Customer success story

Kalmar Global Case Study

TTMC's advanced reporting, multilingual skills and transparent approach deliver market insight and lead generation success for Kalmar Global.

Kalmar Global offers a wide range of cargo handling solutions and services to ports, terminals, distribution centres and to heavy industry. Kalmar is the industry forerunner in terminal automation and in energy efficient container handling, with one in four container movements around the globe being handled by a Kalmar solution. Through its extensive product portfolio, global service network and ability to enable a seamless integration of different terminal processes, Kalmar improves the efficiency of every move. Its product range includes forklifts (5 to 85 tons), reachstackers, and empty container handlers, with a competitive edge in higher capacity equipment.

Campaign objective and project background

Kalmar was working with an existing telemarketing agency in the UK but needed native language support to develop its overseas markets. It also needed to expand its Counterbalance Division for forklifts and container handlers and felt a flexible, collaborative partner able to deliver insights and market intelligence would help shape and grow this new business initiative.

Having spoken with multiple agencies, Kalmar appointed The Telemarketing Company (TTMC) for a six-week telemarketing pilot based on the agency’s multilingual capabilities, advanced reporting and experience in the manufacturing sector. The initial plan was to carry out market research, but it was then agreed to focus on lead generation but with carefully structured calls to capture specific insights to build pipeline and inform the longer-term strategy.

Project execution

The goal was to generate high-quality, sales-ready leads for counterbalance equipment, specifically forklifts over 5 tons, initially in France but with a view to future expansion. In addition, the campaign aimed to raise awareness of the Kalmar brand and increase its profile in a relatively new market.

A French-speaking agent was assigned whose skills aligned to the requirement and a briefing session covered all aspects of the proposition including key benefits, potential pain points and likely objections. The client also provided a detailed overview of the competitive landscape to give context to the conversations agents would have around brands currently in use.

Kalmar provided a list of target companies in the plastics, lumber and metal industries. The task for TTMC initially was to enrich and enhance the data to create a clean, profiled database for calling. This would include identifying key decision-makers such as purchasing, operations, safety, and logistics managers. TTMC worked with an external provider to append phone numbers and addresses and then further enriched the data using a variety of tools including desk research, LinkedIn and sales intelligence platform, Cognism. 

A set of profiling questions were put in place to support qualification and ensure Kalmar’s sales team received only leads that met strict criteria enhanced with rich insight to help conversion.

Profiling questions would also capture vital intelligence to feed the strategy including:

  • Existing products over 5 tons capacity - machines/brands/capacity.

  • Awareness of the Kalmar brand.

  • Materials handled - metal slabs, planks, paper, containers.

  • Age of current fleet.

  • Term of any existing agreement, whether purchase/lease/rent.

  • Length of decision-making process.

Based on this information and the length of purchase window, leads were segmented into ‘hot’ and ‘warm’ so they could be prioritised for follow up. Prospects outside an 18–24-month purchase window were captured as Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) to feed the future pipeline.

The decision-making matrix was wide and varied, depending on business size and sector. Data was segmented so that conversations could be tailored to each customer persona based on a matrix of pain points and benefits for each market segment. TTMC applied a solution-selling approach to understand key issues and requirements and bring the relevant benefits to the fore, positioning Kalmar as the unique solution to address each prospect’s needs.

Client and agency worked very closely with weekly calls and regular communication creating a feedback loop to support continuous improvement. The client made active use of TTMC Connect, the agency’s real-time reporting portal, to access performance data and analytics, campaign results and call recordings. Having listened to call recordings they provided a steady flow of constructive feedback to hone and improve the approach, ensuring also that calls aligned to their brand identify and tone of voice. TTMC’s team was also in regular touch with the sales team who provided detailed feedback on lead quality, messaging and the general approach and advised on some of the technical elements of calls including industry-specific terms and language.

Results

The telemarketing pilot generated 29 high-quality leads over the six-week period, providing valuable opportunities for the sales team to pursue and convert into new customers. In addition, hundreds of conversations with a qualified audience strengthened the brand’s market presence and highlighted their competitive advantages in quality, safety, sustainability, and cost-efficiency. Through the TTMC Connect portal Kalmar now has access to a full analysis of responses from the profiling questions, with additional insight as freeform text for every conversation.

Kalmar has been really impressed with TTMC’s commitment to continuous improvement and the transparency provided by call recordings and advanced analytics within the client portal. It has now extended the existing campaign in France on an ongoing basis. A strategic review will take place to assess the insight captured so that lessons can be fed into the next phase of the campaign. Demand for support from other areas of the business following the success of the pilot has led to the launch of a second campaign targeting heavy construction and metal industries within the Benelux territory supported by a native Dutch/Flemish speaker.

Overall, the telemarketing campaign has not only achieved its primary lead generation goals but also enhanced the client’s understanding of customer needs and market trends, paving the way for future strategic marketing initiatives. Kalmar is pleased to have established a partnership built on trust and transparency with an agency that has the capabilities needed to expand its market presence going forward.