The strategic development of Augumenta sales process: From pilot projects to sustainable customer relationships.
Siurumaa, Sanna (2021)
2021
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202104215300
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202104215300
Tiivistelmä
The fourth industrial revolution is underway as companies are seeking transformation to smart factories with new technology, such as virtual and augmented reality and IoT. While augmented reality (AR) has existed for a while, it is quite new in the contexts of manufacturing industry. Especially in big enterprises to start deploying AR, a pilot project is required to prove the benefits of such new technology or solution before long-term investments can be done.
Augumenta Ltd. is one of the pioneers in AR and holds groundbreaking patents in the industry. Going through its start-up phase Augumenta aims at growth through offering AR utilizing solutions in the manufacturing industry. In the search of sustainable customer relationships, it has been noted that the sales cycle of such solutions can be quite long and often the relationships do not evolve after pilot projects. Customers may remain not aware of the solution’s benefits even though otherwise would be very satisfied. On the other hand, as a small and a young company Augumenta lacks proper customer references, mostly due to customers wanting to hide their competitive edge found with the help of AR solutions.
The aim of this thesis was to find ways to develop the sales process in a way that would encourage more customers to invest in Augumenta’s offering in a long term. The thesis sought for both theoretical background and empirical evidence with qualitative methods to suggest development ideas, produce an improved sales process model and describe the customers’ perceptions of Augumenta’s success.
Both the current and the improved sales process models were produced, and the customers’ reviews investigated in a customer research. Through these and the previous studies reviewed development suggestions were made. The achieved suggestions relate to information exchange between Augumenta and the customers as well as in the sales process’ managerial viewpoint. Those and the process models can be utilized in Augumenta’s internal development, in future growth and as background for future strategical intentions. Room for future development and research remains as the thesis sets a foundation for future development inside Augumenta.
Augumenta Ltd. is one of the pioneers in AR and holds groundbreaking patents in the industry. Going through its start-up phase Augumenta aims at growth through offering AR utilizing solutions in the manufacturing industry. In the search of sustainable customer relationships, it has been noted that the sales cycle of such solutions can be quite long and often the relationships do not evolve after pilot projects. Customers may remain not aware of the solution’s benefits even though otherwise would be very satisfied. On the other hand, as a small and a young company Augumenta lacks proper customer references, mostly due to customers wanting to hide their competitive edge found with the help of AR solutions.
The aim of this thesis was to find ways to develop the sales process in a way that would encourage more customers to invest in Augumenta’s offering in a long term. The thesis sought for both theoretical background and empirical evidence with qualitative methods to suggest development ideas, produce an improved sales process model and describe the customers’ perceptions of Augumenta’s success.
Both the current and the improved sales process models were produced, and the customers’ reviews investigated in a customer research. Through these and the previous studies reviewed development suggestions were made. The achieved suggestions relate to information exchange between Augumenta and the customers as well as in the sales process’ managerial viewpoint. Those and the process models can be utilized in Augumenta’s internal development, in future growth and as background for future strategical intentions. Room for future development and research remains as the thesis sets a foundation for future development inside Augumenta.