Customized, Web-Based System Delivers Displays Worth $1 Million

Problem:
Elkay Manufacturing Co., a leading manufacturer of sinks, faucets, water coolers, fountains and related kitchen products, needed a customized tool to enable distributor showroom consultants to efficiently order visual displays of sinks, faucets and accessories for installation in their showrooms. These showroom displays can be customized with combinations of sinks and faucets, along with accompanying graphics. Elkay needed a system for showing display options and enabling all the supporting processes related to ordering. Elkay specified the need for built-in controls to allow only certain combinations of compatible products in each display.

Solution:
Interline Creative Group developed a customized, Web-based tool that facilitates design, ordering, approval and monitoring of all aspects of the program. The password-accessible site provides simple instructions, display graphics and helpful hints. Consultants can build and place orders for displays according to pre-set configuration parameters and allowable sink, faucet and accessory combinations. The system then automatically generates a unique order ID number and submits orders to Elkay for approval. Once approved, the showroom consultant is notified with an order confirmation and an anticipated lead time for display production and shipment.

Result:
Elkay has efficiently shipped more than 250 custom displays throughout the U.S. with a total approximate value of $1 million. The first generation of the system penetrated almost 20% of the eligible showrooms. The display ordering tool provides complete control of the process, as well as easy monitoring from beginning to end for Elkay administrators and showroom consultants. Due to the success of the system, Elkay has given Interline the approval to immediately initiate the next generation of the program.

Reaching Target Audiences Through Education

Problem:
Manufacturers are continually seeking to reach the right audience in order to educate decision makers and promote their product. Often times the right audience is the architect, a specifying engineer, or another decision maker. The most common vehicle to deliver the message is through advertising in targeted B-to-B magazines. Another successful means of gaining exposure, especially to architects, is through Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Such was the case when Elkay Manufacturing Co., a leading manufacturer of sinks, faucets, water coolers, fountains and related kitchen products, wanted to expand its exposure on bottle filling stations.

Solution:
Elkay partnered with Interline Creative Group to create and administer their CEU program. Because architects and designers were the key specifying audience for Elkay, Interline recommended targeting the CEU to the NKBA, AIA, and ASPE audiences. After the course topic was determined, Interline’s LEED® Accredited Professional created content for the course and the corresponding materials to both educate on environmental of plastic water bottles and demonstrate water delivery solutions using Elkay products. All course content submitted for CEU approval met criteria in order to be approved for CEU credit. With Interline’s assistance, Elkay was empowered with a vehicle to break through their audience nationwide, one session at a time.

Result:
Interline Creative Group armed Elkay with a direct means of reaching their targeted audience of architects and engineers – generating increased interest and validating their place in the market as an industry expert. By increasing exposure to water delivery systems, Elkay found a direct channel to sales prospects and developing relationships with new customers. This direct approach continues to be a tremendous success. In fact, by reaching potential attendees, it t provided an effective means of not only generating interest, but also in taking action.

Elkay

Founded in 1920, Elkay is a worldwide manufacturer of premium sinks, faucets, drinking fountains, water coolers and more. Elkay serves both residential and commercial markets with a versatile range of products.

Diamond Design Program Shines for Elkay’s Bottom Line

Problem:
Elkay Manufacturing Co., a manufacturer of plumbing fixtures and accessories, has been making innovative products and delivering excellent, domestic customer care since 1920. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, Elkay expanded its commercial offerings over four decades ago, and today delivers world-class sinks, faucets, foodservice fixtures, water coolers, drinking fountains and award-winning rapid bottle filling stations. Additionally, Elkay Wood Products is one of America’s leading cabinetmakers in the marketplace, with industry leading brands that include: Medallion Cabinetry, Mastercraft Cabinetry, Design-Craft Cabinetry, Innermost Cabinetry, Yorktowne Cabinetry, Woodbridge Cabinetry, Schuler Cabinetry and American Cabinetry Collection.

Elkay Manufacturing Co. wanted to encourage kitchen and bath showrooms to promote its products more aggressively while boosting its profile and market share.

Solution:
MarketNet, a division of Interline Creative Group, specializes in managing spiff programs. MarketNet programmers designed the Web-based front end for Elkay’s Diamond Design spiff incentive program while its sales support and fulfillment team administers the program, all of which enables showroom employees to receive cash rewards for selling specific Elkay products. In addition to creating elkaydd.com, which manages the process, MarketNet works with Elkay to reward showroom participants with rewards. Each quarter, Elkay determines the eligibility of products, along with how much participants can earn for selling them. MarketNet’s marketing writers and designers create and distribute direct mail and e-mail blasts on a quarterly basis to keep Elkay’s name in front of program participants and to publicize upcoming promotions and program updates. Participants e-mail, fax or mail their sales information to MarketNet, which compiles the information according to Elkay’s specifications, and then issues incentive checks based on earned rewards.

Result:
Through the Diamond Design incentive program, MarketNet has significantly improved the representation of Elkay’s products within showrooms. More than 5,500 showroom representatives and counting are enrolled in the incentive program, which has exceeded Elkay’s expectations, and feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, especially regarding the fast delivery of incentive checks. Elkay continues to experiment with and expand the program to drive even greater results. Meanwhile, MarketNet is continually reinforcing Elkay’s position in the highly competitive kitchen and bath market.