Polystyrene customers shop by computer - e-commerce is already a daily routine at BASF
Customers of BASF's polystyrene Business Unit are increasingly making use of the new marketing modality "e-commerce".
Sales to the tune of 20 million euros have been achieved since the introduction of the Polystyrene Extranet in August of 2000. "This business is exceeding our expectations," explains Dr. Wilfried Hänsel, who heads the Polystyrene/Styrene Europe Business Unit, and he goes on to say, "The advantages have convinced many of our customers".
The Extranet is a secure area in the Internet. It provides customers who buy polystyrene from BASF with simple and fast access to constantly updated product information and technical data. Registered customers can place orders and - this is a special advantage - can check on the status of their order online around the clock. The Extranet provides assistance in selecting products and facilitates direct contact with BASF specialists. Comments and complaints can be entered electronically, which speeds up their processing.
Dr. Hänsel and his team have systematically pursued the rapid development of all necessary instruments. He is convinced that, "The decisive factor is the benefit for the customer." The high level of utilization of the Extranet and the positive feedback received from customers in the first months confirm that he is right. By the end of the year, 20 percent of the polystyrene sales should be transacted via this modality.
The Polystyrene Extranet can be reached through the "Plastics Portal", which allows access to all of BASF's plastic-specific e-commerce activities. This portal is also open to registered customers of Engineering Plastics for online purchasing.
At BASF, a competence center has been founded which is specifically charged with the task of further building up e-commerce activities so as to create an intracompany solution for all business sectors. More than 100 employees worldwide are working on customer-specific and product-specific functionalities. The Extranet will be supplemented by system-to-system applications: by means of direct links, the networks of customers will be connected to those of BASF. The ideal electronic instrument can be selected for each particular customer-supplier relationship, so that both sides gain in efficiency.
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