WEATHER GUARD

WEATHER GUARD transforms their sales process with a 3D product configurator, automatic quoting, and integration with Salesforce CRM

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Challenge

WEATHER GUARD’s existing 2D configurator couldn’t keep pace with user requirements and a slow distributor referral process was losing leads.

Solution

WEATHER GUARD launched an interactive online 3D product configurator to visualise their products. Enquiries are automatically sent to distributors and integration with Salesforce allows opportunities to be tracked.

Results

WEATHER GUARD have streamlined their sales process, driving a 5% increase in annual sales and are saving at least a day of labour per order with automated engineering processes.

Company overview

WEATHER GUARD, a WernerCo brand, is an industry leader in truck and van storage equipment, including truck boxes, drawer units, shelving, cabinets, and racks for trucks, vans and utility vehicles. Their products allow for more organised trucks and vans for greater productivity, whilst providing superior protection against break-ins and weather.

Challenge

The 2D configurator couldn’t keep pace

Previously, WEATHER GUARD’s customers would visit their site searching for van products. Using a 2D configurator they would determine the right fit and customised combination of products.

However, this solution wasn’t keeping pace with users’ requirements. Adding new vehicles and van products to the system became difficult to update.

Product configurator requirements

The number one priority for WEATHER GUARD was that the configurator had to be 3D in order to provide an extremely realistic view of an installed van product package. Secondly, long-term sustainability was a must.

It was also essential that the solution was developed in a way that integrated with other business systems. Specifically, WEATHER GUARD wanted to be able to leverage data within their Product Information Management (PIM) system, allowing seamless additions of new SKUs or vehicles.

“We were after longevity and ease of use while bringing an intuitive and engaging experience to end users” – Pete Robinson, Manager of Engineering Systems with WernerCo

Solutions

SOLIDWORKS automation and online 3D product configurator

WEATHER GUARD were introduced to DriveWorks Pro at SOLIDWORKS® World. They reached out to their SOLIDWORKS and DriveWorks reseller to learn more.

WEATHER GUARD developed a proof of concept to demonstrate the ability of DriveWorks software to their key stakeholders. They also began brainstorming ideas that could be deployed in several phrases.

To understand how products where specified in the field, WEATHER GUARD visited one of the company’s largest distributors, touring the facility to see van installations. During this visit, it became clear that while it was critical to provide a 3D customisation experience, the system needed to serve as a lead generation tool — dramatically reducing lead and engineering time to boost sales.

Results

WEATHER GUARD van configurator

“Our configurator lets us directly interact with end-users, create referrals for distributors and help them visually sell WEATHER GUARD’s van products more effectively” – Stacy Gardella, Vice President of Brand Marketing at WernerCo

Success metrics to measure ROI

With WEATHER GUARD’s previous 2D configurator, a user-submitted configuration would take up to three days to be assigned to a distributor. However, distributor feedback revealed that not acting on leads within the first four to eight hours can mean lost business.

WEATHER GUARD wanted to be able to send referrals to distributors immediately, creating a viable lead pool to close more deals.

As a result of using DriveWorks, requests are now immediately sent to a distributor for follow up, and the company has gained visibility into the complete lead lifecycle. The opportunity is captured in Salesforce, allowing WEATHER GUARD to track status all the way through to close, accurately capturing sales dollars.

“The speed of DriveWorks is critical because it enables distributors to get a lead within minutes and allows us to see when the prospect was contracted, quoted and closed” – Pete Robinson, Manager of Engineering Systems at WernerCo

Anticipated 5% increase in annual sales

WEATHER GUARD has not only built an engineering tool but also used the functionality inside DriveWorks to create a highly successful lead generation and sales tool that allows stakeholders to know exactly how much revenue is coming through the configurator to measure ROI.

The company is relying on DriveWorks to increase completed configurationsboost distributor referrals and drive sales—anticipating a five percent increase in annual sales as a result.

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