About
MAN Diesel & Turbo designs, builds and markets marine engines and spare parts. A maintenance kit consists of all necessary parts for servicing of an engine component together with detailed instructions. Both a designer and builder of marine engines, MAN is the only supplier worldwide able to provide customised kits.
Strategy
The majority of shipping companies buy spare parts on an as needed basis. When opening up the engine, the service engineer often sees that a number of wear parts other than those ordered need to be replaced. This implies higher risk of breakdown.
The campaign goal was to create awareness and understanding of the advantages of sourcing maintenance kits instead of individual parts. The target audience needed to see MAN’s maintenance kits as a natural part of planned preventive maintenance that diminishes the risk of engine failure and reduces technical support costs.
The strategy was to get customers to try a kit on one of their own vessels and experience the advantages. The active leverage of customer data enabled them to focus sharply on individual solutions and offer each recipient a customised kit.
Main market promise
To save money, time and hassle with all-in-one maintenance kits underpinned by a powerful creative concept that underlines success and describes the way the kits are packaged: It’s in the bag.
It’s in the bag is a whole new way of thinking: an all-in-one solution that makes life in the engine room easier. Not just a bunch of spare parts, but a customised service. MAN’s way of saying: “Let us use our expertise and knowledge about your engine to help you increase performance, free up resources and save money.”
Objectives
- Increase MAN spare part sales by 10%.
- Create qualified sales leads via direct response.
- Change current behaviour from ad hoc/one at a time to forward- looking purchasing.
Target audience
Technical managers are responsible for on-board operations. They focus on technical solutions and functional performance. This means they are positive towards MAN’s maintenance kits. Technical managers influence procurement, but it is procurement who signs the order.
Procurement officers focus on keeping down costs of spare parts and prefer to source individual parts rather than a kit as they ‘risk’ paying for parts that may not be needed.
The target audience consists of MAN Diesel & Turbo’s own customers. That means it’s possible to know precisely which vessels they have and which kits are relevant for each engine.
Evaluation
Evaluations are used in the ensuing sales dialogue.
Internal anchoring
It’s in the bag is also the linchpin of the internal communication. All sales people involved receive a direct mailer as a campaign warm-up in order to ensure robust anchorage and to prepare the sales force for follow-up:
- An original maintenance kit in a silver foil bag as an envelope
- A letter describing the advantages of maintenance kits
- A sales guide with anticipated customer reactions
- A Q&A with possible customer objections
- Mint pastilles in small ‘maintenance kit bags’ as giveaway.
Timescales
The campaign was launched in 2014. Its unprecedented success meant that it is still running. There have been four waves up to the present, giving sales reps the time they need to follow up on all leads.
Results
- 34.3 % response rate: unique visitors to the site.
- 27.3 % leads: conversion rate from response to leads is 79.4 per cent, corresponding to conversion of 27.3 per cent of the entire target audience to sales leads.
- 100 % follow-up: the relevant local sales representative followed up on every single lead.
- 240 % sales increase: spare parts sales increased by more than 240 per cent, more than meeting the campaign target of a 10 per cent increase.
"The 'It’s in the bag' campaign has kick-started a new dialogue between MAN Diesel & Turbo and our customers, positioning us as a partner dedicated to constant improvement rather than just a supplier. The creativity and robust execution of the campaign together with internal communication with the sales force delivered a sales increase of 240 per cent"
