The club for pioneers
15.04.2021 | Ahead

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Mr. Wiedemann, Mr. Zwiesele, why does KraussMaffei provide its customers the online portal pioneersClub?

Frank Wiedemann

In today's world, it is impossible to imagine life without digitization and, more specifically, digital customer service. What already has a positive influence on our lives in the private sphere is also becoming increasingly important in business life. The expectations of our customers are high at this point, as positive experiences in private life are also increasingly expected in the corporate environment. Especially in the current Corona crisis, this expectation has once again massively increased. 

With the pioneersClub, KraussMaffei will in future be offering its customers digital services and added value that will enable them to work faster and more efficiently: Around the clock, 365 days a year.  It is the beginning of a digital journey. We know that our market competitors are sometimes two to three years ahead of us here. We want to close this gap quickly and position ourselves as a pioneer in digital customer service in the future.

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When you enter the pioneersClub through the virtual door: What spaces open up there?

Frank Wiedemann

During the development of pioneersClub, the best possible customer orientation was very important to us. In our opinion, this includes a modern, intuitive design that is geared to customer needs and works on both stationary computers and mobile devices. 

After successful login, our customer is taken directly to his personalized machine overview. All the KraussMaffei machines he has purchased are displayed there with the associated information.  The option of granting access to other employees means that they can also find the relevant information on the respective machines quickly and centrally. For example, the manual or the machine-specific construction plans are stored for each machine. In addition, our customers will be able to request and order spare parts around the clock via the machine-specific spare parts catalog.

Jochen Zwiesele

It was also important for us to maintain personal contact with our customers. For this reason, the pioneersClub provides an easy and quick way to contact the person responsible for the individual case at KraussMaffei. The colleagues will continue to be available to our customers in the future and will provide support if required when using or ordering via the pioneersClub.

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What are the benefits of membership?

Frank Wiedemann

As already described, the pioneersClub offers information and services 24 hours a day, from any location with Internet access. Customers can thus call up relevant information quickly and easily at any time and, if necessary, order spare parts in the online store, even from their home office . Here we offer another advantage: When ordering online via pioneersClub, our customers receive a two percent discount on their spare parts. 

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Who can register for the club?

Frank Wiedemann

The pioneersClub is the digital interface between customers and KraussMaffei and is thus available to all customers free of charge. All customers can therefore log in and register for the platform. At the moment, access is limited to our customers from Germany and Switzerland. By the end of the year at the latest, however, we want to roll out the pionnersClub internationally. 

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How does a customer obtain membership?

Jochen Zwiesele

This is very simple and straightforward. Customers can send us an e-mail directly via pioneersclub@kraussmaffei.com Or they can go to the website (pioneersclub.kraussmaffei.com) and register directly here. Alternatively, they can always ask their customer advisor about the pioneersClub, who will also be happy to support them. 

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What are the next steps?

Frank Wiedemann

At the moment, pioneersClub is still limited to the standard functions. We want to gradually expand these and enrich them with further digital services. Among other things, we are planning an area with applications and trainings for the respective machines. 

Jochen Zwiesele

In the future, customers will also be able to create their own service tickets if, for example, they need support at a plant. This will enable them to track the processing status of their request. In the medium term, we also want to use the platform to provide access to our digital service products such as smartAssist or socialProduction. The communication options between customers and KraussMaffei employees are also to be further expanded. 

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Mr. Wiedemann, as you said, digital services are also becoming increasingly important in mechanical engineering. Why is the pioneersClub only starting now?

Frank Wiedemann

There have already been various approaches to a global customer platform, but they have not been successful in the past. The current reorganization and the associated merger of all KraussMaffei technologies and brands under one roof now gave us the opportunity to develop a central, global platform for the entire company. 

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Have you already received initial feedback from customers?

Jochen Zwiesele

The feedback so far has been consistently positive. Customers describe the platform as well-structured and appealing in design. They also welcome the functions. 

Frank Wiedemann

It was important for us to involve the customers right from the start. The machine overview, the contact field or the digital store are all based on their wishes. We want to continue to develop the platform together with the customers and are happy when they share their feedback and ideas with us. In this way, we can exchange ideas and shape the future together. Just like in a club - the club of pioneers.