How SAP CX solutions bridge the customer experience gap in the Aftermarket products delivery.
Aftermarket products leaders face tremendous pressure from both the external and internal environments.
While in many industries, B2B customer service starts and stops at answering support tickets, in the aftermarket industry, customer service means laser-focused attention spread across a plethora of touchpoints. These can range anywhere from proactive maintenance, spare parts management, warranty and claims management, on-demand support to field service. They also need efficient inventory management to remain competitive by ensuring products are available when customers need it most.
On the external front, aftermarket products companies deal with rising competition. Mid-market products providers compete against giants equipped with the latest tech, research and budget advantages and small companies that have cost leverage.
So, how do mid-market companies navigate both environments and create competitive differentiation for themselves? Can they manage complex post-sales processes to ensure maximum customer satisfaction and loyalty across checkpoints? That too in a budget that comfortably fits their pockets?
The answer is, a resounding yes.
SAP has crafted an SAP CX portfolio that can comfortably be combined with other CX solutions and help aftermarket companies automate and streamline service processes to improve efficiency and value, enabling them to compete with giants in terms of value and midgets in terms of costs.
In this blog, we explore key use cases and SAP solutions that aftermarket companies can deploy independently or collectively to improve their customer experience and bottom line.
SAP’s umbrella solutions — SAP Service Cloud V2, SAP Commerce Cloud, SAP CPQ, and SAP Sales Cloud V2— for aftermarket companies can enable automation and streamlined service processes. The duo in turn improves efficiency manifold. These plug-and-play tools can be used independently or in combination as per the provider’s need.
Aftermarket product providers looking to overhaul service management capabilities can use SAP Service Cloud V2 to offer end-to-end capabilities:
With SAP Service Cloud V2, aftermarket product providers report significant improvements in response times and first-time fix rates, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction metrics. They can automate service management, ticketing, and field service operations for increased efficiency, faster response times, and proactive customer engagement.
Customer expectations for self-service options are at an all-time high. B2B buyers are increasingly adopting new channels and want their favorite sellers to be there. Like their B2C counterparts, they want more and better services: more availability, instant information, more channels and more personalization.
SAP Commerce Cloud helps aftermarket product providers by enabling:
Aftermarket products customers can browse, order and track parts, while providers can automate order fulfillment. It’s a win-win strategy for customers and sales reps as customers get the independence they want and sales reps get time to look into more complex and value-adding tasks.
Aftermarket product providers struggling with intricate pricing structures and custom quotations can use SAP CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) to:
SAP CPQ is a proven solution for custom products. It significantly reduces quoting errors and accelerates the sales cycle, particularly for high-value or custom orders.
To deliver truly exceptional customer service, aftermarket product providers need a 360-degree view of their customer interactions. SAP Sales Cloud V2 helps by:
This approach ensures every customer touchpoint is informed and value-driven. It strengthens long-term business relationships and results in better cross-selling opportunities, personalized customer engagement, and a unified customer experience.
| Use case | Challenge | SAP Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Spare Parts and Inventory Management | Availability Timely delivery | SAP Commerce Cloud with SAP Service Cloud V2 for real-time inventory visibility. |
| Warranty and Claim Management | Errors in manual entry Delayed response to customers | SAP Service Cloud for automated warranty and claim submission. |
| Field Service Management | Timely maintenance and repairs | SAP Service Cloud V2 for built-in scheduling and dispatching tools |
| Customer Self-service | ---- | SAP Commerce Cloud self-service portal for customers to log requests, track orders, and access product documentation. |
The impact of SAP solutions varies across different sectors within the aftermarket industry. Some common use cases include:
In the automotive sector, the integration of SAP Commerce Cloud with SAP Service Cloud V2 allows for:
These improvements lead to faster vehicle turnaround times and increased customer satisfaction in a highly competitive market.
For industrial machinery providers, the combination of SAP Service Cloud V2 and SAP Sales Cloud V2 enables:
This integrated approach minimizes downtime for customers and maximizes the efficiency of service operations.
In the heavy equipment sector, where field service is critical, SAP Service Cloud V2 offers:
In the consumer electronics industry, speed and transparency are paramount. A combination of SAP Sales and Service Cloud V2 can ensure:
While each solution can independently deliver value, integrating SAP Service Cloud V2, SAP Commerce Cloud, SAP CPQ, and SAP Sales Cloud V2 can create a unified, end-to-end customer service platform:
At Knack Systems, we understand that every business has unique customer service challenges, especially in B2B aftermarket industries. To get to you maximum benefits form SAP solutions, our experts follow a standardized six-step process:
With our expertise and proven methodology, Knack Systems ensures that your transition to automated customer service processes is smooth, scalable, and aligned with your business goals.
Interested in improving customer experience in your after-sales support services? Discuss your plan with our experts and get the best industry-specific advice and solutions.
Knack Systems is a premium SAP CX partner operating from the US. We provide industry-aligned solutions and services for our clients in the manufacturing, consumer products, life sciences, chemicals and building materials industries.
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