International growth requires more than a local IT partner

Every time Diana Langer checks into a hotel, she has the same routine. Before looking for the breakfast room or checking her agenda, she first finds the gym. Sport is not just a hobby, it is part of her daily routine. The same discipline is reflected in her role as Vice President International Operations at Bechtle AG.

For more than 25 years, Diana has helped shape Bechtle's international development. What started as a company with a strong position in Germany has grown into an IT partner with a solid European presence and a global partner network. During the event Discover Bechtle's International Strength, she shared her vision on that journey. Not to explain how large Bechtle has become, but to show what that international strength means for customers today.

International growth brings opportunities, but also increasing complexity. Organisations have to deal with different suppliers, local legislation, varying user expectations and teams operating across multiple countries. This raises an important question: how do you stay in control without losing local flexibility? According to Diana, the answer starts with the way organisations collaborate.

Many organisations expand internationally step by step. A new office, an acquisition or expansion into another country creates new opportunities, but it also increases the complexity of the IT organisation. New contracts, different procurement processes, local compliance requirements and varying expectations make it increasingly difficult to deliver the same level of quality everywhere.

“Many people assume that international growth automatically means centralisation,” Diana explains. “But that is certainly not always the best solution.” According to Diana, there is no universal blueprint for international IT. Every organisation is different. Some customers benefit from central governance, while others want to retain a high degree of local autonomy. In reality, the right approach usually lies somewhere in between.

That is why Bechtle never starts with a predefined model. It starts by listening. “We first want to understand what our customers really need. Only then can we determine the right international approach together.”

"Act local, think global" forms the foundation of Bechtle's international strategy. For Diana, it is much more than a slogan. It describes the way Bechtle works with international customers every day. “Local teams stay close to the customer. They speak the language, understand the market and know the day-to-day reality. Behind that local point of contact is a much larger international network of specialists, vendors and colleagues who share knowledge and work together on the same customer challenges. Our customers want a partner who understands them. Someone who is present locally while also being able to support them internationally.”

According to Diana, this combination is Bechtle’s greatest strength. Customers benefit from the personal engagement of a local IT partner while also gaining access to the scale, expertise and international capabilities of a European organisation.

This also means that international service delivery does not have to look the same everywhere. What works well in the Netherlands may not automatically be the best solution for a site in France, Spain or Poland. That is why Bechtle looks beyond standardisation alone and always considers what is needed locally to achieve the best outcome.

During the event, Diana repeatedly emphasised that international collaboration is not about centralising as many processes as possible. Quite the opposite. In some situations, central governance delivers the greatest benefits. In others, local decision-making is more important. The real challenge is finding the right balance.

“Our role is not to apply one model to every customer. Our role is to work together with the customer to determine which approach fits best,” Diana explains. “That flexibility is only possible because Bechtle is organised internationally. Local teams remain responsible for the customer relationship, while international specialists provide support wherever needed. This creates an approach that grows with the customer's organisation, rather than forcing the customer to adapt to ours.”

According to Diana, this is exactly what international organisations expect today: not a rigid structure, but a partner that can adapt to different countries, organisations and ways of working.

For customers, working with Bechtle often feels surprisingly straightforward. They have one trusted point of contact and short communication lines, but behind the scenes much more is happening. International colleagues work together every day, exchange experiences across countries and continuously build on each other's knowledge. Best practices are actively shared between teams, while new solutions are first tested locally before being rolled out more broadly.

International initiatives such as the Global IT Alliance (GITA) also play an important role. They connect countries, vendors and specialist expertise, enabling customers to benefit from consistent support, even when their organisation spans multiple countries or continents.

As Diana puts it: “Our strength? Combining local engagement with international capabilities.” Customers do not have to manage that international complexity themselves. Bechtle coordinates it behind the scenes, allowing organisations to enjoy the best of both worlds: a trusted local relationship backed by international expertise.

One thing stood out during Diana's presentation: it was hardly about technology. Of course, IT solutions play an important role. But according to Diana, successful international collaboration is never driven by technology alone. “It is about trust, relationships and people who know how to connect and share knowledge.”

That applies not only to customers, but also within Bechtle itself. By working closely together across countries, colleagues continuously exchange ideas, learn from one another and build better solutions. Connecting people is one of Bechtle's greatest strengths. It is the common thread throughout Diana's vision. International growth is not primarily a technical challenge; it is a human one. Technology creates possibilities, but collaboration is what makes them successful.

After more than 25 years at Bechtle, Diana still sees the same ambition throughout the organisation: to keep learning, sharing knowledge and growing together. She concludes with a quote that perfectly captures her vision: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”.

The same applies to international organisations. Sustainable international growth is not achieved by centralising everything or applying the same model everywhere. It is achieved by combining local engagement, international collaboration and shared expertise. That is exactly where Bechtle makes the difference: as an IT partner that stays close to its customers locally while providing the international capabilities organisations need to grow confidently across borders.

Discover how Bechtle combines local expertise with international capabilities to support organisations across borders. Get in touch with one of our specialists or download our whitepaper to learn more.