Optimizing service and sales through a customer-focused digital portal

A global leader in industrial packaging with annual sales exceeding $6 billion aimed to become the best-performing customer service company in the world. To enhance its customer experience and expand its digital service model, the company needed support in accelerating the roll-out of a pilot customer portal. This portal would empower customers to place and manage orders 24/7, allowing local teams to focus on higher-value tasks.
We started by helping the company define the core objectives of the project. We clarified the “why” and “what” to ensure the team had a concrete starting point for capturing customer value. Based on this, we developed a detailed plan outlining how to execute the vision and a roadmap for scaling the solution.
In the "Test & Accelerate" phase, the platform was first launched at one plant. This highlighted adoption challenges due to the lack of a clear strategy and dedicated resources. In response, we made key adjustments to the portal proposition and strategy, assembled the necessary team, and built a business case for expansion. These changes helped accelerate the rollout, establish an operating model, and lay down key foundations for broader implementation.
For implementation, we used a structured, step-by-step approach to ensure continuous improvement while minimizing risks and aligning the solution with business needs. We set up a “sandbox environment” across several North American plants, working with around 400 customers, primarily purchasing agents from SMEs. The MVP focused on key order management features, addressing critical pain points like bulk order processing and order status visibility.
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The customer portal was successfully launched across North American facilities, leading to several key outcomes:
• Increased adoption: Activation rates soared, with over 70% of customers at the first launched plants activating their accounts. Digital order retention reached nearly 100%, with approximately 5-10% of all weekly orders processed via the portal.
• Improved operational efficiency: Customer service representatives saved an estimated 80 hours per month by automating previously manual tasks, enabling them to focus on more value-adding activities.
• Enhanced customer experience: The portal introduced features such as order uploads, ETA and geo-tracking of shipments, and real-time order status updates. These improvements resulted in significantly higher customer satisfaction.
• Scalable solution: We developed a clear roadmap and allocated dedicated resources, ensuring the solution could scale across multiple regions and business lines. The platform was designed to offer a tailored end-to-end journey for different customer personas, enhancing both sales and customer service effectiveness.
The project not only achieved its immediate goals but also laid the foundation for continued digital transformation and customer service excellence.
