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Direct-2-Consumer Sales: How we successfully created a new digital “Agency” sales channel in 9 months

A large car importer sought to launch a new car brand in the Belgian market via a direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales approach. This approach required agents to sell vehicles on behalf of the company, rather than reselling them to dealers who would sell under their own name. Our scope was to ensure that the new ‘Agency’ processes were established, and the necessary IT applications were in place to support the execution of these processes.

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Challenge

At the start of the engagement there was no clear picture of the end-to-end (E2E) processes in their current state, nor clarity on all the domains that the Agency model would affect. The absence of a comprehensive overview meant no guarantee of completeness and impact assessment for the new Agency processes.

The situation was further complicated by the array of potential scenarios, including various financing options, B2B/B2C transactions, accessory considerations, and specific delivery cases. Convincing the agents about the quality and effectiveness of the proposed changes presented an additional hurdle.

BrightWolves was a huge help during our digital transformation. They quickly understood our strategic needs, the business we operate in and our challenges. They combined this with the technical knowledge to translate this into concrete initiatives and technical requirements across a variety of applications and teams.
~ Client's SPP Manager

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Approach

BrightWolves approached the project in three distinct phases:

  1. Drafting and Iterating To-Be Processes: We initiated the project by engaging with all departments involved in vehicle sales and delivery (Logistics, Finance, Purchasing, Agents, Marketing, …), along with the product owners of the relevant applications (13). This collaborative effort allowed us to co-create draft versions of the to-be processes. These drafts were refined through multiple iterations to ensure efficiency, promote cross-departmental collaboration, and verify technical feasibility, resulting in validated to-be processes.

  2. Translating into Requirements: Utilizing the developed process maps, we identified all necessary requirements, both system-related and otherwise. Collaborating with the different IT teams, we strategically planned system changes and created the implementation roadmap, taking into account timing, inter-dependencies, available capabilities, and operational impact on running activities.

  3. Implementation and Training: During the implementation phase, we worked closely with the IT teams and business teams to meet requirements and deadlines, resulting in fully functional end-to-end (‘Agency’) sales process, supported by the business teams. Simultaneously, we conducted training sessions for the involved personnel, ensuring a smooth transition to the new way of working.

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Impact

The project resulted in the successful sale of thousands of vehicles through the D2C sales channel in the inaugural year. Transitioning to D2C led to substantial changes across multiple domains of the company, including Delivery & Logistics, Invoicing & Finance, Stock Planning, Pricing, and Customer Data. Nevertheless, the process was launched on schedule and without unforeseen challenges.

Need a comprehensive IT solution for D2C Sales?

Need a comprehensive approach for setting up a D2C Sales solution?
Our expertise in designing end-to-end IT solutions can empower your direct sales channel. Reach out to explore how we can assist you.

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