Designed to inspire innovation: Panasonic’s Customer Experience Centre

Have you ever walked through the door of a building and been inspired? Some places can just do that to you. It could be home or your favourite hotel, a museum or entertainment space – even a place of worship. They can inspire you in many different ways, from being comforted to feeling challenged. When it comes to being inspired to innovate, the Customer Experience Centre (CXC) on the Panasonic Campus in Munich is our go-to place.

It was converted from an old factory production centre, so the building is nothing unusual to look at from the outside but from the moment you enter it hits you between the eyes. There is an immediate sense of modernism, energy and space. Everything about the design across the 6000sqm2 space has been considered and created to encourage inspiration and innovation.

Showcases all B2B offerings

Of course, all Panasonic’s business-to-business solutions are here to touch and see. From showcasing its comprehensive range of electro-mechanical components and systems, drives, and industrial robots through to pick-and-place machines for electronics manufacturing. In addition, it’s possible to get up close to solutions such as the range of rugged TOUGHBOOK mobile computing devices and professional broadcast and audio visual and collaboration technologies. They address business needs across a range of sectors such as manufacturing, the public sector, retail, media and entertainment, education, e-mobility, and smart living. Last, but not least, the latest innovative software solutions are on show from Panasonic companies, such as Zetes and BlueYonder. Powered by AI, in some cases, they are driving the industry with intelligent supply chain and logistics solutions.

When customers, partners and even Panasonic staff visit the CXC they are often staggered by the breadth of technology solutions on show. Here we can provide a glimpse of well-known products from around the world where Panasonic has important components inside – from the latest ebikes to the most sophisticated cooking appliances. Many visitors come to realise that their perception of the breadth of technology and software solutions that Panasonic provides was just tip of the iceberg.

So much more on offer

But the CXC is so much more than an amazing interactive showroom. It has a garage innovation hub where Panasonic, its customer and partners can come together to conceive new innovative solutions. It has labs to turn those concepts into prototypes and training centres to bring people up to speed with new innovations.

There are also the latest state-of-the-art facilities for events, conferences and hospitality – using Panasonic’s own market leading broadcast and AV equipment to enhance the experience. The facilities are used for hosting thought leadership forums on important industry topics facing our customers, such as the recent event on the Future of Supply Chain. It is also used to bring different Panasonic customers together from a variety of industry sectors to explore synergies. In the future, Panasonic is also keen to share these facilities with other businesses and universities in the region to enable further innovation.

To date, an estimated 1500 people have visited the CXC over the past 18 months and the venue has hosted more than 250 events. But it is not just physical visitors that can experience the facilities. As the way that we work changes, with more people working remotely and not travelling so much, the CXC has also adapted. A digital twin of the CXC has been created in the virtual world to enable visitors from around the world access to its facilities and events online.

The CXC will no doubt continue to adapt and evolve but at its heart its reason for being will always be to help inspire innovation…and that’s the sort of place we all need to visit from time to time. I hope that you too will find an opportunity to visit us one day. We would love to welcome and inspire you.