Unox
Bringing Italian design brilliance to professional kitchens, UNOX is a global designer and manufacturer of state-of-the-art ovens for the foodservice industry. The company implemented lean processes throughout its vertical integration manufacturing facility, enabling it to compete more effectively. Then, the company took these same lean principles into its sales methodology with the ValueSelling Framework®.
Results at a glance
- 75% close rate
- 25% and 35% increase in on-site prospect meetings in 2016 and 2017, respectively
- 23.5% increase in sales and 29% EBITDA
The Challenge
UNOX built its competitive edge on the factory floor, running lean processes throughout its vertically integrated manufacturing facility. The company wanted the same discipline in how it sells. Its team sells state-of-the-art combi ovens to chefs, restaurant owners and equipment dealers across Europe, South America, Asia, Russia and the US, and it needed a consistent way to qualify buyers, prepare for every sales call and focus time on the prospects most likely to purchase. Leadership set out to find a sales methodology that would carry its lean principles into the sales process.
Business issues
- Extend lean manufacturing principles into the sales process
- Qualify buyers consistently to make sales processes more efficient
- Grow sales through direct selling and equipment dealers worldwide
ValueSelling gave us the skills and knowledge to have a true business conversation with our dealers, and increase the time we spend with customers.
The Solution
Using Lean Processes to Grow Sales
By systemizing the selling process, UNOX took the traditional chef role and transformed it into a high-touch, high-impact sales person. ValueSelling Associates worked alongside CEO Nicola Michelon to create differentiated messaging for the UNOX sales team. And every new hire becomes familiar with ValueSelling through an eLearning module, which precedes an instructor-led workshop, where the sales methodology comes to life.
The ValueSelling Framework® proved simple, efficient and elegant.
- Simple: The UNOX team members quickly adopted the simple and effective ValueSelling methodology to engage potential buyers in a value-based conversation. Instead of “selling,” each UNOX team member is a problem-solver.
- Efficient: By using the Qualified Prospect Formula®, a consistent way to qualify opportunities, UNOX team members now focus on the best potential buyers rather than spend time and resources on those who will never buy.
- Elegant: The ValueSelling toolset includes an easy-to-use ValuePrompter®, which provides a structure and roadmap for preparing for any sales call or meeting, and developing insightful business questions.
Simplifying life in professional kitchens
While the competitors invite end users (chefs and restaurant owners) to their corporate premises for an elaborate master chef demonstration to showcase equipment, UNOX visits a chef and/or restaurant owner at their place of business.
The logistics for an Individual Cooking Experience is an artistic feat. Unload the UNOX ChefTop Mind.Maps™ combi oven from the van into the restaurant’s kitchen. Prepare and cook the restaurant’s signature dish (or the chef’s favorite recipe) in the UNOX oven. Plate and present the final dish with flourish. Set the oven to self-clean with UNOX’s eco-friendly, patented cleaning products and process.
During the downtime—while the meal is being cooked and the oven is self-cleaning—the Active Marketing Chef uses the ValueSelling Framework to determine what problems the chef is having and how UNOX may be able to solve them. The value-based sales conversation is woven into an Individual Cooking Experience that demonstrates how remarkable the UNOX combi ovens are.
The Results
UNOX continues to grow its business through direct sales and by working with equipment dealers throughout Europe, South America, Asia, Russia and the US. With the ValueSelling process, UNOX enjoys a 75% close rate.
UNOX is sure that increasing the number of Individual Cooking Experiences dramatically increases revenue. In 2016 alone, UNOX saw a 25% increase in Individual Cooking Experiences and a corresponding 23.5% increase in sales and 29% EBITDA. In 2017, Individual Cooking Experiences increased by 35%.
