Hoerbiger

HOERBIGER is a global technology group delivering performance-critical solutions across multiple industries, including compression, automation, and drive technology. With a strong international footprint and decades of engineering expertise, the company operates in complex, asset-intensive environments where reliability, precision, and scalability are essential.

The organization manages a diverse portfolio of products, customers, and regional business units, supported by a mature enterprise landscape centered around SAP.

Salesforce plays a strategic role in supporting customer-facing processes, sales operations, and data visibility across the group.

Ensuring that CRM capabilities evolve in line with business needs, while remaining aligned with enterprise architecture and integration standards, is critical to HOERBIGER’s long-term digital strategy.

HOERBIGER initiated the engagement through a formal RFP process driven by the need to reassess and evolve its Salesforce CRM landscape.

The request reflected multiple, interrelated challenges:

• a legacy Salesforce setup rooted in Classic,
• fragmented usage across teams,
• limited transparency into end-to-end sales and customer processes, and
• growing pressure to align CRM capabilities with an SAP-centric enterprise architecture.

Beyond technical modernization, HOERBIGER faced a structural challenge.

Key CRM design decisions had accumulated over time without a unified blueprint, resulting in inconsistent processes, unclear ownership, and limited scalability for future initiatives such as advanced analytics, AI enablement, and marketing integration.

The organization required a clear, validated direction before committing to large-scale implementation or transformation.

To address this, HOERBIGER opted for a dedicated design phase rather than an immediate rollout.

The goal was to:

• deeply analyze the current state,
• challenge assumptions made during the RFP, and
• collaboratively design a future-proof CRM blueprint grounded in real business processes and integration realities.

Following the design workshops, the focus shifted from definition to execution and stabilization. To support this phase, HOERBIGER selected a planned, hybrid three-month KEEP engagement plan.

This approach was designed to serve two purposes in parallel: execute the agreed project outcomes from the design phase, and provide continuous, on-demand support for related CRM activities and operational needs during a critical transition period.

From the outset, the engagement was structured to complement and strengthen HOERBIGER’s internal CRM capabilities. At the end of the three-month period, responsibility was intentionally transitioned back to the internal CRM team, with a clear operating model, documented decisions, and a stabilized platform in place. 

Kameleon designed and delivered a phased engagement model aligned with HOERBIGER’s objectives, system complexity, and internal CRM maturity.

The approach combined structured discovery, collaborative design, and hands-on validation to ensure that strategic decisions were both well-founded and practically feasible.

Phase 1: Workshops

The engagement started with an in-depth design phase conducted through onsite workshops.

These sessions focused on analyzing the existing Salesforce landscape, understanding real business processes across sales and customer-facing teams, and assessing Salesforce’s role within an SAP-centric enterprise architecture. Special attention was given to the transition from Salesforce Classic to Lightning, core sales processes, data structures, and reporting requirements.

In this phase, we identified the key processes that HOERBIGER wanted to improve.

Our focus was on defining priorities, designing the solution and system structure, and ensuring that the proposed changes fit seamlessly into existing business processes. These workshops enabled a shared understanding of business needs and established a clear foundation for further development.

Based on the workshop outcomes, Kameleon delivered a comprehensive CRM blueprint defining the target-state architecture, standardized processes, integration principles, and a prioritized roadmap.

Although some parts of the system were already in place, the focus was on enhancing and standardizing them to ensure a consistent user experience.

The blueprint covered both short-term and mid-term improvements across multiple sales processes, clearly defining priorities, scope, and the direction for further CRM development.

Phase 2: Proof of Concept (PoC)

To validate the blueprint in practice, a Proof of Concept (PoC) was developed, translating key design decisions into a working Salesforce environment. This allowed stakeholders to experience the future-state solution, test assumptions, and confirm usability and technical feasibility before broader rollout decisions.

As part of the PoC phase, we selected a single sales process and demonstrated it end-to-end, including task and case management elements, allowing the team to see how the future way of working would function in practice.

In this way, the PoC served as a clear and tangible example of the future solution before decisions were made on further implementation. All stakeholders were able to experience the future-state solution in a real environment, validate initial assumptions, and confirm the system’s usability and technical feasibility prior to broader rollout decisions.

Phase 3: Implementation

Following blueprint validation, a planned three-month hybrid KEEP engagement plan enabled controlled execution and stabilization.

Together with the HOERBIGER team, we identified priority areas for further development and subsequently delivered them through implementation activities.

A key focus of our work was the integration between Salesforce and SAP.

We defined and implemented critical integration flows, including the exchange of customer, invoice, quote, and order data, as well as relevant elements from the SAP QIM module. This ensured reliable data exchange between the systems and consistent support for end-to-end business processes.

During this phase, Kameleon supported the implementation of agreed outcomes from the blueprint and PoC, while also providing continuous CRM support, backlog management, and operational assistance.

Close collaboration with HOERBIGER’s internal CRM team ensured knowledge transfer, clear ownership, and a smooth transition to independent operation.

The solution resulted in a validated, future-ready CRM foundation supported by a working PoC, a stabilized platform, and an internal team equipped to continue execution.

Training

In parallel with the implementation, we delivered practical tips & tricks sessions focused on working in the Salesforce Lightning environment. The sessions covered everyday usage, including navigation within the Sales Console, working with components, data organization and search, as well as the use of favorites. This approach further empowered the internal team and eased the transition to the new way of working.

Kameleon remains a long-term partner, ready to support future initiatives or provide specialized assistance as needed.

The engagement delivered a clear and validated foundation for HOERBIGER’s Salesforce CRM evolution, reducing uncertainty and enabling confident decision-making.

Key results we achieved

CRM roadmap aligned with business

HOERBIGER established a clear CRM direction and roadmap aligned with real business processes and enterprise architecture, creating a single reference point for all future CRM initiatives.

Validated future-state solution

The future-state solution was validated through a functional Proof of Concept, enabling stakeholders to confirm usability, technical feasibility, and overall direction before broader implementation.

Ongoing Hoerbiger support

Priority initiatives were successfully executed following the design phase, supported by continuous CRM operations through a hybrid KEEP engagement.

Improved platform stability

Platform stability increased alongside clearer ownership, supported by structured backlog management and controlled execution.

Empowered internal CRM team

HOERBIGER’s internal CRM team was fully empowered with documentation, validated designs, and hands-on experience, enabling independent continuation of system development and optimization.

As a result, HOERBIGER moved forward with a stabilized CRM landscape, reduced implementation risk, and a clear roadmap supported by an internal team ready to take ownership, and a trusted partner available for future needs.

The engagement enabled HOERBIGER to move from fragmented CRM usage and uncertainty to a position of clarity, control, and readiness for scale. By validating strategic decisions through a blueprint and Proof of Concept, the organization significantly reduced the risk associated with future CRM investments and transformations.

The combination of structured design, hands-on validation, and a planned hybrid KEEP engagement plan established a sustainable operating model for Salesforce within the organization.

Internal teams gained a shared understanding of target processes, architectural principles, and governance, allowing Salesforce to function as a reliable and evolvable component of the broader enterprise landscape.

Most importantly, the project strengthened HOERBIGER’s internal CRM ownership. With clear direction, proven concepts, and stabilized operations in place, the internal team was able to confidently assume full responsibility while maintaining the flexibility to engage external expertise when strategic or specialized needs arise.

This created a long-term impact that extends beyond the initial engagement, positioning CRM as an enabler of business performance rather than a source of complexity.