For more than 75 years the VELUX Group has created better living environments by bringing daylight and fresh air into people’s homes all over the world. It is the leading producer of roof windows and commercial skylights, making it one the strongest brands in the building industry. The VELUX Group has manufacturing and sales operations in more than 40 countries, with an extensive distribution network.
The Challenge
At the beginning of the C19 crisis, VELUX were in a situation where most of the sales force around Europe was grounded and working from home. Meanwhile most customers could continue some degree of normal work, however with a different degree of national restrictions. As a result, the salespeople were faced with a new reality and a new set of challenges that they quickly had to adapt to.
With the help of Mercuri, 3 major challenges were identified:
- Improve the ability to do remote selling and adapt best practices
- Identify new best practice within remote sales management
- Ensure field staff motivation and keep a strong focus on people management during the crisis
Our Solution
With the help of Mercuri, the aim was to create an online and interactive learning platform for our sales force and our sales management. Our primary goal was to keep our field staff motivated while maximising our sales performance during the C19 crisis. Our secondary goal was to prepare for the post-crisis period and develop new ways of working for the future.
In record time, Mercuri helped scope and deliver a 100% virtual training program for our sales forces, which was built on two main elements:
- A newly launched standard Mercuri e-learning program for Virtual Selling, that we offered to our field sales force and sales managers
- A series of three webinars for Sales Management, to share best practice and discuss the implementation of new ways of working now and in the future. The webinars were designed as highly interactive with practical exercises and implementation as homework between each webinar. Mercuri was very helpful in recommending a relevant guest speaker from Neurolead for two webinars, who ensured a strong focus on people management, while Mercuri managed the sales management perspective.
Within few weeks the e-learning programme to our sales force was ready, and within one month, the three webinars were executed for the entire sales management team in Central and Eastern Europe. The webinars were mainly focussing on real-life examples and practical application. The feedback from the participants has been excellent, both regarding the e-learning module and webinar series.
I feel that we are now in a much better position to address the future post-crisis world and we now have the right mindset in the team to do so. I have been very impressed with the ability of Mercuri to react swiftly and co-create a tailor-made program to our needs.
Henrik Gyll Winther Larsen, Senior Manager, South Eastern Europe
The Result
Immediate effects: better sales meetings, motivational boost and appreciation from the sales teams.
Long term benefits: broader perspective on how to do business virtually and solutions for improving efficiency and cost of sales after the crisis.
The webinars have helped introduce a mindset change in the regional management team, which will form an essential link to the long-term digital strategy and our sales planning in the post crisis environment.
I am truly impressed how fast Mercuri was able to help us scope and deliver a 100% virtual sales training platform during the C19 crisis for our Central and Eastern European team. We can really see it has improved our virtual sales processes and given our people a much-needed motivation boost during this difficult period.
Marko Sladoje, Managing Director, Central and Eastern Europe
