The workshop special makes it clear what works and what does not work in new business for the machinery and plant engineering sector. In doing so, it provides insights into what other companies have experienced with their new business, helping to develop a clear picture of how to target new business more effectively.
In conversation: Tom Laging on the challenges of new business in machinery and plant engineering.
Mechanical and plant engineering is characterised by a high proportion of customised solutions. The phrase ‘here we hardly ever manufacture two identical products’ not only runs through the plant engineers and manufacturers of complex machines, but also extends through the numerous suppliers to the components used with frequently customer-specific variants. There are only a few industries that have to deal with such a high degree of complexity and individualisation in order to be successful.
Individualisation also shapes the customer relationship.
The customer and his request to be solved are at the centre of attention. They are not only sold a product, but their problem is to be solved as precisely as possible. For this purpose, existing solutions are adapted, the sales and engineering departments often create individual concepts and positions themself as a partner, and this is rewarded by the customers.
New business requires transporting this partner role.
Active new business means approaching interesting potential customers in a targeted manner, actively developing the contact and winning the customer. Unlike in normal everyday sales, however, there is no specific customer task at the beginning. Where customers usually describe their tasks and problems, in extreme cases there is not even a contact person. There is no one to express wishes that the sales department could make possible. There are no known, tricky tasks as a starting point. The otherwise familiar situation: “Customer comes with a problem, we find a solution and make him happy” does not exist.
Without this individual task, the otherwise so professionally followed path of sales, which inspires existing customers and for which the company is so appreciated, does not function properly. Sales lacks the decisive starting point as a “problem solver” and the concrete task on which it can prove what makes its company so special.
And that is precisely why many mechanical engineers find it difficult to acquire lucrative new customers in a targeted manner. Simply making contact and then – if successful – presenting one’s own company almost never works in practice. This is because new customers do not usually wait for a new supplier to contact them. They have a functioning supplier network, have their proven partners and are therefore initially uninterested: there is no spark and the doors do not open.
And this is exactly where our special comes in.
We’ll be happy to tell you more about it, e.g. over a team coffee.
A day that shows what works in mechanical and plant engineering – and what doesn’t.
Our projects, in which we develop new business strategies with our clients, always start with an opening. The experience we have gained in the mechanical and plant engineering ecosystem is now bundled in this workshop special.
In the workshop, many fundamental questions are clarified, previous approaches are questioned, roles are changed and clarity is brought to one’s own positioning. This creates space to reflect on experiences, use ‘wow’ experiences and thus approach new business differently than before.
The workshop thus makes it possible to develop a clear picture in one day of where it pays to break new ground in new business.
Above all, that we not only share know-how and experience, but also apply them directly to the situation in the company. In this way, it becomes clear to all participants in the discussions what works and what doesn’t in your new business.
And that is what makes the special so effective, especially for the start-up.
This special is designed for machinery and plant engineering companies who need to restructure or adjust their new business and want to make progress as quickly as possible without trial & error.
Preferably the entire team responsible for new business – then everyone builds up the same understanding and develops the approaches right from the start. But no more than 10-15 participants, otherwise this format will not succeed in achieving the necessary depth of discussion. If there is a need for embedding in a larger setting, the session can be individualised accordingly.
One workshop, one day: from 1,900 € plus VAT (depending on the degree of individualisation)
If you simply want to use the 1-day special with your team within the intended framework, this can take place almost ad hoc.
However, depending on the number of participants, previous history (e.g. critical, already burnt/biased topic), expectations and framework conditions, thorough preliminary discussions with the participants may be necessary. And sometimes we also need some time to embed the workshop in a larger framework.
Just send us a Teams invitation for approx. 45 minutes. We will then do everything else directly. We look forward to your invitation!