Most surface analytical techniques like photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) have left their academic origins and are routinely applied in university and industry laboratories. Whereas in former times most analyses were performed at model systems having only one or few known compounds, nowadays surface analytical techniques are used to solve daily occurring problems in industrial environments. Materials to be analyzed in these cases mostly contain several components and the respective samples may have undergone additional surface treatments. The talk will concentrate on the special requirements to be dealt with when working on practical problem solving. Issues covered will include sample preparation, selection of the suited analytical technique, set-up of the equipment and data evaluation. Case studies taken from semiconductor and glass industry will be used to explain how both, XPS and TOF-SIMS, can successfully be used to solve "real world" problems.