The Challenge
Insulation failure causes over 90 percent of forced outages in industrial electrical equipment, such as switchgear, motors, and generators. In continuously operating industries such as pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, and steel production, these unplanned outages can cost over $1 million per day. Predicting potential failures is therefore critical. Traditionally, the preventive approach involved sending a technician with $50,000 of equipment to manually inspect site equipment once a year — a costly and time-consuming process.
Eaton’s Predictive Diagnostics Unit developed a family of sensors and continuously operating monitors that could be installed and left on site to monitor signs of upcoming equipment failures, specifically electrical arcs (unintended electrical discharges) and sparks. The data could be viewed in real-time via a personal computer (PC). The unit would also warn of a pending failure by sending a signal to on-site engineers. The new equipment was more effective and cost-efficient than previous technology, helping to increase overall uptime by reducing unnecessary planned outages.
A major challenge was overcoming sales force skepticism, rooted in limited exposure to and understanding of the product’s technical complexities.
Approach
The assignment was to develop and execute a marketing plan, increase the sales force’s focus on and confidence in the new product line, and double overall sales within one fiscal year. The highly technical products and solutions — complex offerings requiring in-depth technical knowledge to present to customers — needed to be “sold.” Thus, product and sales training for the sales force, as well as the provision of sales tools, would be essential. The budget allowed for both a “push” marketing campaign (where products are promoted directly to intermediaries, such as distributors or retailers, to encourage them to stock the product) and a “pull” marketing campaign (where marketing efforts are directed at end customers to build demand and encourage them to seek out the product).
Result
A pull- and push-marketing communications campaign — using both strategies to reach customers and encourage demand —leveraged a formal marketing plan and creative brief to engage personnel. This approach helped them establish a habit of presenting the product line to end customers, even after the sales incentive portion of the program was withdrawn. The residual benefit resulted in the business unit doubling its sales in one year.
