Akhani 3D, is the largest and most experienced commercial additive manufacturing service bureau in Africa, needed to improve quoting process and online end-user experience. The company had focused their online marketing strategy on informational content, such as blog posts and videos for prospects who are considering AM as a solution and want to learn more. However, incoming requests for quotes were mostly managed via email, which required labor and could only take place during business hours in one time zone, stretching the sales cycle.
By turning to DigiFabster’s platform that enables additive manufacturing service bureaus to automate their quoting process and manage orders while also providing a seamless end-user experience, Akhani 3D implemented a quick and automated process that takes the consumer from an educational entry point to placing an order in minutes. Here’s their story.
“We were running a semi-manual system to handle incoming requests for quotes, but we needed a more streamlined system to mange those requests, improve the quoting workflow, and keep our pricing consistent and competitive,” says David Bullock, Founder and Director of Akhani 3D, which provides design, product, and application development, digital moulding, 3D scanning services, polymer and metal 3D printing, production finishing and coloring. Akhani’s clients are in aerospace, industrial electronics, engineering businesses, automotive, medical and equipment manufacture.
By leveraging DigiFabster’s QuickQuote software and deploying its quote “widgets” in high-traffic areas of the Akhani 3D website, such as blog posts and videos, Akhani 3D was able to capture leads, provide quotes within minutes, and grow and manage its pipeline.
Pairing DigiFabster QuickQuote with DigiFabster e-Commerce created a seamless ordering workflow once the quotes were generated, thus closing the time gap between a quote and a sale. Akhani 3D also used DigiFabster x Xero integration to dovetail sales data into its bookkeeping system, as well as DigiFabster’s CRM solution to manage all new and existing prospects and clients.
The Result Was Impressive
“Only three weeks after our kickoff with DigiFabster, the system was processing about 50 to 100 models per day, resulting in 5 to 10 orders with a median value of $180 per order,” says Bullock.
By the end of the year, Akhani 3D had generated over 120 new orders per month, resulting in significant e-commerce revenue. Quotes were generated within 3 to 5 minutes of a request, as opposed to the days it took with their previous manual system.
DigiFabster’s geometry engine performs with a 95% quoting accuracy and it’s available 24-hours a day, eliminating wait times after customers submit a request. By leveraging the QuickQuote widget throughout their blog and video content, Akhani 3D was able to capture more leads. With DigiFabster e-Commerce, Akhani 3D could convert those leads into sales within minutes, and minimize the cost and time of acquiring new customers.
To learn more about Akhani, we encourage you to visit their website.
(Learn more about DigiFabster Instant Quote solution here.)
Lead image source: (Source: DigiFabster)