parcelLab and SAP: The Future of Customer Experience Post-Sales
Customer experience is at the heart of any successful business. But in a digital world, brands are struggling to build strong customer relationships whilst managing the demands of a 24/7 global marketplace.
parcelLab has developed a solution, available on SAP Data Marketplace, that helps brands to stay in control of their end-to-end customer journeys and deliver experiences that win loyal customers.
What is SAP Data Marketplace?
SAP Data Marketplace offers businesses a one-stop place for finding, buying, and deploying data from SAP and third-party providers in clicks, not projects. The marketplace enables you to access the most relevant data sources in one place and is accessible via a single sign-on. As part of the SAP Data Warehouse Cloud, you are provided with the full bundle of functionality, which SAP Data Warehouse and SAP Analytics Cloud offer their customers.
“I was so surprised about how amazing the SAP Data Warehouse Cloud solutions are in terms of usability. Everything is connected, integrated, and perfectly documented.”
Max Schmitt, Partner Manager at parcelLab.
parcelLab’s solution is available via SAP’s Data Marketplace
parcelLab’s solution enables brands to manage their end-to-end customer journey. They enable brands to stay connected to their customers during operational processes, like warehousing, delivery, and returns. With fresh opportunities to connect with customers throughout the journey, brands are able to drive valuable traffic back to their site. This leads to an increase in customer retention and loyalty.
To learn more about parcelLab’s solution and how it can help brands enhance the experience it delivers, we spoke to Max Schmitt, Partner Manager at parcelLab.
- Who are parcelLab and what do they do?
“parcelLab is the leading Operations Experience Platform. What does that mean? Well, essentially we gather and harmonize operational data so that brands can take back control of communication after checkout.
You see for most brands, there is too much complex data throughout the customer journey to cleanse and leverage alone. So, brands find themselves unable to manage the customer experience themselves, handing over control to third parties like carriers.
But in the digital world we live in now, brands understand that this is a huge disadvantage. Having control of the end-to-end customer journey creates new opportunities to connect with and impress their customers. It enables brands to uphold high standards and embody their values throughout the entire journey.
Operations Experience Management platforms, like parcelLab, take care of the data so that brands are free to create and deliver an experience of their own design, within their own ecosystem.
There’s a huge commercial opportunity here, too. Brands are able to deliver targeted, individualized content that drives repurchase rates. Not to mention, our customers report a significant drop in customer inquiries; sending proactive updates keeps customers in the know so they don’t feel the need to call in.”
2. Start and cooperation dimensions within SAP.iO environment. How has parcelLab’s journey begun, and where is it heading further?
“SAP.iO Foundry is SAP’s global network for world-class start-up opportunities. Programs, organized by SAP.iO, enable start-ups to develop innovative software that adds value for SAP customers.
For me, this story started in 2019. I attended SAP.iO Foundry Munich working with the team at SAP. In autumn that year, parcelLab took part in the Munich cohort of SAP.iO Foundry. I became really inspired by the team, their ideas and the product they were developing. A few months later, I moved to parcelLab. Since then, I have been working with SAP as a partner of parcelLab. We have received great support and opportunities working with SAP and look forward to working together more in future.”
3. Are there any other SAP Solutions, that parcelLab implements, or other programs that parcelLab is part of?
“Together with SAP, parcelLab has identified synergies for a wide range of Customer Experience and Supply Chain products along the post-sales lifecycle. Since Fall 2019, when I have joined SAP.iO Foundry in Munich, we have been progressing with parcelLab through the different SAP PartnerEdge stages. We have made the step from being a Validated Partner to being an SAP Spotlight Partner. We have extended the SAP Customer Experience and Supply Chain Portfolio with and successfully listed solutions on SAP’s Commerce Cloud.
As part of the Customer Experience Portfolio, parcelLab seamlessly extends SAP’s Commerce Cloud and Upscale Commerce, enabling brands to deliver outstanding customer experiences end-to-end. By integrating to SAP’s Service Cloud, parcelLab automates processes and supports service employees to work even more efficiently. In the Supply Chain dimension, closing the existing visibility gap in SAP’s Global Track and Trace solution for parcel shipments is the first step of integration. In a second step, parcelLab’s operations experience platform utilizes all data that is present in SAP’s GTT solution.”
4. How have you decided to jumpstart on the SAP Data Marketplace? Was it your initiative, or did you receive an offer from SAP?
“Our work with the SAP Data Marketplace is a joint initiative. Since I was part of SAP.iO, I had a clear idea of what Use Cases might look like. parcelLab has a lot of operational data to offer that is relevant to Customer Experience and Supply Chain, and it is very appealing to SAP customers who will join SAP Data Marketplace.
SAP, for its part, also knows how to present data in the best way, how to create User Stories — they always share their vision with us, give advice. We contact regularly and interact with SAP experts and always receive qualified support for necessary questions. We try, see the outcomes, receive feedback and hone our offering.”
5. What do you see as the main advantage for parcelLab in joining SAP Data Marketplace?
“The greatest benefit would have to be the SAP Customer Network and SAP ecosystem in general. There are so many areas in which SAP customers may take advantage of our Data Product. With more than 440,000 customers worldwide, and fully integrated products in the Data Warehouse Cloud, not only SAP customers may benefit from our data, but we are also looking forward to incorporating the Data Products of the other Data Providers on the SAP Data Marketplace to further improve our offering. We can analyze and present data in SAP Analytics and generate a better Post-Sales Experience for customers.”
6. Who are your main communication partners? Do you have people at SAP you are regularly in contact with?
“Since we are a Munich-based start-up, we are in active contact with our EU colleagues — Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, the UK, Spain, and Portugal. We are also expanding heavily in the US and are collaborating there with SAP the same way we do in EMEA. I have recently had first conversations with SAP colleagues from the United Arabic Emirates, as the UAE is also a very compelling area for us.
We interact with so many colleagues from various SAP teams and areas. Our portfolio includes several dimensions, and we communicate with SAP experts in each of them.
In the SAP Upscale Commerce field, which unites PIM (Product Information Management), ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), and information from Warehouses/Stores, we are staying in contact with Paul Smith, Mark Osborn, Lou McMenamy, Rusty Belsinger. In the SAP Service Cloud, we are closely working with Jan-Erik Jank’s team and the Service Cloud Demo Team itself.
Regarding Data Marketplace, we discuss all necessary questions with Klaus Drews, Simone Scholten, Asuman Suenbuel.”
It is impossible to name all the people with whom we interact every week. SAP is a huge network in which everyone is connected. That is, of course, a huge advantage of SAP.
Max Schmitt
7. What phase of the SAP Data Marketplace journey are you currently in?
“We are in the process of preparing, structuring, and deciding on the best way to present our data creating User Story Dashboards. We are always closely aligned with colleagues from SAP and check for feedback from the experts. We ask them for advice, offer our vision, come to a common solution, and move on to the next steps.”
