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Central Self-Service Hub Secures Aftermarket Revenue
Elementar Digitizes After-Sales with the SAP Integrated my Elementar Customer Portal
A central service hub that simplifies reorders, taps into new customer groups, and secures 20 percent of total revenue through the consumables business: Elementar Analysensysteme GmbH achieved this in collaboration with valantic by developing a new B2B customer portal. By integrating the system with SAP S/4HANA, real-time data became available, support processes were automated, and usability was elevated to a state-of-the-art level.
The Success Story at a Glance
Challenge
The existing customer portal no longer met the needs of the company, which was expanding internationally: Technical hurdles posed by isolated legacy systems made support time-consuming and error-prone. Fragmented processes and limited functionality hindered after-sales revenue and excluded entire customer groups.
Solution
valantic served as a strategic sparring partner in the development of a future-proof B2B portal tailored to the real needs of the B2B customer base. By integrating with SAP S/4HANA, prices, availability, product, and order data became accessible in real time, and inquiries and support processes were automated.
Result
The new customer portal, “my Elementar Customer Portal,” fully digitizes the after-sales business and serves as a central platform for reordering consumables. Self-service features enhance the customer experience, reduce the workload on service and support teams, and safeguard the high-revenue aftermarket business unit.
20 %
Total Revenue
About the Consumables Business
> 1,000
Products
Available live in the DACH region
100 %
Live Data
Synchronization with SAP S/4HANA
> 10 Years
Recurring Revenue
Capacity per analyzer
About the Company
Elementar Analysensysteme GmbH
Elementar is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of analytical instruments, with more than 125 years of experience in development, production, and marketing. Its product portfolio includes high-performance analytical instruments for specific applications in industry, research, and quality control—ranging from agriculture, the environment, and energy to chemistry, materials science, and forensics. This medium-sized, globally expanding company, headquartered in Langenselbold, Hesse, supplies laboratories and institutions in more than 80 countries. Continuous innovation, creative solutions, and clear, accessible support form the foundation of the Elementar brand.
The Challenge
Fragmented processes and technical hurdles slowed aftersales revenue
At Elementar, we encountered the typical challenges that many companies face in the course of digital transformation:
- Legacy systems that had evolved over time did not communicate with one another.
- Processes were heavily manual, and automation was lacking.
- The e-commerce architecture had limited scalability on an international scale.
- Limited functionality impaired usability and the customer experience.
Given this situation, the online store environment—including the existing customer portal—no longer met the needs of the company as it expanded internationally. Individual technical enhancements made in recent years were not part of a long-term strategy. Maintenance processes were not automated, which made support more difficult and left the system prone to errors. In addition, the B2B portal operated without integration with other systems, leading to vulnerabilities both internally and in the customer experience.
Key Pain Points
- High manual maintenance effort: Price lists for over 1,000 products across eight countries and in various currencies had to be manually updated via Excel imports.
- Media discontinuities: Orders were primarily processed via email or phone, and it wasn’t always possible to quickly find the right products for customers.
- Limited features: Without tailored functions for offer management, important customer groups were excluded from the capabilities of the digital platform.
For the company, which generates a significant portion of its revenue from consumables sales, these operational and technical hurdles were increasingly becoming a business-critical bottleneck.
The Claim
A Scalable Service Portal as a Core Business Element
One technical requirement was established from the outset of the project: integrating the portal with the SAP S/4HANA ERP suite as the leading system for customer and product data. In addition, Elementar defined further requirements and a clear vision for a future-proof, comprehensive solution:
- Full system integration for real-time data flow and process automation
- A consistent omnichannel journey for a professional customer and brand experience
- Self-service features with real-time insights into order history, device data (e.g., serial numbers), and quote requests
- A scalable end-to-end solution that grows with the company and supports international rollouts
Tamara Fleckenstein
Marketing Communications Manager, Elementar Analysensysteme GmbH
”Our clear goal was to digitally transform our service and spare parts business in a sustainable way and seamlessly integrate it with our SAP S/4HANA system. The goal behind this was to offer our customers a consistent, professional purchasing and service experience that fosters and strengthens customer loyalty throughout the entire equipment lifecycle.“
The Solution
An end-to-end approach to strategy, methodology, and implementation
Instead of a service provider acting as an “extension of its own team,” Elementar sought to collaborate with a strategic partner who could provide comprehensive support through proactive consulting and strategic expertise. With valantic in this role, strategy, front-end, and back-end development—including interface integration—could be advanced from a single source. The technical implementation was preceded by systematic preparations that provided guidance for prioritizing specific measures:
Discovery & Challenge
The existing business case was critically reviewed based on current market figures and validated empirical data, and a digital transformation roadmap was developed that holistically integrates systems, data, and processes. Transparent documentation and data-driven project management established a solid foundation of trust.
Joint Workshops
Dedicated workshops on individual user flows, along with precise requirements management on the client’s side, contributed significantly to the project’s smooth progress. Unexpected hurdles at the start—such as missing S/4 documentation or complex pricing logic for product sets—were resolved constructively and without complications.
Benedikt Klebing
Product Manager (Market), Elementar Analysensysteme GmbH
”We didn’t just want to request the implementation of a tool; we wanted to work with a partner who shares our strategic goals, understands us, and can help us identify which decisions need to be made at each stage. valantic challenged our business case. Their consulting expertise regarding digital transformation strategy ultimately won us over.“
Methodological Approach
Customer Survey as a Basis
To gain a detailed understanding of B2B customers’ expectations and tailor the service portal specifically to their needs, the project team conducted structured user surveys. The feedback helped clarify the requirements for the new solution:
- More efficient processes through intuitive usability
- Transparency through real-time synchronization of information
- Personalization through workflows tailored to customers
Technological Implementation
SAP S/4HANA as a Data Hub
The implementation aimed to fully digitize the after-sales process, with a focus on recurring revenue over the entire product lifecycle, which typically exceeds ten years.
Through integration with SAP S/4HANA and the Adobe Cloud as the hosting infrastructure, a centralized, comprehensive system for customer and product data was created. Prices, availability, and order data now flow directly from the ERP system into the customer portal and are synchronized in real time. In addition to the optimized backend structure, a modernized frontend design, new features, and the revamped product presentation bring usability up to contemporary standards and enhance the user experience. Self-service features such as new quote functions, personalized wish lists, and access to device data and order history offer exactly the benefits that customers highlighted in the survey.
Results & Business Impact
The new “my Elementar Customer Portal” is more than just an optimized online store. It is a central service hub for the aftermarket business—offering benefits across the board:
Revenue Protection
Digital access strengthens the aftermarket as a business unit: 20% of total revenue comes from consumables sales.
Growth Potential
By mapping out complex procurement processes, new customer groups and markets can be tapped.
Sustainability
The B2B portal can be flexibly expanded, rolled out to international markets and subsidiaries, and scaled to meet future requirements.
Intuitive Usability
Fully digitized processes that include stored device data, serial numbers, and clear product descriptions simplify the ordering process.
Live Updates
Prices and availability are reliable; order history, inquiries, and processing status are clearly visible.
Autonomy & Flexibility
Self-service features such as personalized watchlists, the quote function, and direct access to documents (e.g., safety data sheets) allow for queries at any time.
Customer Loyalty
Efficient processes increase user acceptance; a customer-centric approach and consistency throughout the omnichannel journey strengthen customer relationships in the long term.
Brand Strengthening
As a key element of the brand’s professional image, the contemporary store environment underscores the brand’s commitment to an innovative, customer-centric experience.
Cost-Effectiveness
Sales, customer support, and administration require fewer resources, which leads to long-term cost savings.
Less manual work
Self-service features and process automation eliminate the need for manual processing of recurring support tickets and inquiries.
Greater Efficiency
Eliminating the need for manual post-processing reduces the workload and frees up capacity for more complex requests and value-added activities.
Easy Administration
Thanks to system and interface integration, the platform can be maintained, managed, and supported using internal resources.
Albrecht Sieper
Managing Director, Elementar Analysensysteme GmbH
”With valantic’s help, we’ve succeeded in building a future-proof platform that’s internationally scalable, can be maintained using our internal resources, and makes it easy to integrate additional services. As a growing, business-minded company, what matters most to us, of course, are the cost savings we see in sales, customer service, and consulting and administrative expenses.“
Conclusion & Outlook
The launch of the new customer portal is just the beginning of a long-term partnership. In addition to further developing the features, Elementar and valantic will focus on the following in the coming months:
- Integrating a chatbot as an AI-powered complement to self-service options
- Measures to personalize the customer journey
- the internationalization of the platform for additional countries and subsidiaries
Key Takeaways from the Project
For Elementar, fully digitizing its service and after-sales processes and consistently mapping them via an internationally scalable platform was a decisive step toward ensuring its future viability and growth potential.
The project has yielded groundbreaking insights that serve as recommendations for companies facing similar challenges:
AI Summary | 3 Key Findings from the Project
3 Key Takeaways from the Joint Project Between Elementar and valantic: Success Factors as Recommendations for Building an SAP-Integrated B2B Customer Portal
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Customer Centricity first: Digitalisierung ist nur dann nachhaltig, wenn sie Kundenbedürfnisse von Anfang an einbezieht und konsequent adressiert.
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Erfolgreiche Transformation braucht einen Partner, der das eigene Geschäft versteht, Visionen in konkrete Ziele übersetzt und Empfehlungen in umsetzbare Maßnahmen überführt.
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Ein End-to-End-Ansatz, der Daten, Systeme und Prozesse miteinander verbindet, ist Grundlage jeder zukunftsfähigen Lösung.
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Do you have questions about the project, or would you like to find out what potential your after-sales business holds? We’d be happy to support you—with a holistic, technology-agnostic, and solution-oriented approach. Simply contact us for a no-obligation consultation.
