“Together with Acorel, we have globally elevated our CRM processes to a higher level. Not only the technology, but also our way of working has been standardized. This is how we make a difference in our customer interactions.”
Gerben Flinkert, Divisional Information Officer at Forbo Flooring Systems
Flooring expert and global leader in linoleum floors
Forbo Flooring Systems is a leading global producer of professional flooring solutions with a portfolio of natural linoleum, vinyl, and textile floor coverings, as well as building and construction adhesives. The Flooring Systems division comprises 15 production plants located in Europe and over 25 sales offices worldwide. Forbo is recognized as a leading sustainable manufacturer of high-quality floors, with linoleum, a floor made from natural materials, making Forbo a world leader. In the Netherlands, Forbo has four production locations, including the linoleum factory in Assendelft. Forbo Flooring B.V. is part of the Forbo Group, headquartered in Switzerland. In total, almost 6000 people work at the Forbo Group.
From customized solutions to standardization
For the implementation of SAP Customer Experience solutions, Acorel has been the go-to partner for Forbo for the past ten years. Currently, we are collaborating on migrating Forbo to SAP Sales Cloud. Forbo's management aims to elevate the CRM processes to a higher level with this move. They also want more insight into the CRM activities of the countries where they operate, in order to better steer their operations.
Some locations did not have a CRM system in place previously. Others had to transition from a customized SAP CRM on-premise solution to SAP Sales Cloud. Ultimately, all countries will be operating with the same standardized system. Having a uniform way of working brings many benefits. It simplifies the onboarding of new employees, expanding to new countries, and maintaining the CRM application.
Defining a new standard
“The first question in a CRM system is always: who is the customer? But at Forbo, this question cannot always be answered right away. For them, it often starts with vacant land or new construction plans. Because when a building project is underway, you know a floor will be needed. Many people are involved in these projects. So, it is important to first figure out who ultimately makes the decisions,” explained Joost Goudriaan, Account Manager at Acorel.
While the solution at Forbo is as standardized as possible, there was still a need for Forbo-specific configurations in certain areas. “Together, we have defined a new standard. We found a good balance. On the one hand, a strict system, with flexibility around it,” shared Gerben Flinkert, Divisional Information Officer at Forbo. “This flexibility aligns well with us. They work professionally but do not lock everything down.”
Measuring acceptance rate and results
The results of the new CRM system are tracked through a dashboard. “The management can see the acceptance rate within a country. Is the system being used extensively or minimally? How many activities are being recorded? And what are the results of all sales efforts? They can then compare these with the results from other countries. If a country is not performing well, they can learn from those that are achieving better results,” explained Gert-Jan Stolmeijer, Solution Advisor Customer Experience at Acorel.
Migrating old data into the new system
A migration of this scale does not come without challenges. Stolmeijer shared: “What we often heard from different countries is that they had built up a significant history in another system. And they did not want to lose that information. Therefore, it was decided to migrate this data into the new system. This did impact the rollout timeline.”
However, Goudriaan mentioned that they were able to maintain speed in the process. “It is impressive how Forbo engaged their people in this process. Besides being good, there was also a strong internal focus on getting things done as quickly as possible.”
A solid foundation
The feedback from the countries that are already live has been positive and enthusiastic, according to Flinkert. This was also the case in countries where there was initially some resistance. Flinkert stated: “After going live, it always takes some time to learn to work with the system effectively. This is where we provide hypercare. This means that if necessary, we make adjustments or provide additional explanations. This lays a solid foundation from which they can achieve even more in the future.”
Proactive collaboration and inspiring atmosphere
Acorel works with a core team of individuals at Forbo. Flinkert said: “They sometimes know Forbo better than many of our own employees. This allows them to proactively collaborate with us. They also create a good and inspiring atmosphere. Together, we worked entire weekends and evenings to get everything done.”
Flinkert also finds it remarkable that Acorel connects them with other organizations that have gone through a similar process. “Usually, we are focused on our own tasks. That's why it's nice to talk to other organizations that have been through this. Acorel can certainly tell us about the pitfalls, but it's even better to hear it directly from someone with experience.”
Faster onboarding
While the rollout is still ongoing, the results are already promising. Due to standardization, managing the solution has become much simpler, and the onboarding of new employees is much faster. “New employees are quickly able to serve customers in a way that is recognizable to them. This has a tremendously positive effect on the customer experience,” Goudriaan shared.
Elevating customer experience
Flinkert added: “Acorel has made a significant contribution to our new Customer Experience landscape. With the right balance between standardization and flexibility, we have truly elevated our CRM processes to a higher level. Not only the technology, but also our way of working has been standardized. This enables us to provide employees with the right quality of data. And they, in turn, can make a difference in their interactions with customers.”
