The on-line advantages: Rehau rolls out on-line ordering service to customers

Fabricators can access a password protected customer portal via www.rehau.co.uk and place orders on-line for the first time.

The portal was piloted by a number of customers from Rehau’s Manchester sales office at the end of 2004 and has proved such a success that it is now being extended to the whole of Rehau’s sales network.

Wolfgang Gorner, Rehau’s Business Unit Manager, says: ‘More and more of our customers had been asking us to facilitate on-line ordering and we have responded to that with a service which is very efficient and user-friendly.’

The portal allows customers to order using either their own or Rehau’s part numbers and allows them to view both stock information and order status 24-hours a day.

Because it is password protected, the content is tailored to each individual customer, which means that orders can be placed based on a favourites menu built up from previous transactions and customers can view price lists and stock information relevant to them.

At the Manchester sales office, 25 customers signed up within a month of the service going live.

One of the first was Shepley Window Systems which welcomed the service because of its considerable order volume. Justin Kellett, the company’s Purchasing and Stores Supervisor who is using the system, said: ‘The portal saves us considerable time in order processing and means we can place orders whenever we choose which is great.’

The first customer to actually place an order was domestic fabricator NCE Windows, based in St Helens. Managing Director Chris Williams loves the fact that the system has drastically cut down on paperwork in the office: ‘Now, we order on-line and receive confirmation by e-mail helping us move a good deal closer to our target of a paperless office. After a quick introduction from Rehau, we have found the system really easy to use and we are now operating from our own favourites menu.’

The technology behind the portal means that it is also being used to give customers access to other useful information from Rehau. As well as product details, this also includes on-line versions of information bulletins and newsletters and downloadable marketing material.