Harvey Performance modernizes its B2B customer experience with a scalable solution to launch multiple brands

Introduction

Harvey Performance, a provider of specialty carbide end mills and cutting tools to the metalworking industry, was looking to modernize its B2B eCommerce experience by unifying its multiple brands on the same digital infrastructure. They not only required numerous backend integrations to upgrade their systems but also sought advice, expertise, and solution training.

A deeper look

Leveraging Optimizely for Commerce and Content Cloud, Harvey Performance selected Luminos Labs to help them build a highly improved B2B commerce experience for the brand, Helical. They would use the same website framework for their other brands, Micro100 and Harvey Tool. There was a need for a non-traditional eCommerce site, as Helical didn’t sell products directly (no Cart or Checkout page) but instead through their network of distributors. A custom solution was designed to address these B2B issues, integrate seamlessly with the other backend solutions, and incorporate sophisticated rules and permissions.

Search and Navigation

Users can quickly find desired products through updated search and navigation. Powered by Optimizely Find, their search helps buyers to the right product through variant attributes and specifications, while also offering suggestions. The updated navigation uses Optimizely CMS blocks where users can easily search through categories and sub-categories. When a user highlights a product in the navigation panel, it will display tools by type, material, or product name. Each product has its own Product Landing Page (PLP) and a separate variant landing page so that users can see the detailed specifications and dimensions of each product.

New User Account Features

Many Helical customers are repeat buyers, so they developed a new User Account functionality for their site to provide a more personalized B2B experience to their customers. Customers now have a database with current tool specifications, preferences and options in handling orders, the ability to reorder, and create a wish-list that mimics checkout functionality for future orders.

Enhanced Check Stock Experience

A live check stock tool informs a customer if an item is in stock through SKUs or item type through product specifications. The user can see if a local distributor has the item in stock and how much inventory is available. If the product is not available, the user will receive a suggestion of a similar product.

Build-a-Tool

Many Helical customers know they need drills, but don’t know exactly what type. To address this problem, they developed a build-a-tool feature on their website to guide customers to the right product or allow them to create custom end mills and cutters. The user would be able to input their information and specifications for the tool, create a customized tool if necessary, get connected with a convenient distributor that can build that exact tool, and order the custom tool.

Find a Distributor

How does a company process an order without a shopping cart? Helical did not sell its products directly through its B2B website but instead connects users to their distributor networks. The find-a-distributor tool helps customers to find a Helical distributor by state, zip, and/or radius. If they have a custom tool, the customer can also locate a specific distributor to create their custom dimensions.

Marketing Automation

Optimizely Campaign was integrated with Salesforce CRM to manage and personalize their email marketing and mail subscriptions. They used the Digital Asset Management (DAM) software, Widen, to help their merchandisers and marketing teams organize their images, collateral, and assets for ease of modifying and updating the website for new products and promotions.

Multi-Site Scalability

Harvey Performance launched its first Helical website using the Luminosity Optimizely Accelerator, which provided a template to scale out to its other brands and build a new eCommerce site using Optimizely as their backend solution. Luminos Labs worked with and trained the Harvey Performance team to manage and launch new websites using Optimizely tools. Once they completed the website for Helical, the Harvey Performance team was empowered by the education and capable of launching the Micro100 website on their own.

The Results

Harvey Performance launched Helical on Optimizely with enhanced B2B functionality, an intuitive user experience, and the ability to scale out to other brands. When the project ended, Harvey Performance was able to build their second site, Micro100, on their own. Their website customer experience now guides customers to the optimum solution, and they have increased sales through their distributor network.