E.ON has introduced a leading CRM solution in B2B

E.ON makes your business processes even more efficient and enhances the customer experience with a unique CRM solution in the Central European region. The Hungarian company of the international energy service provider introduced the Salesforce Energy & Utilities Cloud solution in its B2B business, and entrusted the implementation of the new system to one of the most experienced service providers on the Hungarian IT market, United Consult.

— As part of a large-scale enterprise project, the Energy & Utilities Cloud, a new innovative CRM solution tailored specifically for your industry by Salesforce in the E.ON Solutions business, has been introduced. Why did they choose United Consult when they were looking for a partner to implement the system? — we asked Tibor Hladics, Head of IT & Digital Customer Solutions at E.ON, about the details of the development.

Tibor Hladics: — Within the European group we already had experience in implementing the Salesforce system, so we knew exactly what we expected from our future partner. We were looking for an experienced company that, in addition to meeting the professional criteria, is able to implement this system within the schedule and budget we expect. The work was preceded by a relatively long selection process: we carefully surveyed the consultants currently operating on the market, issued a tender, and then examined the offers according to an objective evaluation point system. In the end, UC came out as the winning applicant.

— How is Salesforce different from other CRM platforms available on the market? How did you decide to step up with Salesforce to improve customer experiences and increase sales efficiency?

H. T.: — E.ON's strategy is based on three pillars: growth, sustainability and digitalisation. The latter is a pillar that has gained even more importance in recent years. It was in this spirit that the central decision was not to maintain different systems for different purposes in our business operations, but to look for a standardized solution that combines different functions. There were two international brands for which the group voted; one of them was Salesforce. They offer a technological solution that can be implemented quickly, and a modern infrastructure works under it. It was important to be able to implement the system with relatively little coding and, of course, to provide the competencies that we need. We looked at both of the big vendors, and because we felt Salesforce was much stronger in supporting sales, we opted for it. It was also important to be able to manage the B2B customer base in a product-independent sales process, as we did not want to create separate processes and steps for each product. With the Energy & Utilities Cloud, we got sales tools that increase efficiency. Our colleagues see in this system not an administrative burden, but technological solutions that support them to be even better at sales. It is a closed system that also manages various approval processes, measures lead times and provides up-to-date reports for both salespeople and their managers. Our decision was therefore made on the one hand on the basis of the need for digitalization and, on the other hand, the needs arising from the business side. We found a good pairing of these two in this system.

What were your expectations of United Consult? What were your main criteria for implementing Salesforce Energy & Utilities Cloud?

H. T.: — This was not our first CRM implementation within the E.ON Hungária group, which is why we already had experience. We also aimed at a kind of change of attitude in this project, which was about adapting our own operations and processes to a well-designed framework — which we receive as a standard. We did not want to make the mistake that many people run into, to start building a “star-destroying” type of system, and after years they still find that it is not fully completed, but with continuous improvements they are already starting to use it. We expected UC to introduce us in a relatively short time a ready-made system that knows everything we expect from it, but later a new feature can be easily integrated into it. The basic goal was to give salespeople the support they needed to do their jobs with a higher success rate and to meet deadlines; the system would give them real support and not be seen as a necessary evil.

— Ideally, during a project of this caliber, the supplier not only codes and installs, but also sees the customer's business operation, goals, IT structure and, of course, works with highly sensitive data. This presupposes a strong relationship of trust from design through all phases of implementation to system sharpening. In the case of E.ON and UC, how should we imagine working together?

H. T.: —The project started on March 1, 2022, and its volume is well indicated by the fact that we have invested in the order of 18 thousand working hours together with UC, with the participation of a total of more than a hundred colleagues involved. One hundred and ninety-three user stories were developed, forty of our employees tested the system, and finally one hundred and thirty received training. It is important that we always use a methodology appropriate to the specific project, here we have decided that it will not be a waterfall type introduction, but that we will implement a system using agile tools. There was constant communication with the experts of United Consult, we established a real relationship of trust. We were not just looking for a supplier, but a partner for the job who knows and understands our needs. We had a common goal to have a successful rollout, keep deadlines, maintain cost levels, and when users take ownership, start using a well-functioning system. The basis for everything was a well-prepared, fair contract from both sides. In this we have clarified in detail the needs of E.ON as a customer and what United Consult can provide answers to them. We did not set up individual project organizations, but worked together throughout. The fact that we were able to articulate our expectations accurately played a role in our success, and UC, being open to learning about our operations, understood and responded to them appropriately.

— In less than a year, they implemented the Salesforce Energy & Utilities Cloud, which is also a unique CRM solution in Central Europe. Is this the pace and quality expected at the beginning of the project?

H. T.: I'm very proud of the whole team. During the tender process, we determined when we wanted to start and when we wanted to finish the project, and this was done flawlessly. We are making a lot of developments within the E.ON group in different areas, and I can safely say: this was a sample project on how to implement a relatively complex system for a company of this size. In the implementation process, there was no deadline slippage or cost increase, and we did not give up on quality for a moment. I'm not saying that this year was a smooth one — of course there were some exciting situations — but we think a good supplier partnership is all about getting through them together.

— If there were a few things to highlight from working with UC, what do you think they would be? Why was this development so successful?

H. T.: There were many factors to success. First of all, there was a well-defined, clearly defined project goal and there was a prepared supplier. E.ON and United Consult put together a dedicated and collaborative project team that operated with minimal turnover during the year. It was very important that both E.ON and UC were carried out by the team that started the project. There was also a very strong and well thought-out contract, which gave both parties a framework to work together. Of course, we needed a kind of “chemistry” between the two companies, which cannot be contracted, but in our case it also worked perfectly. On the part of the project team, there was a strong, transparent communication in the direction of the management, and at the middle and senior management level, the processes were followed with interest and monitoring throughout. A realistic schedule and a well-thought-out allocation of resources were also important success factors.

— Is it possible that after the Solutions business in the B2B sector, they will switch to Salesforce in another area, perhaps B2C?

H. T.: — It is not only conceivable, but we have already started a new project. As I have already mentioned, digitalization is a strategic goal: a modern, stable IT architecture is essential for sustainable growth. Basically, we think about the complete coverage of business processes from lead receipt to contracting, then execution to operation and maintenance. We are now working on the implementation of the post-contract delivery part, and in the E.ON Solutions area we have also started our project to cover the B2C segment with United Consult. We base this equally on product-independent CRM technology and good partnership. We are also thinking about what Salesforce modules to introduce beyond the Energy & Utilities Cloud, for example the marketing cloud is already on our agenda.

For our CRM solutions, visit our Salesforce business website >>

United Consult