Manufacturing companies are investing heavily in digitalisation – but the impact on customer experiences often falls short of expectations. The reason: digital solutions are implemented as individual projects rather than being designed with the customer journey in mind. We show why the shift from product provider to solution partner requires new touchpoints and where companies should start.
In brief
From product to solution: Customers expect digital services, self-service portals and proactive communication – far beyond the physical product.
Integration beats individual solutions: The ROI of an integrated customer portal is typically 3–5 times higher than that of an isolated shop.
Organisation as the biggest hurdle: Digitalisation initiatives rarely fail because of technology, but rather because of silo thinking, a lack of customer perspective and sales teams that see digital channels as competition rather than enablers.
Starting point: Delivering more than just products
The industrial manufacturing landscape is undergoing fundamental change. Manufacturing companies are faced with the challenge of no longer just delivering products, but providing holistic solutions that impress throughout the entire product life cycle. Today, customer experiences arise at a multitude of digital and analogue touchpoints, all of which shape the perception of collaboration.
From product provider to solution and service partner
The traditional approach in manufacturing focused on the quality of the product itself. Today, however, customers expect comprehensive solutions that go far beyond the physical product. They expect digital services, proactive maintenance, transparent information on the availability and condition of their equipment, and self-service options for orders, spare parts and technical support.
This transformation from product provider to solution partner requires new touchpoints along the entire customer journey. Manufacturing companies must provide customer portals, e-commerce platforms and service-oriented digital solutions that enable consistent and relevant experiences.
What we see at Unic in manufacturing projects
We have accompanied this change over the last three years with various customers in the mechanical and plant engineering sector. A recurring pattern has emerged: companies still too often think in terms of individual digital solutions – such as an isolated e-commerce shop for spare parts – while the greatest value lies in the integration of product, service and customer data via an end-to-end customer portal. Our experience shows that the ROI of an integrated portal is typically 3–5 times higher than that of an isolated shop.
The organisational challenge
Traditional sales teams in manufacturing often view digital channels critically – partly as a competing channel that threatens their business. This also has to do with existing incentive mechanisms that promote conflict rather than cooperation. Conway's Law is confirmed here: ‘Organisations design systems that mirror their own communication structure.’ Silo thinking within the organisation inevitably leads to fragmented digital solutions.
Understanding that web shops are only one touchpoint and that customer portals offer a wide range of opportunities to expand customer sovereignty requires a mindset focused on transformation and opportunity. We have now developed proven formats for this:
Structured analysis of buying centres in B2B customer segments
Workshop formats for sales teams to overcome reservations
Vision design for cross-channel portals in which digital channels support sales staff in lead generation, conversion optimisation and after-sales
The goal: to position digital channels not as competition, but as enablers for sales.
Rising customer expectations in the B2B environment
B2B customers in the industrial environment are increasingly transferring expectations from the B2C sector to their business interactions. They expect intuitive user interfaces, transparent processes, fast response times and personalised content. Round-the-clock availability of information, self-service options for standard processes and proactive communication are no longer nice-to-haves, but basic requirements.
At the same time, complexity is increasing: technical documentation must be available in different languages and formats, customer-specific prices and product ranges must be digitally mapped, and integration into existing ERP and procurement systems is a prerequisite.
Why traditional digitalisation initiatives often fail
Many manufacturing companies have invested heavily in digitalisation in recent years. Nevertheless, the impact on customer experiences often falls short of expectations. The reason is often not a lack of technology, but a lack of alignment with actual customer needs and customer journeys.
Digitalisation projects are often initiated on the basis of technology without evaluating the resulting touchpoints from the customer's perspective. There is a lack of a holistic perspective that connects sales, service, marketing and IT. The result is isolated solutions that work internally but do not enable consistent customer experiences.
Are you facing the challenge of freeing your digital customer solutions from silo logic?
In our CX Innovation Assessment, we work with you to analyse where your greatest leverage lies and how you can turn digital channels from a competitive channel into an enabler for your sales.
Contact for your Digital Solution with Unic
Book an appointmentAre you keen too discuss your digital tasks with us? We would be happy to exchange ideas with you.
Contact for your Digital Solution
Book an appointmentAre you keen to talk about your next project? We will be happy exchange ideas with you.
