Together with his brother Martin, Ton Peters conquered the niche market of insulated vans. The roles were clear: Ton handled sales, Martin the workshop. But as the company and its 15-person staff grew, so did its vulnerability.
The Challenge: A Vulnerable Business Process
“I was a walking address book,” says Ton. “I realized I was the only one who knew everything about our customers. That’s far too vulnerable. What if something happened to me?” The lockdown in the hospitality sector, a key market, gave the brothers time to think about professionalizing their operations. They lacked sufficient insight into the sales process, and valuable time was being lost on pursuits that yielded little.
The Solution: Relationship Management with a Modern Approach
On a friend’s recommendation, they chose Salesforce, with Welisa as their partner. Welisa implemented a central environment to capture all customer information. The system was configured to help Ton ask the right questions. “We now have insight into what’s on our customer’s mind. I have a clearer understanding of their needs and know why we win or lose a deal.”
Inquiries from the website now flow directly into Salesforce, and for his brother Martin, it’s an ideal service tool. He can see exactly when a customer is due for maintenance or a new lease vehicle.
The Result: Peace of Mind, Insight, and Better Service
The most significant gain is peace of mind and risk mitigation. The company’s knowledge is now secured. Additionally, it offers direct benefits. “Previously, if someone called about a Mercedes we converted a year ago, I would never know the exact details,” says Ton. “Now, I can pull up their information instantly and don’t have to call back later.” This direct insight makes the company more agile and its customer service more personal and faster.
A Partner Who Asks the Right Questions
The collaboration with Welisa took place entirely online, but that was no obstacle. “I just hoped they would understand what I meant,” says Ton. “But they asked all the right questions. The delivery was fast, and it works incredibly well.” It proves that a good partner doesn’t need a physical tour to understand a business, they just need to ask the right questions.
