Case Study James Hardie
Transforming the B2B commerce experience for a premier building materials manufacturer.
14%
increase in portal-driven revenue
23%
improvement in customer satisfaction
American Business Award Winner
Challenge
James Hardie, a leading North American siding manufacturer, needed to transform their recently launched SAP Commerce experience into a more intuitive and efficient website. Through a blend of strategic vision and tactical improvements, Smith was tasked with reimagining their digital experience, enabling users to manage their orders and seamlessly order materials across thousands of product variants.
Perspective
Our approach began with a comprehensive assessment of both code and design to identify inconsistencies and opportunities for improvement. Through collaborative workshops, we worked closely with the stakeholders to understand pain points and align on a shared vision for the future. Drawing from our extensive experience with B2B implementations, we were able to demonstrate proven solutions that could address their unique challenges. We strategically split our work into two tracks: visualizing a long-term strategic plan while delivering immediate experience improvements to build trust and momentum.
Solutions
We developed a streamlined dealer journey that transformed the ordering process by allowing upfront shipping destination selection. This key improvement ensures dealers only see products available in their region, eliminating frustration over unavailable items during checkout. This enhancement has been enthusiastically received in initial testing and lays the foundation for a more intuitive and efficient buying process.
To deliver immediate value, we implemented several technical improvements across the platform. These included updating the quick order functionality with a more compelling UX and bulk file upload capability, significantly enhanced performance through targeted code optimizations, and restructured data mapping with improved analytics tracking. This balanced approach of strategic vision and tactical execution helped build toward a more robust and user-friendly platform– one that users are eager to use, rather than feeling obligated to use.
“Smith came in and had the Dealer Journey strategic vision for us, and with the work that was done, we were able to make those improvements. As a result, we got recognized by the American Business Awards. It was truly a transformational project.”
Edina Zukić, Product Manager, Ecommerce, James Hardie
