Valuing the opportunities offered by digital solutions

Why is measuring your customers so important to you, and how do Smartfit solutions support your sales?

Stefan: We want to offer our customers the best possible service even before they buy. With Smartfit, we specifically find the ideal bike and define individual settings. Before introducing Smartfit Sizing, we used a rudimentary system that didn't provide central data on bikes, manufacturers, or customers. Today, we have access to all relevant information across all branches. Our salespeople offer customers a genuine experience: They select suitable models, adjust them optimally, and the test ride becomes an emotional highlight. Almost every customer returns enthusiastically. With our three branches, consistent advice is particularly important. Thanks to Smartfit, we can track exactly what has already been done, where, and by whom – even if the customer purchases a bike at a different branch. The Smartfit e-commerce solutions also offers great added value online: It helps our customers and provides us with valuable insights into click behavior and leads.

Did you set specific goals before introducing Smartfit?

Stefan: We want to offer our customers truly magical moments – emotional experiences that will be remembered. There's no measurable metric for that. With Smartfit, we create precisely those magical moments, even with regular customers who are already familiar with our measuring service. At the same time, our consultations become more efficient and the measuring time is shorter. Our employees fully support Smartfit as a valuable sales tool. It gives them additional security when the ideal bike selection and frame size are clearly understandable. With 15,000 bikes sold annually, we serve everyone who rides or wants to ride a bike. The challenge lies in giving both Puky children's bike customers and racing bike specialists the confidence that they've come to the right place through our marketing and POS presence. Smartfit helps us convey precisely this feeling.

We've had turbulent years in the bicycle industry. How do you assess the future of the bicycle industry? What role will POS and digital systems play?

Stefan: I think the bicycle industry needs to become more professional. Many people bring passion, but clear structures are often lacking. We need to lead the way as an industry, keep an eye on economic developments, and assert ourselves in the competition. In my view, online retail and POS complement each other: Online retail may be a competitor, but it also offers opportunities, for example through click & collect or digital tools. At the point of sale, it's all about evoking emotions and creating real added value for the customer. This requires digital solutions and reliable partners like Smartfit.