Involve the end customer
Let's take the construction industry as an example of three-tier distribution. The manufacturer of products for the construction industry often sells to wholesalers, large-scale retailers or specialist retailers. The end customer, however, who uses the products, often buys from the craftsman and is influenced in his decision by the architect or planner.
Optimally, customer support does not only consist of wholesale support, but rather marketing, sales and service take care of the decision-makers and the influencers - including the end customer. The goal is to get to know and influence both end customers (B2C) and decision-makers (B2B: architects and craftsmen) better. But how to improve and align the processes with all the digital tools (website, landing pages, marketing automation, social media, sales solutions, customer service, portals, ...)? What influence does this have on the customer journey?
Content is King
Let's start with the search for information. Numerous studies show that end customers, as well as craftsmen and architects, independently search for information on the Internet and social media to form opinions and make preliminary decisions. Accordingly, it is important to prepare and play out the content in a way that is specific to the target group. An example of this would be the homepage, which refers to different pages for each target group, which in turn are tailored to the respective reader - because "content is king".
With a good marketing automation solution, you can then control the inbound processes in an automated way so that a reader submits his or her data to receive a download, for example. From this point on, the person is identified and can be targeted - of course, only after a well-trimmed DOI process. If there is real interest, which is quantified via scoring values, leads are created in the CRM so that the architect or end customer can be addressed directly and convinced of the products. Integrated dealer management can suggest the right dealer or craftsman in the process so that contractual relationships are adhered to. It is important that all influencers and decision-makers receive appropriate high-quality support, even if they do not buy directly. For movable assets, such as power tools, a so-called job site service can help to find the right product. In this case, the craftsmen are supported directly on the construction site in order to establish personal contact. Once a craftsman is convinced, the order is passed on to the next dealer.
If the customer then actually buys, it is a matter of finding out why and where he bought and how satisfied he is with the product. Extending the warranty when registering a device is a popular move by manufacturers to obtain information from the end customer. In order to provide the craftsman or end customer with further information and services in a targeted manner, they are often provided with portal access. This portal is prepared specifically for the target group and offers corresponding added value for the user. The aim is to turn the customer or decision-maker into a fan, recommender or influencer. With all this data, the producer can now conduct target group-specific and product-specific outbound marketing based on the existing address database of prospects, customers, dealers, architects and end customers. This includes, for example, personalized newsletters, invitations to events and training courses, customer clubs and much more.
With all these measures, the producer generates new customers, retains existing customers and ensures that everyone involved talks positively about the company and the products. Never has this been more important for long-term success.
B2B2C, Business to Business to Consumer, encompasses all trade channels from raw materials to the end consumer. With the SAP acquisitions (Hybris, Concur, Ariba, Fieldglass, SuccessFactors), procurement and e-commerce have increasingly come into focus.
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