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“We appreciate the pleasant and open cooperation with IBsolution at all times. In addition, our implementation partner knows how to convince above all with excellent technical know-how.” Marc Fiedler, SAP process manager at Afriso-Euro-Index GmbH and project manager for the implementation of SAP Sales Cloud at Gampper and at Afriso |
The cube berlin is currently considered the most digitized and networked office building in Germany. Intelligent technology ensures particularly energy-efficient and resource-saving operation. The smart valves of Gampper GmbH for regulating the water volumes in the installed heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems also contribute to this. For more than 120 years, the company from Alsenz in Rhineland-Palatinate has been manufacturing innovative products for the construction industry.
Gampper operates in a business field characterized by complex projects with durations of several years and a large number of participants. For the sales department of the valve manufacturer, this constellation results in specific challenges. One of them is to ensure a uniform view of the entire bidding process at all times and to maintain an overview of the current status. In the course of a project, numerous quotations with individual conditions and discounts usually have to be sent to various parties.
In the past, the sales process was complicated and time-consuming due to manual pricing. As a result, it was not very transparent and offered those responsible only a few starting points for reliable reporting. The lack of an overview of leads and closed sales resulted in high manual effort for follow-up activities. The situation was further aggravated by the fact that the sales process ran in several systems.
The Sales Cockpit provides an overview of the current sales work.
Gampper’s goal was to find a software solution that matched the company’s requirements and was capable of fully mapping the sales process. The first step towards this goal was a workshop at the end of 2019, where participants defined the exact requirements and precisely visualized the individual steps of the sales process. “The requirements included powerful lead and opportunity management to classify prospects and potential customers according to their potential, a simple quotation system for the field sales force on site, mobile data access via app, integration with Microsoft Outlook, and the ability to transfer data from the legacy system to the new software via Excel import,” explains Peter Franz, Northwest Area Sales Manager at Gampper GmbH.
The activities are one of the most important working tools of the Gampper sales department.
SAP Sales Cloud was best able to meet the extensive requirements profile, which is why Gampper ultimately decided on this solution. The Heilbronn-based SAP consulting company IBsolution was commissioned with the implementation. In the third quarter of 2020, the project participants successfully completed the introduction of SAP Sales Cloud at Gampper and put the new sales software into operation.
The project at Gampper meant important pioneering work. This is because the introduction of SAP Sales Cloud was designed as a pilot project for the entire Afriso Group, of which Gampper is a subsidiary. Afriso-Euro-Index GmbH is a medium-sized family business that produces measuring and control devices for temperature and pressure and offers a broad portfolio ranging from inexpensive series products to customized solutions. The idea of relying on the same sales software was obvious, given the similar conditions and comparable requirements of the two companies.
Both Gampper and Afriso use an SAP ERP system. SAP Sales Cloud can be connected bidirectionally to this system – and later to SAP S/4HANA – so that data is exchanged in both directions and the data is synchronized and kept up-to-date in the event of changes. With the previous sales software, it had also been possible to transfer data from the ERP system, but it was not possible to write data back to the ERP system. Another parallel between the two companies is that Gampper and Afriso share access to certain master data for use in each company’s own sales organization. “It was certainly one of the biggest challenges in the project to consider all issues across the organization from the very beginning and to always think about possible effects on the processes at Afriso,” emphasizes Marc Fiedler, SAP process manager at Afriso-Euro-Index GmbH and project manager for the implementation of SAP Sales Cloud at Gampper and at Afriso.
The “Notes” tab includes important information about a project.
Gampper’s experience with SAP Sales Cloud so far has been thoroughly positive. “The complexity of the construction project business can be mapped excellently,” says Peter Franz. “As a result, the solution is an ideal fit for our requirements.” In the sales process, the leads act as a collection point for all information, for example customer data, contact data or construction information. Where previously duplicates were often created in the system due to regional overlaps in sales activities, an intermediate stage has now been added to the process, focusing on project research, verification, duplicate checks and data enrichment – with extremely positive effects on data quality.
If a lead becomes an opportunity through further classification, aspects such as trades, hierarchy, products, participants – for example, architect, construction manager or project developer – qualification of the project and project phases can be mapped. Depending on the project phase, the activity advisor recommends specific activities in the form of a checklist to further process the opportunity. The activities are the core working tool of Gampper sales and have the purpose not to overload the sales force with tasks, but to enable a targeted approach. Via territory management, customers are automatically assigned to sales representatives based on their postal code. On SAP Sales Cloud start page, each employee finds his or her individual to-do list. Appointments and visits are also coordinated and documented there, as is the associated correspondence.
In an opportunity, trades and other information can also be mapped.
When creating quotations, Gampper sales benefits from the direct connection to the ERP system, from which, for example, the current prices are transmitted. The integration is realized via SAP Integration Suite (formerly: SAP Cloud Platform Integration). The fact that offers can be sent directly from SAP Sales Cloud saves time on the one hand and prevents system breaks on the other. In addition, target group-specific forms are available. Modern interfaces enable intuitive work. The structured, clear dashboard on the start page can be customized using filter settings.
The connection of SAP Sales Cloud to the ERP system simplifies quotation creation.
“By following the SAP standard, we were able to avoid additional programming efforts and simplify the update process,” says Marc Fiedler. “Another success factor was that we involved the relevant stakeholders at an early stage and actively involved the key users in the project. In addition, it was important to clean up and prepare the master data early on in order to bring it into the new system.”
SAP Sales Cloud ensures smooth collaboration between sales representatives across territorial boundaries, as everyone involved has access to the latest data and information at all times. The strengths of the new sales solution include the structured overview, the many evaluation options, the simple task management and the possibility to work with multiple sales organizations. The integration with Outlook Exchange enables the synchronization of appointments and e-mails as well as the creation of customers and contact persons. Thanks to the bidirectional connection to the ERP system, master data always remains consistent and can be used equally by Gampper and Afriso. Another advantage is the regular updates every three months, which keep adding new functionalities and innovations to SAP Sales Cloud without Gampper and Afriso having to worry about installing the updates themselves.
The participants in a project are also deposited.
Following the positive experience at Gampper, the implementation of SAP Sales Cloud at the parent company Afriso Group has now also been completed. The go-ahead for the implementation, for which IBsolution is also responsible, was given in the fourth quarter of 2020 with the development of the topics to be implemented in a joint workshop of IT, specialist departments and service providers. “We appreciate the pleasant and open cooperation with IBsolution at all times,” says Marc Fiedler. “In addition, our implementation partner knows how to convince above all with excellent technical know-how.” The completion of the project and the go-live of SAP Sales Cloud in the entire Afriso Group took place at the beginning of Q4/2021.
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“By following the SAP standard, we were able to avoid additional programming efforts and simplify the update process. Another success factor was that we involved the relevant stakeholders at an early stage and actively involved the key users in the project. In addition, it was important to clean up and prepare the master data early on in order to bring it into the new system.” Marc Fiedler, SAP process manager at Afriso-Euro-Index GmbH and project manager for the implementation of SAP Sales Cloud at Gampper and at Afriso |
Photo: Afriso-Euro-Index GmbH