability, which can indirectly enhance partner confidence and loyalty.
ALSO Holding Porter's Five Forces Analysis
- Covers All 5 Competitive Forces in Detail
- Structured for Consultants, Students, and Founders
- 100% Editable in Microsoft Word & Excel
- Instant Digital Download – Use Immediately
- Compatible with Mac & PC – Fully Unlocked
- What is Brief History of ALSO Holding Company?
- What is Competitive Landscape of ALSO Holding Company?
- What is Growth Strategy and Future Prospects of ALSO Holding Company?
- How Does ALSO Holding Company Work?
- What is Sales and Marketing Strategy of ALSO Holding Company?
- What are Mission Vision & Core Values of ALSO Holding Company?
- Who Owns ALSO Holding Company?
Disclaimer
All information, articles, and product details provided on this website are for general informational and educational purposes only. We do not claim any ownership over, nor do we intend to infringe upon, any trademarks, copyrights, logos, brand names, or other intellectual property mentioned or depicted on this site. Such intellectual property remains the property of its respective owners, and any references here are made solely for identification or informational purposes, without implying any affiliation, endorsement, or partnership.
We make no representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any content or products presented. Nothing on this website should be construed as legal, tax, investment, financial, medical, or other professional advice. In addition, no part of this site—including articles or product references—constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, advertisement, or offer to buy or sell any securities, franchises, or other financial instruments, particularly in jurisdictions where such activity would be unlawful.
All content is of a general nature and may not address the specific circumstances of any individual or entity. It is not a substitute for professional advice or services. Any actions you take based on the information provided here are strictly at your own risk. You accept full responsibility for any decisions or outcomes arising from your use of this website and agree to release us from any liability in connection with your use of, or reliance upon, the content or products found herein.