At the moment, I’m based in Hamburg at ITZ Bund, the information and technology service provider for all public authorities in Germany. Basically, what we do is to record all customs data. That means everything that comes in and out, in databases and access these source databases. The data is then enriched with other information. My part in it is to write three Java applications that collect tax and customs data. These applications are used by users, for example at customs or at the tax authorities, to research what was imported by whom, and by which company. All in all, cases can be processed more quickly through our work.

When I started very old applications were used in this field. We are now in the process of completely rewriting them. It quickly became clear that a new program was needed. I convinced the internal developers, and we have been working on the new development for a year now. Roughly speaking, these are applications for data analysis. There are three applications in total: a failure tool that should only be used when the others are not available. A tool for customs, which can be used, for example, to carry out crime checks. And another one is intended for the field of taxes; it focuses on processes such as tax audits. In fact, they are research tools, but of course customs are looking for different data than the tax authorities, so you need a separate application for each of them.

What I’m good at is talking diplomatically with clients, and generally with people. I believe that I am good at getting in touch with them. Trying to convince customers that their technologies and processes are no longer up to date can sometimes be a challenging. It’s important for me not to make emotional and rash decisions, but to think about how I can shake them up and convince them. It’s the only way for everyone to benefit.

In my opinion, the road to digitialization is only just beginning. But we are not yet an active part of it. Take the train or the autobahn and check your mobile phone reception. Drive through Switzerland, where you partly drive through mountains and valleys, Austria, France, you always find reception. Topic network availability, broadband connections – in Germany that’ s simply not worth mentioning. We are economically far ahead of other European countries, but when it comes to digitalization, we are clearly not. At public authorities, most processes are outdated, the people there, work with old programs. It is simply time to go one step further, but many are stuck in the past. And that’s where the point would be to wake them up and say: “Hey there is a way to do your job better, faster, easier”. I’m trying to contribute with my work to help them move forward. But at the moment I honestly don’t see that Germany could be in a pioneering role.

The Germans love pen and paper. And security is always an important aspect. It’s simply necessary to show that security can be guaranteed despite digitalization. After all, the issue of data protection is much more in focus in Germany. On the one hand, this is slowing things down, but on the other hand it’s good that so much emphasis is placed on it in Germany. You just have to find a way to teach people that one thing does not exclude the other. We can become more digital and faster without letting data protection fall behind. The perception of digitalization is a misconception. You just have to work on communication regarding this issue.

This is a great vision, we have to fight our way forward to be able to actively participate in shaping it. We have the opportunity to convince and open eyes to show how things can be optimized. Germany needs a digital future and we can definitely contribute to it.

A lot of things actually fail, as I said, because we do not have a proper access to the Internet, and we do not have network coverage. The best example is Corona, because there are many people working in their home office, and many have problems there. When I want to access the customer’s desktop from home, it becomes clear that either the customer’s or my Internet connection is super slow. On business trips, for example, when we’re on the train, you want to do some work, boom, the Internet connection is gone. You always have to make sure that you can do something offline. And that’s where it would start for me, that an Internet connection is made available to everyone and that nationwide network coverage can be guaranteed.

Of course, I am still hoping. I believe that more can happen through the new 5G development and the rights allocation of the network. Most providers have definitely recognized the problem. I hope that politicians will not make the same mistakes in the future. In the past, the cost of rights allocation was simply too high and therefore it was not as lucrative to expand the network in Germany. I am convinced that the next generations of politicians will be the ones who have grown up with these problems. No longer those for whom the telephone is the thing hanging on the string.