Global expansion across markets such as South America, North America and China have increased Rotary’s competency to serve its clients, mainly vehicle manufacturers (VMs) everywhere, besides adding the possibility to shift demands for similar products across eastern Europe as and when surplus demands arise. BlitzRotary has leveraged this competency across VMs such as Mercedes, VW, Ford, GM and others in Europe, which adopt a global strategy to ensure universal presence in key and prime markets. VMs constantly demonstrate the need to have similar and standard product ranges (garage equipment) across all markets, a specialty that is presently only catered to by BlitzRotary.

Strong Alliances and Partnerships are Keys to BlitzRotary Addressing Customer Demands

In 2003, BlitzRotary’s demands for 2-post and 4-post automotive lifts across Europe were met through its largest production facility based in North America. Though the customers’ volume demands were met, time and cost factors related to logistics were challenges that BlitzRotary faced on constant basis. However, the need to add scissor lifts to its existing portfolio of 2-post and 4-post lifts resulted in BlitzRotary forming strategic alliances and mergers. By acquiring Hanmecson in 2007, Rotary Lift established its credentials to meet expanding customer needs of emerging markets in Asia. This supplemented well with Rotary Lift’s existing brand of enthusiast/residential lifts that provided the required options for both price-driven and value-conscious buyers. Increased productivity of the technicians as a result of its uncompromising commitment to product quality, testing and safety positioned Rotary Lift as the world’s most trusted lift manufacturer. 

Advantages that the company derived through such alliances and partnerships included:

• Rotary Lift with it’s European Headquarter BlitzRotary becoming the only automotive lift manufacturer to have a global footprint across every continent and major developed or developing countries to address diverse customer demands. For example, Rotary Lift North America in Madison (the United States), BlitzRotary in Bräunlingen (Germany) and Rotary Lift Asia in Haimen (China).
• Post 2007, the question of timely delivery of products irrespective of volumes became a competency that BlitzRotary GmbH, where frequent customer complaints owing to delayed shipments are often highlighted.

Alliances and partnership were not limited to passenger car segment alone. Commercial vehicles were key focus areas as well as highlighted by active co-operation with Team Hahn Racing in the FIA European Truck Racing Championship. Such partnerships offered BlitzRotary the required conditions to test and enhance products for its customers’ workshop environment under harsh racing conditions. At the same time, interesting knowledge that was acquired went a long way in its future product development programmes.

“Value-added Promotional” Support have gone Well with BlitzRotary’s Customers

Some of the other unique initiatives taken by BlitzRotary to further enhance customer experience include development of customer-focused flyers and brochures that could be digitally printed and personalized. New developments on the Blitz Website enabled customers to integrate multi-languages with a complete list of sales and service offers and relevant context information for every product in the form of manuals, brochures, pictures and contact requests. The addition of a reference gallery along with a “used product webshop” was framed with actual and future customer needs in mind. A similar structure is planned to be adopted for the re-launch of Rotary’s new Website in the latter part of 2008. BlitzRotary’s every action is undertaken with a focus on customers and their specific requirements. Local subsidiaries worldwide have not only aided in its efforts, but also offered them a degree of product flexibility essential to satisfy customer demands.

BlitzRotary’s Website provides a consumer with the ability to register its automotive lifts, thereby leveraging its ability to interact closely with end users. Each end user, through the allotted serial number, becomes part of the complete customer care programme that enables all of them to be served better through frequent interaction and service guidance. A symbiotic relationship is established where Rotary, as a manufacturer, would obtain periodic information and details about other problems related to lifts. It would then be passed on to the service team that would look into the matter before any other complication may arise. The result was advantages for both the customer as well as the manufacturer, where considerable savings in time are attained. 

Global Approvals

Blitz Rotary’s global focus essentially meant that customer needs would also be catered to on a global level. Establishing Voice of the Customer approach (VOC) with “lead user workshops” in 2007, to understand differences in global customer preferences, was an initiative taken by BlitzRotary to understand the actual as well as future orientation of customer needs. 

Development of an end-user focused product strategy to find additional customer needs and preferences were key reasons behind BlitzRotary’s successful bid of the “Maybach project”. The car was tested with lifts from various competitors which ultimately went to BlitzRotary, an achievement that Frost & Sullivan believed was the beginning of a strong relationship between various big automotive customers and Rotary. These benefits have not been stopped at the VM levels, but rather passed on to the end users as well This is a true testimony to BlitzRotary’s ever promising product reliability and preference offering. 

Future-oriented Value-added Technology Services Strengthen BlitzRotary’s Reputation 

Another key future-oriented initiative was the proposed development of a project code named “INBAY 2”. Having recognised that automotive lifts are keys to any vehicle workshop activity, BlitzRotary has proposed to integrate other customer-oriented services, such as attaining spare parts database of VMs, to its other existing service portfolios. Development of a dedicated and centralised PC helps synergise the needs of other customers such as dealers, by combining administration and diagnostic systems. The fully integrated workplace, INBAY 2 combines these systems into a single unit, the basis being a pen-based mobile tablet PC integrated into the control unit of the lift. For instance, for mobile use, when diagnostics need to be made in direct vicinity with the vehicle, the mobile tablet PC can easily be detached from the holder. Connection to the shop network and thus also to Web-based applications is implemented through the integrated WLAN. Status information, maintenance, instructions and other important information on lifts can be accessed easily through the tablet PC. Rotary has gone one step further to make some of this information available to various shop operators through intranet or optionally to Rotary Service partner through the Internet, thereby providing more productivity and efficiency on the shop floor. Projects are a clear indication of Rotary’s commitment to completely focus and provide solutions based on ever increasing and changing complexities of customer needs. 

Conclusion

BlitzRotary’s customer service initiative is not just restricted to timely delivery and frequent product maintenance programmes .It integrates analytical and research capability as well to provide new horizons and application areas to which customer service can be extended. Initiatives such as the lead user workshop within the VOC approach are steps in the right direction to give a whole new meaning to customer service. This is the mark of a true customer service leadership giant. 

Frost & Sullivan, thereby, presents its “2008 European Automotive Vehicle Lifts Customer Service Leadership Award,” to BlitzRotary GmbH, for its unique position in this market.

Award Description

The Frost & Sullivan Award for Customer Service Leadership is bestowed upon the company that has demonstrated excellence in customer service leadership within the industry. The recipient company has shown tremendous responsiveness to customer needs and has continually focused on long and short-term customer profitability goals. In addition, the recipient company demonstrated flexibility in tailoring their product offerings to suit customer businesses. The recipient company has possibly developed and implemented innovative customer care systems that set unprecedented standards for customer interaction, timely response, and/or attention to customer needs.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company’s industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. For more information, visit www.frost.com.