MULTIFIX introduces Customer Focus Teams

Arno, why did you decide to start working with Customer Focus Teams?

“Our slogan is ‘The partner in your production process’. That’s not just a catchy phrase. It’s part of our mission and vision, we believe in it, and we genuinely want to live up to it. But when I take a critical look at our organisation, I feel we’re not yet succeeding at that well enough.”

MULTIFIX has grown considerably in recent years, not only in the number of colleagues, but also in the knowledge, expertise and services the company has in-house. “That growth has enabled us to help our customers better and better. We now have an enormous amount of knowledge and skill in-house and can offer an increasingly complete package, from engineering and sourcing to logistics, assembly and supply chain management.”

“At the same time, that growth has also cost us some of the speed and the short lines of communication we used to have. We want to bring those back. Because if we can combine that with everything we have to offer today, we can truly put the customer first.”

What exactly do you mean by those short lines?

“Right now, when a customer has a question, it often passes through several links in our organisation, from one department to the next. And when a question then comes back, it has to go through those same departments again. That takes time and creates unnecessary noise.”

Arno compares it to a well-known game.

“You know the game where the first person whispers something to the second, who passes it on to the third, and so on. By the time the tenth person hears it, the story has completely changed. That’s an exaggeration, of course, but communication from department to department works the same way. The more links in between, the greater the risk of noise.”

“With the Customer Focus Teams, we’re removing a large part of those links. The people who work together for a customer will literally sit together at the same table. That means we can respond faster, communicate directly with the right person and give better answers.”

How did you ultimately arrive at this new way of working?

“We sought advice and had lots of conversations, and that’s when we came across the term Customer Focus Teams: multidisciplinary teams that bring together all the knowledge and expertise needed. This set-up immediately felt right. Perhaps precisely because it goes back to how we used to work. One team sitting together at the table, helping the customer together. Fast, without unnecessary noise and handovers. Sharing responsibility for the customer’s success, and with it the success of your team. That feels good, doesn’t it?!”

“This is what’s known as flipping the organisation. And as the name suggests, it’s quite a change,” says Arno. “That’s why we prepared thoroughly. We talked to various organisations that work this way and looked into how best to approach this within MULTIFIX.”

To tailor the teams as closely as possible to customer needs, MULTIFIX has grouped its customers by sector and product group.

“We looked at which customers face similar challenges and grouped them together. This has resulted in five customer groups, each with its own multidisciplinary team. These teams can immerse themselves much more deeply in the market their customers operate in and make the most of their specialism there.”

The internal processes have also been critically reviewed to make sure everything fits together properly. “To put it simply, we used to have one pool of customers, one pool of employees and one pool of products, and we pushed them all through the same procedure. Even though not every customer has the same needs.”

And what will customers notice in practice?

“First of all, speed and efficiency. But above all, that you have direct contact with the right person,” Arno explains. Each Customer Focus Team brings together different disciplines, including sales, purchasing and engineering, giving customers a complete team at their disposal. “All the expertise needed to get a product to the customer properly and at the right time is within the team. So you no longer have to go through all kinds of departments, but can contact the person you need directly.”

The international colleagues are also part of the new teams. “We’ve also added our people in China and Hungary to the teams. That removes a lot of links internationally too, and lets us work together much more directly.” According to Arno, it’s not just about speed, but also about involvement and responsibility. “The team has to do it together. If someone is ill, someone else on the team must be able to pick it up. You’re jointly responsible for that customer. That makes you less dependent on one person and keeps the knowledge available within the team.”

“And because we spend less time on handovers and internal coordination, we have more time left to focus on the right things, both for the customer and for ourselves.”

You’re organising the teams around customer groups. Why is that so important?

“Because we want to understand our customers much better. When you work for customers in the same sector, or with similar products, production methods and challenges, you naturally build up much more specific knowledge.”

That knowledge can then be used to advise customers in a more targeted way and to support them further in their production process. Rather than simply responding to a request, the teams work much more closely with customers. “Knowing what’s going on and looking together at where we can optimise, improve and develop – that’s what it’s all about.”

“Ultimately, we want to be an extension of our customer’s organisation. And that means thinking not just from the perspective of your own department or your own interests, but about what’s best for the customer.”

What does this change mean for existing customers and their contact persons?

“For some customers, it may mean getting a new contact person in internal or field sales. But they also gain an entire team of experts, not only in sales, but also in purchasing and engineering.”

“With just a few exceptions, everyone is enthusiastically embracing the new structure and way of working. That means all that knowledge and experience simply stays within MULTIFIX. So customers can still turn to the same trusted people. We’ve just organised them differently, so we can work together better and help our customers even better.”

Behind the scenes, work is well under way to ensure a careful transition. The teams are getting to know each other, customer information is being handed over and the first introductions are being prepared.

“Above all, we want our customers to notice as little of the transition as possible – apart from the benefits, of course. That’s why we’re preparing the handovers carefully. And of course, we’ll guide our customers through this personally.”

Depending on the customer and the existing relationship, this will happen during a visit, an online introduction, or by phone or in writing.

You’re starting on 1 November. Are you ready?

“There’s a lot coming our way, because it’s a big change. Behind the scenes we’re working on a great many things, from setting up the teams and processes to transferring knowledge and customer information.”

“On 1 November we make the switch. But of course that doesn’t mean everything will be perfectly set up from day one. We’ll keep developing and improving.” According to Arno, this down-to-earth outlook suits the way MULTIFIX works: not change for the sake of change, but taking steps that actually deliver results.

Finally: when will you consider this change a success?

“When our customers notice that we can respond faster, communicate better and are even more involved in their organisation. Because ultimately, that’s why we’re doing this. We say we’re the partner in our customers’ production process. Then we have to live up to that every single day.”

“With these teams, we’re bringing back the short lines of the past, but with all the knowledge and expertise we’ve built up in recent years. And it’s precisely that combination that enables us to serve our customers even better.”

Still have questions about what our new way of working means for you? The FAQ on our website answers the most frequently asked questions. And of course, you can always reach out to your contact person.