IMELCO’s second DIGILAB event of 2023 brought together many of Europe’s largest independent electrical distributors to explore how digitalization is set to impact the future of our industry. The event, which took place in Milan in October, was an opportunity for IMELCO members to learn about the latest innovations in digital distribution as well as to share ideas and best practices with other industry leaders.
ABB Electrification’s Global eCommerce Channel Lead, Luca Zanella, was a keynote speaker at the October event, which was themed ‘Prepare for the future’. In his presentation, he helped attendees do exactly that.
While face-to-face relationships still play an integral role in the B2B customer journey, with personal support and consultation key to success, it has also become an absolute necessity for distributors to develop an omnichannel approach. Those that have added digital research opportunities and e-commerce functions to their existing face-to-face sales and bricks and mortar facilities are reaping the benefits.
The presentation centered on the evolution of ABB’s Digital-Enabled Sales Strategy, with a particular focus on its Distributor Online Accelerator (DOA) Program, a multi-step framework designed to enhance distributors’ online presence, maximize sales and prepare them for an omnichannel future.
Bringing the DOA Program to life
As well as outlining the DOA program, which offers an extensive toolbox of supporting materials to boost distributors’ online revenue, Zanella illustrated the value it can bring to distributors using a case study from within ABB ‒ a DOA pilot project that recently took place in Poland to improve distributors’ online visibility.
Focusing on ABB’s softstarter products, the Poland sales and marketing team placed a large part of their efforts on developing enriched content and setting it up on the product pages in distributors’ webshops. Detailed and consistent product descriptions improve SEO, help boost brand credibility, build trust with customers and increase awareness of the product and brand on the market.
The Poland team enhanced distributors’ webshops by integrating them with ABB’s eFinder, an inventory locator system designed specifically to easily help customers find out where to buy ABB Electrification products from authorized distributors in their region.
Accelerating distributors’ digital transformations
This was not simply a presentation; it was a hands-on session, where attendees were encouraged to ask questions and ensure they left with a full understanding of how the DOA Program can address their specific challenges.
“IMELCO’s DIGILAB event is always a great opportunity for us to talk to our distributors one-on-one and ensure we are developing the solutions they need to accelerate their digital transformations, and maximize sales,” Zanella said.
