Swiss companies identify quality as the strongest driver of success. In a UBS survey conducted in April 2025, firms gave quality and reliability of products and services an average of 30.7 points out of 100, far ahead of brand awareness and reputation (14.7 points) and flexibility and adaptability (14.6 points).
Competitive pricing ranked fourth with 14.3 points, viewed more as a basic necessity than a differentiating factor.
The findings reflect that many Swiss companies operate in niche markets, allowing them to avoid head-to-head price competition with low-cost providers.
To stay competitive, businesses have concentrated on brand building, market expansion, and efficiency improvements.
About half of the surveyed companies cited efforts to increase brand awareness and enter new markets or launch new products.
Efficiency gains through digitalization and automation were reported by 43%, while 31% had introduced artificial intelligence, the brokerage said.
Price cuts, mergers and acquisitions, and relocation abroad were far less common, at 23%, 9%, and 4% respectively.
Over the next three years, companies plan to accelerate investments in artificial intelligence, while shutting down units and slashing core product prices remain last-resort measures.
“Swiss companies benefit from “Swissness,” as the Swiss brand is strongly associated with high quality, reliability, and precision,” UBS added.
However, the UBS study shows that this national image is secondary to the actual delivery of reliable products, scoring just 9 points as a success factor.
Meanwhile, government support such as subsidies and tax breaks was rated even lower at 6 points, underlining that companies rely primarily on their own initiatives. Only less competitive firms placed higher importance on government aid, while stronger companies emphasized self-reliance and proactive strategies.
Financing capacity is another crucial factor. Larger firms and highly export-oriented companies tend to have more resources to pursue innovation, sustainability, and digitalization initiatives.
By contrast, smaller or less competitive businesses face financial constraints that often push them toward short-term measures such as cost-cutting, exiting business areas, or forming partnerships to offset disadvantages, the brokerage said.
Source :
https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/what-are-the-keys-to-success-of-swiss-companies-4204694
