Open Access

Achim Kampker, Marco Husmann, Philipp Jussen, Laura Schwerdt

• Traditional manufacturing companies increasingly launch data-driven services (DDS) to enhance their digital service portfolio. Nonetheless, data-driven services fail more often than traditional industrial services or products within the first year on the market. In terms of market launch, their digital characteristics differ from traditional industrial services and thus need specific structures and actions, which companies currently lack. Therefore, a process guideline for a six-month market launch phase of DDS is developed. The guideline relies on analogies from product, service and software launches based on the latest literature from service marketing and successful practices from various industries. Finally, the guideline is evaluated within five industrial case studies. Thus, the guideline provides scientific research insights regarding the market launch process of DDS and adds to the research of service marketing. It provides practical guidance for manufacturing companies by serving as a reference process for the market launch and offering a collection of successful practices within this area.