An international industry leader for welding equipment in the gas and water supply sector wanted to add a leasing option to the sale of its machines. The leasing models were also to be available exclusively online. The interim manager was tasked with organizing the launch, from product definition to the finished product, as well as the logistics processes.
Status quo: sales via field service with direct one-off payment
Until then, installers, pipe fitters and local authorities had been able to purchase the industry leader's welding equipment via the field service and selected wholesalers. The devices had to be paid for immediately. There were no financing models. Only a very small number of rental units were available for short-term bridging requirements. Market surveys revealed a clear picture: the company's customers wanted more flexibility.
Product definition and development of the business case
To fine-tune the leasing model, the interim manager examined various pricing proposals and different leasing periods in Germany and Switzerland. She also determined the in-house costs for the entire process chain and the annual service handling. The cost-benefit analysis showed that the roll-out planned for Switzerland did not cover costs. In Germany, on the other hand, the market potential proved to be sufficiently large.
Implementation: from online booking to logistics handling
In the next step, the interim manager set about designing the processes from online booking to shipping the welding equipment. She organized workshops to coordinate all steps with the business partners - from payment processing and financing to customer service and order processing. She also organized warehouses for storing the devices, the logistics for shipping and returning them and the annual maintenance of the welding devices. The project manager also worked with the agency and product management to design marketing measures.
One challenge was that the welding equipment company had no previous experience in online sales or digital B2B business. The interim manager was able to accelerate the learning processes very well thanks to her diverse experience in digital transformation.
Leasing model goes live as planned after 10 months
After a term of 10 months, the welding equipment could be booked online for leasing. Clients and customers are very satisfied with the result.
Customers benefit from the option of leasing welding equipment for a shorter period. This creates financial leeway, especially in difficult economic times. Leasing customers also benefit from the fact that the rental equipment is always state of the art.
The client gains access to a larger customer base through leasing. It also benefits from the data that customers generate when leasing. The company successfully uses this data for further marketing and sales measures.
The client identified a challenge in the in-house implementation and digitalization mindset of the product management and sales teams. The omnichannel link in customer service and acquisition, data management and the opportunity for new sales potential are to be expanded in the future.
