Siemens Brings Expert Knowledge to the Point of Sale

Siemens Energy and Automation is the leading manufacturer of Above NEMA motors, used exclusively for industrial and manufacturing applications. With the goal to continue their high market standards, Siemens found their answer in Cincom Manufacturing Business Solutions Interactive Selling and Product Configuration solution.

John Larabee, Manager, Engineering Systems, is Siemens program manager in charge of their  configuration initiative called MotorPro. Larabee reveals how through a patient evaluation of available solutions and a thorough review of Siemens business processes, their configurator initiative is paying off with reduced costs, slashed quotation times, generation of motor performance data and drawings, and improved customer satisfaction. What is MotorPro and how did the project come about?

At the outset, we basically knew we needed to do two things: First, we had to better understand the steps in our Quote-to-Order process, and second, select a software solution that could meet our business needs, while being flexible and easily maintained. Once we had evaluated our business processes, Siemens looked to Cincoms Interactive Selling and Product Configuration to make MotorPro a reality. Siemens is the leader in the design and manufacture of Above-NEMA motors, but we saw an opportunity to make things better for both our customers and ourselves. MotorPro was born out of a desire to offer world-class customer service from a world-class company like Siemens.

What business challenges were you experiencing, and what specifically did you set out to do?

At Siemens, all motors are engineered-to-order (ETO) to meet each customers specifications. Because motors can be a critical path for our customers, and for OEMs are an integral part of their products design, certified CAD motor drawings and performance data are required as deliverables. This process once took 4-6 weeks to complete, which is not uncommon in the industry today. Our goal was to capture the knowledge of our motor experts, and bring that knowledge closer to the point of sale.

How has Cincom helped you address your business challenges and those of your customers?

Cincom has helped Siemens salespeople and our customers, by guiding them through the process of configuring and pricing an electric motor, without having to be a motor expert or risk choosing an invalid selection. With certified motor performance data and CAD drawings as deliverables, the process is now fully automated, helping us to be more responsive to our customers. Its our customers engineering lead times that we have worked to reduce. This process once took 4-6 weeks to complete, but with Cincoms solution, it now takes us less than one hour and the data generated by the system is certifiable. In addition, we have been able to reduce quotation times from days to just minutes. Our customers have expressed tremendous satisfaction, which was our end goal with MotorPro.

What other business improvements has Cincom brought Siemens?

A streamlined sales and engineering process has achieved great benefits, and another improvement is our ability to dynamically create and load bills of material into our ERP system. By helping us move engineering closer to our customers, we are able to better serve their needs, all while opening up time to focus on our most complex customer requirements. How did you select Cincom as your solution provider?

We evaluated nearly every interactive selling and product configuration solution on the market, and Cincom was the only system that could meet our business challenges. It was also important that the solution be easily used and maintained by people who had knowledge of our products and could write and maintain the rules with very limited IT support.

Would you recommend Cincom to others seeking to bring expert knowledge to the point of sale?

Absolutely, Cincoms Interactive Selling and Product Configuration has enabled us to better serve our customers and streamline our sales and order fulfillment processes. Cincoms Professional Services were also invaluable to us, and stood by us when we needed help, while working to keep our services costs to a minimum. Cincom is a provider, who couples powerful technology with efficient and professional service, and thats exactly what Siemens was looking for.