The Zehnder Group: the heat is on with Selligent
The Zehnder Group is a leading supplier of radiators and comfort-ventilation systems. It runs subsidiaries and branches throughout Europe, the USA and China, and the quality of its products and services explains much of its success in that fiercely competitive market. Innovation and know-how are at the core of Zehnder’s philosophy. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that Zehnder is also keen on forward-looking solutions when it comes to organizing its in-house processes.
Cornelia HaldemannCRM-Projektmanager
“From our perspective, Selligent was head and shoulders above the rest, as it supported most European languages, could accommodate each Business Unit’s data-presentation and data-management preferences, and provided cleanly detached offline support for itinerant staff out in the field.”
“The fact that future users were involved right from the outset proved particularly helpful. It helped them adopt the system.”
“Leading-edge technology compounded with a sound understanding of the industry was the key to a rapid, productive solution.”
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Selection: users have their say
The need to improve in-house communication (especially with field employees) prompted Zehnder to look at setting up a Group-wide CRM solution. That solution, they decided, would also supersede the existing systems in two of its Market Business Units, and would be introduced to other Market Business Units together with a new ERP system in due course. First of all, to guarantee the CRM project’s success, Zehnder screened potential suppliers using a list of specs and making sure its major Market Business Units played a substantial part in the selection process. Together with the system’s future users, it short-listed four CRM products – including Selligent Xi, which ultimately came out on top of the steep competition. After about seven months of trials, the future CRM system was adopted throughout the Group. Zehnder also saw the close cooperation between Selligent and BOWI, Selligent’s implementation partner, as a distinct advantage. Leading-edge technology compounded with a sound understanding of the industry, Zehnder inferred, was the key to a rapid, productive solution. CRM project manager Cornelia Haldemann was responsible for the selection process through to operational implementation. In her words, “What clinched it for us was the combination of the vertical expertise of the implementation partner, BOWI, and the flexibility of the Selligent CRM system. From our perspective, the Selligent CRM solution was head and shoulders above the rest, as it supported most European languages, could accommodate each Business Unit’s data-presentation and data-management preferences, and provided cleanly detached offline support for itinerant staff out in the field.” One key factor for Zehnder was that the basic industry-specific functionalities implemented in the first project only needed to be adapted to the special requirements of each Business Unit for the follow-up projects.
Strength in numbers
The first pilot project, involving 70 or so users, was implemented in the German Market Business Unit within five months. Here, too, it was important to extract existing data from an old CRM system no longer able to meet current (or future) needs. The Selligent Sales Module integrates the various communication channels (telephone, e-mail and post). All customer-related information is stored in the CRM database whence authorised employees can retrieve it. Haldemann graphically sums up the outcome, “We managed to cut back the ‘post-it’ economy dras-tically.” Client contacts are no longer recorded haphazardly: they are keyed into the CRM system, where they become permanently available for prompt retrieval. Employees can therefore track a client’s entire history. Field staff synchronise the CRM data in their notebooks with the central database at the appropriate Business Unit on a regular basis, and can rest assured that the information they have is up-to-date. And the only data to be replicated is on a need-to-know basis depending on the user’s function. So the unnecessary dissemination of sensitive client information is effectively reduced. Haldemann continues, “We use local CRM databases for each Market Business Unit because we have left database consolidation up to our JD Edwards ERP system. Without the latest ERP information, the CRM would only be half as useful.” CRM users have access to the information they need from the ERP system, directly in the CRM system. When a prospect becomes a client, the workflow supports the transfer of all relevant data to the ERP. Data transfer is manual, however, as users take the opportunity to check that client data are complete and accurate.
CRM, programmed for growth
The fact that future users were involved right from the outset proved particularly helpful. For one, the employees who were going to use the system had their say on what they needed. And, when the system was ready, the fact that users had helped define it also helped them adopt it. However, during the implementation phase and while the features were being customised for different industry lines, Zehnder worked shoulder to shoulder with Selligent’s partner, BOWI. Now, Haldemann explains, “Business Units have more and more control over the project.” To help this along, a number of super users were created within the Group during the trial period. Then, they handled the CRM solution’s introduction to the individual Business Units. BOWI, the integrator, will stay on hand to provide support for the Zehnder Group in the German-speaking area. International projects will be handled in cooperation with Selligent.
