Driving Digital Transformation: How Jindal Stainless is Revolutionising Customer Experience
October 14, 2024
In today’s highly competitive market, customer experience is no longer just a touchpoint in the business process—it’s the very foundation upon which trust, loyalty, and long-term relationships are built. At Jindal Stainless Limited (JSL), we recognise the evolving needs of our customers and the demand for faster, more transparent, and efficient services. To meet these expectations, we’ve embarked on a significant journey of digital transformation, leveraging advanced technologies to enhance every interaction and improve overall satisfaction.
Easier, transparent, and data-driven customer experience
At Jindal Stainless, we’ve set clear goals for our digital transformation. We aim to make customer interactions easier, more transparent, and deeply process-oriented. These three pillars are the foundation of our customer experience strategy. Our focus is on delivering real-time insights, enabling self-service capabilities, and minimising dependency on manual processes.
Our customers have long demanded real-time information, reduced dependency on human interactions, and better transparency in their dealings with us. Through digital innovation, we’ve addressed these pain points, empowering our customers with access to information anytime and anywhere. We are committed to making our processes seamless and data-driven, helping customers make more informed decisions with a greater level of trust.
Transforming customer experience through digital initiatives
In the past few years, Jindal Stainless has taken bold steps to embrace digital tools, making us pioneers in the stainless steel industry. Here are the key digital milestones that have significantly improved customer experience:
1. B2B E-Commerce Portal: We launched a comprehensive B2B platform named ‘Stainless Mart’, the first of its kind in the Indian stainless steel sector. This platform allows customers to:
- Book orders online
- Access real-time information on order status, invoices, and payment histories
- Use an online payment gateway for more efficient financial transactions
- Download critical documents such as account statements, debit/credit notes, and Material Test Certificates (MTC)
2. Customer 360 Dashboard: This all-in-one dashboard offers a real-time view of orders, payments, and complaints, making it a one-stop solution for customers:
- Customers can track their orders in real-time from booking to dispatch, even using GPS tracking for vehicles transporting goods
- The dashboard provides detailed insights into order history and pending payments.
3. Automated Payment Solutions: Our secure payment gateway allows customers to manage finances more easily with:
- Partial payment options against invoices (with up to nine iterations)
- Advance payments against sales orders
- Real-time payment adjustment into SAP, ensuring instant reconciliation
4. Complaint Management & Service: With an online system for logging and resolving complaints related to material or service quality, customers have real-time visibility into their issue status, which has led to quicker resolutions and improved satisfaction.
5. Online Auction Facility: Jindal Stainless has also introduced an online auction platform, providing a transparent and seamless way for customers to participate in auctions.
These digital initiatives have reduced our customers’ reliance on traditional methods, making processes faster and more efficient. In fact, over 2000+ customers are now on board, with more than 1.94 lakh purchase orders processed through our platform. This transformation has brought ease of operation, minimised dependency on key account managers, and ensured that real-time insights are always at our customers’ fingertips.
The technology behind our transformation
Our digital journey is built on solid technological foundations. The B2B E-Commerce Portal, developed using SAP Cloud (Hybris), offers a robust and scalable solution for both customers and internal teams. This cloud-based platform allows for seamless integration with our backend systems, ensuring that every customer interaction is supported by real-time data.
We have also made significant advancements in data analytics, which has transformed how we serve our customers:
- We use analytics to track customer buying behaviour, giving us insights into preferences and helping us tailor services accordingly.
- Our feedback systems allow us to measure customer satisfaction more effectively, using surveys to gather data on complaints and service levels.
- Automated processes like the 360-degree Customer Dashboard provide immediate access to essential data, reducing dependency on manual processes and improving overall service delivery.
Customer-centric personalisation: Making each interaction unique
At Jindal Stainless, personalisation is at the heart of our digital strategy. We believe that every customer interaction should be meaningful, relevant, and convenient. We’ve rolled out several initiatives to ensure that our customers enjoy a personalised experience at every touchpoint:
- Targeted communications: We send timely updates on new services and offerings, ensuring our customers are always in the loop.
- Interactive tutorials and training: We provide detailed tutorials and training sessions on how to navigate our digital platforms, empowering customers to take full advantage of the tools available.
- Personalised onboarding: Upon registration, customers receive personalised mailers with all the information they need to get started, including login credentials for the portal and detailed instructions on how to use it.
Challenges faced and how we overcame them
Every transformation journey comes with its set of challenges, and ours was no different. As we transitioned to a digital-first approach, we encountered resistance to change, especially with customers who were used to traditional processes. Many faced issues with trust, particularly around online payments, while others were unfamiliar with the new technology.
To address these issues:
- We conducted rigorous, one-on-one training sessions to help customers adapt to the new platforms.
- By using the SBI Payment Gateway, we ensured secure transactions, and we initiated small-value transactions to build trust gradually.
- Our dedicated support teams worked closely with customers, ensuring that their concerns were addressed promptly, and any behavioural resistance was minimised.
Future initiatives: Expanding our digital horizons
Our journey to improve customer experience through digital innovation is ongoing, and we have several exciting initiatives lined up for the future:
- Unified Business/Product Inquiry Form: For non-registered customers, we’re introducing a form to streamline product inquiries and make onboarding faster.
Continuously introducing new initiatives with inputs and insights from customer feedback will enable us to further integrate advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), ensuring that our digital customer experience remains future-proof.
Measuring success: Leading the industry through innovation
Our approach to measuring success is multi-faceted. We rely on several metrics to gauge the impact of our digital initiatives:
- Customer Satisfaction Index: Measured through regular feedback surveys and testimonials from customers.
- Customer Voice: Feedback during key account manager (KAM) visits and customer meetups gives us real-time insights into customer needs.
We are proud to be India’s first in the stainless steel sector to introduce such a comprehensive B2B commerce facility, complete with an online payment gateway. Our success is not only measured by internal metrics but by the loyalty and trust of our customers, who continue to rely on us for transparent, efficient, and reliable service.
Redefining customer experience through digital transformation
As we continue to innovate and expand our digital capabilities, our commitment to providing best-in-class customer experience remains unwavering. At Jindal Stainless, our mission is not just to stay ahead in the stainless steel industry but to set new standards in customer-centric digital solutions. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, data-driven insights, and a relentless focus on personalisation, we are creating a future where customer experience is more efficient, transparent, and satisfying.
We look forward to continuing this journey with our customers, ensuring they benefit from the very best that digital innovation has to offer.
Rajeev Garg
VP, Domestic & International Sales,
Jindal Stainless Ltd. (JSL)
