Highlights
The Challenge
Wholesale electrical supply distributor Van Meter’s legacy system offered an outdated buying experience, its internal processes required a lot of manual labor. But the company had a vision for a streamlined customer experience and a robust content marketing and training program, so it turned to Xngage.
The Xngage Solution
- Ecommerce Strategy
- Ecommerce Implementation
- User Experience Design
- Punchout
The Results
- 100+ Blogs & Trainings at Launch
The Challenge
Van Meter is a wholesale electrical supply distributor of automation, electrical, data communications, lighting, power transmission, solar energy, and safety and cleaning products. Van Meter had separate websites for ecommerce and content, which didn’t offer the best customer experience. When company leaders met with the Xngage team, they had several goals for its new ecommerce operation:
- Modernize the Customer Experience: Van Meter’s legacy systems made the buying experience feel dated and did not always display accurate product and pricing information. The company also wanted to support more complex purchases. By providing a better customer experience, the company hoped to increase adoption both internally and externally and increase sales.
- Streamline Processes: Neither the technology nor the processes of Van Meter’s legacy ecommerce environment functioned well, and the platform’s customer service left a lot to be desired. Third-party data suppliers fed data primarily through spreadsheets, and importing this data used a lot of human time and resources to maintain the product data on the website.
- Transform Content Management: The legacy content management system (CMS) was out of date and had limited capabilities. The blog website and ecommerce website were disconnected and hosted under two different platforms. The Van Meter team wanted a robust content marketing operation with blogs and trainings.
The Xngage Solution
Ecommerce Strategy: It was clear that Van Meter’s ecommerce operation was ready for an upgraded platform, so Xngage helped them select and transition to Optimizely Configured Commerce. The experts at Xngage also ensured a smooth integration to the company’s ERP, Epicor Eclipse.
Ecommerce Implementation: Xngage created an integration from Optimizely to Van Meter’s third-party systems that allows the new Van Meter ecommerce site to display real-time product inventory and pricing for the customer.
The customized product listing page allows customers to easily backorder items, request quotes, create quick order configurations, and easily re-order products.
Xngage built a configuration tool for a Van Meter’s partner suppliers that allows customers to shop for those suppliers' tools and products seamlessly, without leaving the Van Meter website.
Optimizely's product-hosting capabilities and robust CMS system were able to bring Van Meter's two websites together into one, allowing customers a one-stop-shop for all of Van Meter's products, partner product catalogs, blog content, and partner-exclusive continuing education training events and videos. The Van Meter team put together more than 100 blogs prior to launch, and the Xngage team created a custom solution to display the content and products side by side when appropriate.
Xngage also helped Van Meter create a microsite for its solar power products and content, getting the site up and live in just three weeks.
Punchout: Xngage helped Van Meter implement TradeCentric’s punchout solution. With a punchout integration, or online store within a customer’s procurement system, Van Meter’s customers have a more self-service, turnkey purchasing experience.
The Results
Van Meter’s new website allowed them to increase their product catalog and include outside suppliers and partners, thus increasing their overall sales.
The Optimizely CMS system also allowed Van Meter to host training videos, promote their training events, and maintain their blog. Van Meter continues to keep their customers stocked with the supplies they need and supports their professional development and careers, positioning Van Meter as the top resource for electricians and a thought leader in their industry.
