Marketing
Classic
Digital
- Customer / Deutsche Bahn
- Year / 2021-2022
Deutsche Bahn AG
New supplier portal as a flagship project
Procurement plays a key role in the success of a company. This is naturally an area that is highly information-driven, with guidelines, conditions and invitations to tender leaving little room for emotion. Finding qualified and reliable partners is therefore more important than ever before. Deutsche Bahn AG (DB AG) made the decision to overhaul its supplier portal, which is overloaded with information and does not fulfil requirements.
We were commissioned to develop and implement a fresh concept. The result is an appealing platform that is specifically geared to the needs of companies supplying goods and services, and at the same time positions DB AG Procurement as a client and partner on an equal footing.
A workshop to define clear objectives
The starting point was a joint workshop with those responsible at DB AG, during which we analysed the existing supplier portal in detail and worked out the objectives and requirements. In addition to providing the necessary factual information in a comprehensible way, in future the portal should also clearly outline the individual opportunities and advantages of working with DB AG.
Inspired by employer branding
To develop our strategy, we drew inspiration from employer branding, which focuses on people and their needs, and used insights developed from HR to benefit Procurement. This is how our innovative ‘procurement branding’ approach emerged, which forms the framework for the entire project.
supplier value proposition
‘Your performance. Our needs. One goal. Shaping tomorrow’s mobility together.’
Intuitive and clear structures
The new supplier portal was no longer designed as part of the website, but as a separate microsite. Clear and intuitive content structures were created to break down barriers for potential and existing suppliers. The content itself has been completely redesigned, not from a company’s point of view, but from a user’s point of view. The creation of personas was a particularly helpful way of making it easier to understand the different needs.
Dominic Drüseberg
from the communications department at DB AG
‘By focusing on the supplier journey at DB AG, we have laid an important foundation stone. Lingner is an experienced partner, which has been at our side to provide strategic guidance throughout the entire process: starting with the joint workshop and including strategic advice and a quick and in-depth introduction to the sometimes complex universe of partnerships.’
Everything from a single source
We worked in close cooperation with Dominic Drüseberg from the communications department at DB AG Procurement to implement the entire process from a single source, including conception, support for content creation, screen design on the basis of DB AG’s internal specifications, and SEO analytics and optimisation.
