Dr. Holzhauser focuses on the special customer proximity of medium-sized family businesses. Interviews with experts and case studies will be used to find out how family businesses of different sizes analyze their customers. The focus is on companies in the automotive supply industry, which often have to deal with high dependencies on their customers. The aim is to investigate why, despite the high level of dependency, the customer base is often insufficiently analyzed. Based on this, the consequences of inadequate customer analysis and the changes that can be brought about as a result will be examined. The aim of the work is to develop a form of strategic customer analysis that is particularly relevant for medium-sized family businesses and can be implemented despite limited management resources. The central concern of the project is to ensure its suitability for medium-sized companies and to offer suggestions for action.