Ethnicraft: connecting the digital dots for B2B
A 1996 Belgian start-up, Ethnicraft is nowadays a B2B furniture producer and distributor covering three continents. Production and suppliers are based in Europe and Asia, while markets served are the US and Western Europe. A perfect, seamless e-commerce experience is key to the marketing strategy of Ethnicraft. Flexso and sister company Elision took charge of building a new digital experience. Michiel Van Maldeghem, supply chain manager at Ethnicraft, gives you a look behind the e-scenes.
Retailers wish list: check!
Ethnicraft delivers high-end furniture and retailers expect an equally high-end digital experience. They want detailed and up-to-date information about lead time, pricing, and features. With distribution channels and production facilities in several countries, the 24/7 real time supply chain solution required a top-notch front end and a deep integration with the SAP ERP back end. Together with the Ethnicraft team, we built the new PIM/PCM (product information/content management) and the website catalogue. The order processing became faster, all sales tools for retailers (like catalogues, POS material, pictures and so on) were centralised and more transport options were added to the digital order system.
Total consumer experience: check!
Ethnicraft is ambitious about improving the end consumer experience. Imagine you want to try out the Oak Gabbia lounge chair before you buy 5 of them: in which shop could you try the chair out for yourself? And what would be the retail price for your country? The new website provides a “where to buy?” functionality, localised price info and detailed product specs. A great example of how digital enables physical shopping, trying… and buying.
Ethnicraft staff efficiency: check!
The new level of automation bypasses much of the previous manual work by the Ethnicraft staff necessary to fulfil retail ordering. All in all, marketing and sales noticed an improved turnover with less print and less staff effort. According to Michiel, the results are pushing Ethnicraft to be even more digitally ambitious.
The ultimate customer experience
In a recent SAP survey, Belgian CEOs declared customer experience (CX) to be a top three priority for 2020. Four departments face the customer: sales, marketing, services and e-commerce. Discover more about the challenges for different departments, such as sales or customer service. We look at the solution from the perspective of different stakeholders.
Ethnicraft, SAP Customer Experience and Flexso: we have a match
If you want to hear what Michiel has to say about the choice for Customer Experience, the collaboration process with our team, how the new digital possibilities open up new markets and reaches unserved audiences like interior architects, you should watch the video. Thank you Michiel for sharing your great insights!
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