Customer Success Story

Orsolini takes a new, modern approach to sales with Spark Vision

A company with a rich tradition

Dating all the way back to the 19th century, Orsolini Amedeo is a very solid and respected retailer of building materials that, with its 23 points-of-sale in Lazio, Abruzzo, Umbria, Tuscany, and Lombardy, is one of the most reputable in Italy.
Orsolini is doing business in both the B2B and B2C segments. The professional side is currently very much focused on contractors and artisans that build and renovate houses for increased sustainability. There are strong government incentives for these initiatives, hence the big market.

The private side encompasses the sales of flooring, ceramics, wallpaper, bathroom furniture and sanitary ware, as well as kitchens, doors, and windows to individuals. In this sector, the main strategic challenges are two: to adopt a more consultative approach in sales, and to increase sales efficiency. This is where Spark Blueprint, the fast and easy-to-use planning tool, comes in!

A new, modern approach to sales

“We decided to give our salespeople access to Spark Blueprint in order to increase our sales”, explains Alessia Orsolini, Chief Financial Officer of the company.

“I, myself, decided to completely renovate an old house and turn it into my dream home. The most difficult aspect of that journey was to imagine how it would look in the end”, Alessia says.

“Planning your renovation is nothing like trying on a dress, where, if you do not like it, you simply switch. On the contrary, you do not get to try out the bathroom design, and secondly, you are going to have to live with your decision for several years” Alessia continues.

“With Blueprint, you do not only get a photorealistic picture, but thanks to the 360° function, you can even look around and experience how the light plays out in the room. It gives you an unbeatable opportunity to not only see the room, but also to feel it! It is all about making you comfortable in your decisions.”

Shortened sales cycle

How does Spark Blueprint relate to sales efficiency, then? Well, before using Blueprint, the Orsolini sales staff had a conversion rate of 50-60%, meaning just over half of the prospective clients were turned into sales. This rate is now rapidly increasing and is expected to reach 70-80%, now that Blueprint is being implemented.

“There is also the matter of shortening the sales cycle”, explains Alessia. “If our salespeople can visualize the project for the client directly in the first meeting, they can also finalise the sale in that very first meeting – or at least in the second one. Everyone knows that each time you let the client walk out the door, there is the risk of potentially losing the sale. The client could very well go directly to another showroom. If you have got premium service and having seen your dream room taking shape in Blueprint, however, there is simply no need to go elsewhere!”

Sales tool vs experts’ tool

Digital tools and 3D planning is not a new phenomenon at Orsolini. The company already had Domus 3D for some of its staff – mainly the architects rather than the salespeople, though. Why did the company decide to buy Spark Blueprint, then? Alessia Orsolini explains: “Though Domus 3D is a competent planning software, it is much more of an experts’ tool. To be honest, it is quite difficult to use and also quite slow. Not all of our staff were willing to take on that software. It is very much a matter of confidence”, Alessia continues. “If you feel the slightest uncertainty in front of the computer, you simply will not sit down and draw the room with your client.”

Orsolini CFO, Alessia Orsolini
Orsolini Toilet Render with Spark Blueprint 3D Configurator

“With Blueprint, the situation is different. The tool is so easy – even fun – to use, since the user interface is so intuitive. It is also very fast. Blueprint holds several other advantages, for instance, the output. You get a very complete material: beautiful images, interactive 360° panorama, list of materials with estimates of quantities, number of tile boxes, calculation of square meters to tile, drawings, 2D views of the floor and each wall, etc. – in short, everything you need to seal the deal!”

On the question if it took long for the salespeople to learn Blueprint, Alessia laughs: “Oh no! I believe it actually took longer to download the relevant supplier catalogues than learning the tool!”

A bright future

Finally – what are the customer’s reaction to Blueprint? Alessia tells us that the tool has become a success: “The customers are very satisfied with being able to see the final results of all choices.”

“Digital tools present a big opportunity for us in the years to come”, Alessia concludes. “We are so eager to explore and develop this area further, and we hope Spark Vision will be an important partner to help us form and realize our future digital strategies!”

Sales made easy with Spark Vision

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