Digitalization is transforming sales: New channels are emerging, and the relationship between customers, salespeople, and manufacturers is changing. The Munich-based startup Leadtributor has developed software that combines all lead management requirements into one platform. We asked the founders our 7 questions.
1. Who are you and what do you do? Please briefly introduce yourself and your product!
What makes the founding team special are the differences between them: Philipp von der Brüggen, 55, long-time head of a marketing agency for high-tech clients. Katharina Krus, 33, a business graduate and passionate digitalization expert. And finally, Salek Talangi, 35, a computer scientist and technology nerd. Katharina Krus and Philipp von der Brüggen have known each other since working together at Philipp's agency, Technology Marketing People. They noticed that their clients are massively professionalizing their lead generation. Content marketing, inbound marketing, SEA/SEO, and all supported by marketing automation platforms. However, the use of these new methods and techniques means that the sales process starts somewhere different than it did just a few years ago: with the manufacturer! Customers increasingly rarely seek information from their sales partners. Because all activities like SEO and SEA are carried out by the manufacturer. If I want to renovate my bathroom and do research online, I inevitably end up with manufacturers like Villeroy & Boch or Hansgrohe. Installers are few and far between. The same applies to the search and configuration of a potential new car. The inquiries that are now forwarded to the sales partners are largely lost.
Which sales partner is actually doing what? What's the current status? How much revenue has your initiative generated in the channel? These are questions that hardly any manufacturer can answer. In a recent study, Bitkom even goes so far as to say: Up to 70% of all leads in such sales systems are never processed. The Leadtributor was developed to make the customer journey through the sales channels as fast, optimal, and above all, digital as possible for customers, manufacturers, and sales partners.
2. But that's been around for a long time!
No, that's not possible: In order to map and integrate complex sales systems into a CRM, CRM systems still require extremely complex, customized adaptations. This is not only time-consuming, but above all very expensive. Such "convoluted" CRM systems often also cause problems with maintenance and further development. With our SaaS, you can get started almost immediately because it is standardized but also highly configurable. This means that it includes the most important functions right from the start, which map all typical standard situations in indirect sales structures. Everything else is highly configurable. Many interfaces offer easy-to-adapt and quick integration into existing systems such as CRM or marketing automation! Our advantage: Sales partners, distributors, or partner managers can start with opportunity management immediately within a few days. And at a very competitive price.
"We are truly pleased with our development. And so are our investors!"
3. What has been your biggest challenge so far?
Our biggest challenge was our first major deal. With 1,200 sales partners in seven countries and a truly complex SAP environment, our small development department was under tremendous pressure.
Today, it's only a topic of conversation over a beer in the evening: "Do you remember?" The project is successfully live and is now helping us prove to many other customers with large distribution networks that we can do it. But the first deal of that size was already a challenge for the team and infrastructure. The investors have now helped us a lot in getting the infrastructure "enterprise-ready."
4. Let’s get down to business: How is business going?
We are really pleased with our development. And our Investors too! We are now a team of 12 highly motivated employees. We used to have a room in the Plant1 We rented one, then there were two, and now we have a proper office with a kitchenette and a meeting room with everything you need. It feels almost established. And we're a truly diverse team: There's a Chinese person, a Croatian person, and an Italian person on the team. We work in English and German.
Everything in the right proportion
5. What does Munich mean to you?
Everyone talks about Berlin as a startup location. We think Munich is just as vibrant and cool. You just have to go to the Werksviertel, where we have our office: it's teeming with creative startups. We have regular breakfasts together, people exchange ideas, and there's a great café with a very friendly Italian tenant, the irreplaceable Stefano. That's another reason why we're so grateful to have found an office here. And right next to the Ostbahnhof (Eastern Train Station). Convenience is important for employees. It's also relatively affordable in the former Pfanni site, because rent in Munich is almost unaffordable. Apart from that, Munich is a great city. None of us were born in Munich, but the city adopted us pretty quickly. Our co-founder Philipp von der Brüggen can't live without his mountains and his Tegernsee lake. His son was born in Munich and is a true Munich native. Salek knows every bar in the Bavarian capital and can't imagine life without the Eisbach and Oktoberfest. And Katharina Krus took her first career steps here almost ten years ago.
6. How will your startup become the next unicorn? Or will we see you soon at Epic Fail Night?
If we have the choice, of course we go for the former! But that's not our driving force. We're simply convinced that our software fundamentally transforms sales and makes it fit for the digital age. And we're happy if we can convince our customers of this as well. We'll see what happens next!
7. Hiking or beer garden?
Ideally, both. We believe that it takes a bit of effort to be rewarded with a magnificent view at the summit. And a bit of enjoyment. Everything in the right proportions: That's our recipe for success!
