Challenges
Patrick Snauwaert, Group Director ICT at Renson, decided around 2009 to develop a new vision of how Renson could better communicate with their customers going forward. The challenges they faced at the time were:
- inconsistency of submitted orders (from a handwritten piece of paper on the building site to a fax or an email message)
- centralisation of technical specifications knowledge (only a few people were fully informed about the entire product line)
- poorly structured records management by the account managers
Approach
Snauwaert explains, “We wanted a dynamic system that could be fuelled by our existing ERP system.” Thomas Vandaele, Solution Architect & Analyst Developer at LoQutus, comments, “In addition to other requirements, it should be possible for customers within the entire foreign dealer network to be able to use the system. That means a single flow of information from any customer up to Renson’s work centre. Renson wanted rapid feedback throughout the entire customer experience, and LoQutus could meet that need.”
The analysis of the records management system commenced at the end of 2010 and Renson implemented the new system at the end of 2011. Snauwaert adds, “The complete development of this business-critical application was based on mutual consultation. Our IT team had monthly meetings with the people from LoQutus right from the start. LoQutus listened to our questions and suggestions, proposed solutions and kept up with the entire development in a very timely manner.”
The development of the web application/product configurator commenced at the end of 2012. Renson’s employees entered the technical product knowledge using a flexible file format. Since that time, the web application has been updated continuously to address the demand for additional functions. Now, approximately 3,000 customers are using the system, comprising a total of about 8,000 customer employees. That, in turn, generates a wealth of useful information.
