b2b social media. background brand sandvik hyperion brand “sandvik hyperion is a customer centric,...
TRANSCRIPT
B2B SOCIAL MEDIA
BACKGROUND
BR
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SANDVIK HYPERION BRAND
“Sandvik Hyperion is a customer centric, world-class company in applied materials.”
MESSAGES
Innovative suppliers of high quality high performance products
World class manufacturing quality standards
Comprehensive customer-oriented research and development
Advanced logistics for rapid delivery and extensive product offering
Customer value by offering products that result in cost savings and reliable cost-efficient processes
SITUATIO
N ANALY
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CURRENT CUSTOMER PROFILE
Application Engineers/Project Managers/ Company Owners (most companies small).
Relate to data/hard facts/testing.
Looking for superior performance products and new innovations as well as technical support.
Practical/no frills.
Unsophisticated use of digital media as it applies to their jobs.
Communication consists of calling and emailing.
Social media does not play a role in their profession, daily tasks.
Age 28 to 60.
Manage long standing business relations with Sandvik and rely on Sandvik for new product development and technical application support.
CURRENT SALES PROCESS
Sandvik
Relationship management –
know everyone in the industry (small community).
Specialists that provide customization to fit tool or application
Processes orders
Customer
30+ year relationship with Sandvik
Needs solutions
Places orders
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SITUATION
People know Sandvik as a machining supplier of cutting tools not for grinding products.
Customer’s end user buyers must special request Sandvik for the highest quality.
Need to acquire market share in oil and gas with Stratapax where growth is and where we don’t currently have share.
Developing new products in grinding and machining new BZN products being developed currently and growing.
Developing new grades of PCBN or hard turning steel applications for machining - short term growth through product development.
NEW CUSTOMER ACQUISITION PROCESS
Share info on projects
with
Sandvik
Allow Sandvik to
bring solutions
Test samples
Place order
Weekly calls to discuss
interest in their
projects
Build relationship
and trust over time
Send samplesObtain
orders
Non-Customer Sandvik Sales
COMPETITIV
E ANALY
SIS
RE
AC
H
PRESENCE
Sandvik sells to grinding wheel, cutting tool and drill bit tool fabricators, and has highly trained technical people to advise on application solutions and development.
Customers know Sandvik because they have been a long term supplier.
New customers find Sandvik through internet searches, by distribution of technical presentations and through information at technical trade associations.
COMPETITION
How is the competition marketing?
• Similar to Sandvik, some advertise through magazines (Cutting Tool Engineering, Finer Points, etc.), but mostly through literature on the internet, at trade shows and with technical presentations.
Biggest worldwide competitors?
• There is only one full line supplier who covers the same markets and offers the same products as Sandvik: Element 6 (the old DeBeers).
What separates Sandvik from Element 6?
• Both have different relationships with different customers, Sandvik offers some unique products Element 6 doesn’t and Element 6 has unique products Sandvik doesn’t.
POTENTIAL GROWTH
Market Share
Sandvik HyperionElement 6Other
*data is based on approximate market share
SOCIAL M
EDIA
WH
AT
I T I S
, I S I T
RI G
HT
FO
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AN
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I K
SOCIAL MEDIALinkedin
Snapchat
YoutubeVine
Tumblr
Google+
My Space
Flickr
VK
CUSTOMERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Sandvik’s customers do not fit the profile for businesses that would be interested in social media because:
• Sandvik’s customers work in a fast paced field where they need product immediately.
• They do not call a sales rep unless there is a problem that needs to be solved.
• The reason they use the phone over other sources of communication is because they are very busy and, for example, do not have time to wait for the back and forth of emails. They need immediate answers. Time is of the essence.
• Customers and sales reps have a very close relationship where they can speak on the same level of technical understanding and help each other understand the problems and develop solutions to those problems.
CUSTOMERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA cont.
There is no need to try and find who potential customers are because Sandvik already knows nearly everyone in the industry.
These customers are regularly contacted by sales reps to see if there is a new product that may work better than a competitor’s product for their particular application.
Sandvik’s current customers have been with them for a number of years and have a strong affinity with our product because it is mostly customized to them.
Customers will not come to Sandvik through social media but sales reps can still use it as an individual tool for finding possible contacts.
Customers would not be looking on social media for solutions to problems because if they had a problem, they have no time to spare and need the fastest and most direct route to someone who can give them a solution, i.e., a phone call.
When customers are on social media, it would be in their free time rather than during work.
SOCIAL MEDIA REQUIRES UPKEEP
Social media requires a lot of involvement in order to maintain it and keep it current.
It is necessary to have an employee post stories at least every other day about new products and things happening at the company.
For this to be productive, it must be useful information to the customer.
COMPETITIO
N AND S
OCIAL M
EDIA
TOP COMPETITORS’ SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube
Element Six No No Yes Yes
Iljin Diamond Company
No No No No
US Synthetic Corp. Yes Yes Yes Yes
WorldWide Superabrasives
No No Yes No
*yes is hyperlinked to site in slideshow view
ELEMENT SIX
Element Six has a very informative LinkedIn page that resembles the Sandvik one
• It includes news stories and the ability to comment and like statuses
• There are only 18 statuses as of 8/8/14
Element Six has a YouTube channel
• The channel includes 5 videos as of 8/8/14
• The themes range from the grand opening of their innovation center to production and manufacturing of their products
ILJIN DIAMOND COMPANY
Iljin does not have a corporate presence in any of the top four social media outlets
What Iljin does have is an option on their website for visitors to repost links from their page to personal social media sites, this is seen in a bar of icons at the bottom of the page that act as links to social media sites
Iljin’s website: http://iljinco21.en.ec21.com/
US SYNTHETIC CORP.
US Synthetic has the broadest social media platform compared to any other competitors
The Facebook page consists of news articles and images of product as well as postings about charity involvement
• They have 330 followers and 120 visits to the page
Their twitter page is mostly related to company news and involvement
• They incorporate hashtags such as #industrial #drilling #energy etc.
LinkedIn consists of a lengthy description of the company and its standards
US Synthetic has a YouTube channel that has 10 videos as of 8/8/14
• These videos range in content from diamond jewelry to informational demonstrations of product
WORLDWIDE SUPERABRASIVES
WorldWide Superabrasives has a very simple LinkedIn page with a brief description of the company and its standards
• There is also a link to their website listed on the LinkedIn page
SUMMARY
The biggest factor that must be considered with social media is that we cannot know whether the people who follow it are really customers or just employees of competitors
Even with a really well integrated social media program the end goal is always to gain customer involvement, based on our customer profile though it is doubtful whether this would be achievable to the level that it would offset the cost of upkeep
RECOMMENDATION
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RECOMMENDATION“Social media is the social interaction among people in which they create, share or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and
networks.” -Wikipedia
As Sandvik’s website is targeted to a specialized industry community, it is considered “social” and therefore should be made more intuitive.
While the industry as a whole continues to successfully operate using non-digital practices, it is possible that they can embrace Sandvik’s site as a resource for helpful information and tools to make their jobs easier.
Sandvik should integrate their brand messages of innovation, solutions and customer-centric to improve the customer experience on their website.
SUGGESTION: WEBSITE PROFILE
In order to make the customer experience easier for both new and returning customers, it is necessary to customize the information they are receiving about products.
The idea is to have new and returning customers create a profile that will be customized to the industry and products that they need.
The profile will offer suggestions on products, it will show data sheets and other information, it will show a purchase history and will allow for online ordering, finally it will refer customers to sales representatives.
Educates customers more on what kind of questions they should be asking sales reps.
This concept will provide valuable feedback and data on our products.
PROFILE FEATURES
Suggests product.
Shows data sheets and other information on products.
Tracks purchase history.
Product surveys (sales reps fill out with them).
Testimonials? Show customers reviews of customers.
Integrated online ordering.
Application future?
PROFILE PROMPT EXAMPLE
Visit the website.
Pop up: are you a new or a returning customer?
If returning: would you like to create a profile? y/n
If new: what industry is your company in? ex machining, drilling, grinding, polishing.
What is your company’s name?
From here takes to completed customized profile that recommends products for that industry and offers more information or the contact information of a sales rep to speak with.