Founded in 1963 and growing up in the Alta Val Seriana mountains, SCAME PARRE S.p.A. (SCAME) leads the SCAME Group.
Specialized in the production of components and systems for low-voltage electrical installations in civil, tertiary and industrial sectors, with a specific focus on explosion-proof solutions for classified areas according to the Atex Directive, SCAME has always pursued innovative solutions that have led it to excellence in both processes and products. This pursuit has also driven success in new business areas and industries, such as E-Mobility, where SCAME has been a pioneering force since 1999 and is now recognized as a market leader. Today, SCAME has established a strong presence both nationally and internationally, with a network of 14 sales agencies and 16 international subsidiaries and loyal importers, exporting its products to over 80 countries across 5 continents.
SCAME’s initial challenge was to make internal processes efficient and digital. Since 1999, SCAME has placed a strong emphasis on data management, becoming one of the early adopters of SAP. Over the last five years, the company has made significant investments in the digitalization of all production systems to improve product time-to-market and automate processes.
With a workforce of 867 employees spread across 3 facilities in the province of Bergamo, 3 Italian subsidiaries and 16 representative offices and international branches—4 of which are significant production sites—SCAME’s Commercial Division made it a priority to embrace technological evolution. The goal was to gain access to a comprehensive and integrated vision, relying on CRM, understood as a company-wide process driving evolution, not just a simple software.
SCAME has a previous experience with another CRM that, due to technical limitations, wasn’t integrated with email and company processes and had only received partial endorsement from the Sales and General Management. SCAME chose to rely on Huware’s expertise and Salesforce’s performance to tackle the digitalization challenge with confidence, speed, and skill.
"“Deciding to digitize our processes was a top priority to us, but it wasn’t a decision we took lightly. We carefully evaluated both the technology and the technology partners we could rely on. Ultimately, we chose Salesforce for its cutting-edge user interface, and Huware for its industry expertise and approach.” "
Stefano Scainelli
CEO
Thanks to Huware’s effective methodological approach and solid experience in the manufacturing industry, SCAME was able to digitize its sales processes and information sharing in just five months using Salesforce technology.
After a previous CRM experience that led to unsatisfactory results due to the tool’s technical limitations and only partial endorsement from Management, we began again by mapping the commercial processes that generate customer contact. All sales group processes were mapped, and the “as is” analysis laid the foundation for the “to be” design, where the CRM needed to be perfectly integrated with the SAP ERP. During this phase, clear and continuous top-down communication and bottom-up feedback were key to engaging the team. With this approach, SCAME secured the collaboration of its workforce by breaking down the macro project into micro activities, such as defining the information to be gathered in visit reports, then for opportunities, special conditions, and finally for offers[1].
In the initial phase, Huware’s team was focused on analyzing the specific processes of the various sales groups based on their target market, engaging all users from the outset to ensure everyone was on board and informed. They prioritized the implementation of business and commercial aspects, setting aside transactional data. In the second phase, transactional data were integrated, enabling Salesforce to include all operational information, such as invoices, orders and deliveries, to support the reporting function. During the third phase, work on the service module began, with an initial data synchronization on the platform without operational intervention. This will be further implemented in subsequent phases, with the entire project expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
After analyzing SCAME’s “as is” state and goals, the following Salesforce solutions were identified and implemented:
[1]Break Down Change Management into Small Steps, Jeff Kavanaugh and Rafee Tarafdar, Harvard Business Review, 03/2021
Thanks to Salesforce and Huware, SCAME has succeeded in rethinking CRM as a strategic tool for the company to boost sales, develop cross-selling, support the sales department in territorial management, and achieve higher value-added sales[2]. SCAME can now rely on a centralized tool that provides the commercial management and operators with an integrated view of all information on contacts, leads and customers.
Additionally, the marketing, sales and customer service offices are now integrated and able to optimize the sales outline. The collaboration between marketing and sales activities includes customer profiling, which helps in designing the ideal customer, and working together to analyze won or lost opportunities to better address future needs and desires[2]. The strong endorsement from General and Commercial Management, along with Huware’s training workshops, has enabled a quick and successful user adoption.
[2]Why CRM Projects Fail and How to Make Them More Successful, Scott Edinger, Harvard Business Review, December 20, 2018”
"The goal was to embark on a new challenge with the user experience at the forefront, much like crafting a tailored suit. While technology is undoubtedly fundamental, it must be supported by elements such as sponsorship, adoption and user coaching. The CRM process is indeed a hunting one: as soon as a project begins, an opportunity is created that must be shared across various departments. It’s a team effort, and without a collective vision and collaboration, success is unattainable. "
Filippo Marangoni
National Sales Director
