Content-based differentiation of product ranges in the German energy recording and billing industry according to the legal situation in Germany

AuszugDue to the heavily technology-driven product development practice in the German energy recording and billing industry, new products are frequently not tested for acceptance by the housing and real estate industry before their actual market launch. In the last few years, however, an increasing demand has emerged for innovative products which cater to the needs and requirements of the housing and real estate industry. Therefore a future product development policy which is significantly more market-driven than in the past would make sense. In the paragraphs below, the author describes the various products offered by the German energy recording and billing industry, making a distinction between products prescribed by law (mandatory products) and products not prescribed by law (optional products). The objective is to obtain a clear overview of the current diversity in products available from the industry, and to derive ideas and suggestions from it for future added-value products which are significantly more demand-oriented than the products currently on the market.