FM: Mr. Detsch, before we worked together, there was the architecture firm Holzmüller & Detsch. They came to us with the idea of repositioning themselves. What was your motivation for taking this step?
BD: Holzmüller & Detsch had existed since 1982 and was therefore a well-established brand. I have been a co-owner since 2014 and took over all shares in 2022 as part of a succession plan. In advance, of course, I thought about what I would change as the sole owner. When a company has existed for 40 years and is successful, many people have done a good job. But there was also a desire from the workforce to accompany the change in management with a new direction. This included a different understanding of customers and a redesign of the brand image as a visible sign of change.
FM: That means you have consciously involved your team in the change process.
BD: Definitely, otherwise it wouldn't have worked. The team was and is always present when changes are discussed and decided. Of course, as managing director, I have to make the final decisions and also be responsible for the financial consequences, but the team has a firm say in us.
A solution with my name would have been too self-related. <span class="quote-author">Bernd Detsch, Owner and Managing Director of KUPFERGRAU Architekten</span>
FM: What were the characteristics of the change?
BD: At first, a new name wasn't even up for discussion. We didn't want to change by 180 degrees, but rather realign ourselves in a dosed manner. We knew we had good customers. Our strategy was to focus on these customers. Conversely, this meant that we no longer wanted to provide as intensive support to customers with whom the cooperation was less smooth. Of course, only when the contractually agreed services were provided professionally.
FM: Did the strategy work?
BD: Today, we have 80 percent regular customers who ask for advice again and again, even between their construction phases. For me, this is a sign that we have done a few things right. Another sign of change was that we were expanding our team and I was handing over more and more responsibility. I was now the sole managing director and was faced with the choice of working twice as much or handing over half of my job. I chose the latter.
FM: When did the idea of changing the name and brand image come about as well?
BD: It became clear little by little that they wanted something new here too. A change of name to “Bernd Detsch Architekten” would have been obvious, but I didn't want that. I may be the head of the company, but without my team I can't deliver the performance we want to offer our customers.
Another argument was that future partners should also identify themselves with the company name. A solution with my name would have been too self-related.
FM: They then opted for “Kupfergrau”. How did this come about and what do you associate with the name?
BD: It took a quarter of a year to come up with the name. Kupfergrau combines material and color, an architect's most important work tools. Concrete is one of our favorite materials and copper has a wonderful look that goes well with concrete. At some point, the name was written on a piece of paper. I slept on it three more times and still liked it. Fortunately, I was also able to convince the team so that we had a solution. Of course, we had to get used to the name first, but within a few months, we were all Kupfergrau.
FM: You first presented the new brand image to your team. Why?
BD: It was absolutely clear to me that my team would not be allowed to hear such changes from the press or from colleagues in the industry.
FM: How did your customers react to the changes?
BD: It was all there – incomprehension, confusion, praise. There were questions as to whether the known contacts would remain, what is behind the name, and who is now managing director. We were able to answer all of this quickly, so that the acceptance was very good in the end.
FM: What does the Kupfergrau brand image express to you today, two years after its introduction?
BD: The brand creates identity. It grounds me and gives me the good feeling that we have succeeded.
FM: When choosing a name, how important was the consideration that there should also be a period after Bernd Detsch for the company?
BD: That's how we think here at Kupfergrau and so do I personally. Our prospects are long-term. This also means that I don't know whether my daughter will study architecture one day and continue running the company or whether an employee will do so. This solution gives me full freedom. It is not important to me to be in the foreground, but that we are all perceived as a brand and that the work we deliver as a team simply fits.
FM: In a workshop here in Bergwerk, you then addressed the topic of values. How did you experience this day?
BD: It was necessary because we wanted to put our change on solid foundations. From a variety of possible values, we have identified and made tangible those that stand for us. It was an interesting glimpse of ourselves.
FM: Do you think that this kind of internal look could also work without an external partner?
BD: It takes a sparring partner, time and a relaxed atmosphere. After the workshop, we further condensed the team's values. Today, we are guided by three values: Trust, Responsibility and Innovation.
The values workshop was an interesting look into our inner self. <span class="quote-author">Bernd Detsch, Owner and Managing Director of KUPFERGRAU Architekten</span>
FM: Becoming aware of one's values and living them is becoming an increasingly important factor, especially in recruiting.
BD: Younger applicants in particular today have different criteria for choosing an employer. For example, they pay attention to how a company presents itself on social media. Is there a concept behind it or do you feel that it is being done on the side? We have an internal team that follows a social media strategy for recruiting. That works. In our experience, all other measures are useless and only burn money. Social media and personal recommendations work best. Job interviews are now about values and sustainability. That didn't happen five or ten years ago.
FM: To what extent do your values influence the choice of a business partner?
BD: In the past 20 years, there have certainly been customers with whom we haven't worked so well. The reason was that they were contrary to our values. We did not offer them any more plans after the project was completed. Even when everything around us is changing, we must remain true to our values.
FM: There are certainly similarities between your work as an architect and ours as a brand agency. For example: The customer must be able to fully identify with the result.
BD: We have many customers who come to us with clear ideas. These ideas are often shaped by images they have seen on social media. But they're just pictures. We want to determine what the perfect building must be designed for this customer. The client should not have to worry about details. If the concept and function are right, the customer will identify with their building.
FM: Brand work is also not limited to appearance, but touches all senses. One example from retail is olfactory perception.
BD: This is also being experimented with in architecture, for example in kindergartens or sports halls. Focusing solely on the visual aspect would have fallen far too short. Think of the feel, of how different materials feel. I touch every object myself to get a feel for it. It's an occupational disease. When a builder tells me that the house is exactly as he imagined it, he automatically takes all senses into account.
FM: What advice do you give entrepreneurs who want to address the topic of brands?
BD: They need time and they need to know where they want to go. When it's fun to come to the office every day, the goal is achieved.
FM: How did you experience working with Bergwerk?
BD: It was a challenge like sparring. I don't need yes-men, I need friction and contrast. It's the only way processes get started, it's the only way I can question things and develop myself.
This text was translated automatically.
- Employees: 45
- Completed projects: 1,250 (since 1982)*
*As of November 2023
