THE CHALLENGE
A homegrown tech solution couldn’t satisfy scaling demands.
In PERI’s early days, selling and consulting on project solutions were manual, multi-step processes. Sales engineers would focus on understanding the customer’s needs, offering tailored solutions and responding with detailed presentations — only to then wait and follow up to see how a customer had engaged with the materials. But delivering that personalized content took time, and required more effort to locate.
Their Germany-based sales and marketing team realized they needed a centralized content solution that could organize both marketing materials and technical documentation. The goal was that within three clicks, information could be easily discoverable by anyone across departments to deliver detailed project service packages and close deals faster — so they built a tool from scratch.Â
PERI relied on its custom-built app to meet the sales team’s daily needs, providing easy access to essential materials and documents to support customers. But as usage requirements evolved over time, the app’s limitations became apparent. The app could not be used across different devices, and it took time to roll out new features and functionalities for global use. Sellers struggled to present various formats during pitches — bouncing between PDFs, presentation slides, and videos. PERI also needed a platform that could easily switch between both global and regional variations of content.Â
As the size of their salesforce grew to more than 1,200, the complexity of their operations increased, driving the need for a more seamless, integrated approach.
“We needed a platform that could scale with our global operations and simplify the presentation of diverse content types. ”
THE SOLUTION
PERI’s growing global presence required a flexible tool.
PERI sought an enablement tool that could guarantee easy access to relevant data and integrate effortlessly with their existing document management
“We were confronted with the limitations of our sales app because we started it in Germany, but when it was rolled out to the rest of PERI teams, the world works differently,” says Sven Meißner, Head of Corporate Development at PERI Germany. “So the ways that we used it were different than in the U.S. or France.”
First, PERI experimented with multiple technical solutions over the course of several months. But it wasn’t until speaking with Showpad that they experienced an “aha” moment and signed on to an extensive pilot program — a beta test that revealed several standout solutions, including the intuitive, on-the-go nature of Showpad’s software.Â
“Our sales engineers are often on the go, whether on the streets or at construction sites, so having that flexibility was a huge advantage,” says Anna Maria Mang, Head of Marketing at PERI Germany. “With Showpad, our sales engineers were able to work more efficiently by sending documents directly to prospects from any device, which significantly sped up their workflow.”
“With Showpad’s analytics dashboard, we as marketers now have the ability to track how our content is being used by both our sales engineers and prospective buyers, enabling more data-driven discussions. ”
Showpad also received positive feedback during the pilot for the tool’s ability to create polished presentations with bottom-line effects. According to results reported by PERI’s sales excellence team, sellers that incorporated Showpad into their strategies sold more than those who didn’t. In fact, 20 out of 25 presented projects that were developed during the pilot program on the project sales team eventually turned into customer orders.
These gains in effectiveness were also met with stronger productivity results, as sellers reduced the time spent searching for relevant content by at least 25%, gaining back approximately one hour per week. This enhanced their ability to advise clients and deliver the right solutions efficiently, reinforcing PERI’s consultative and project-driven approach.Â
But the real factor that made Showpad stand out against competitors was the people behind the team. Teams at PERI said “everyone at Showpad was very helpful and motivated to ensure PERI’s success” both during the buying process and after the contract’s ink was dry.
The user experience and mobility of the Showpad platform exceeded the initial expectations at PERI, where the eOS® is now an indispensable tool for driving success in their competitive market landscape.
PERI’s engineering initiatives span tunnels, bridges, schools, and museums — including London’s V&A, LA’s Academy Museum, Washington DC’s Kennedy Center, and the Danjiang Bridge in Taipei, shown here. (Photo: PERI)
THE IMPACT
Why Showpad is essential to PERI’s teams.
In addition to these content management wins for PERI, Showpad improved the company’s seller onboarding journey through tailored training programs and onboarding paths. In the construction industry, where it typically takes 10 to 14 months for sellers to become profitable, Showpad significantly reduced this ramp time by several months.
As employees settled into their roles, sellers could then create customized stories, easily scale knowledge, and share compelling narratives at a faster rate. Maintaining control over presentation quality reinforced their industry qualifications and brand value, boosting buyer engagement, too.
“With Showpad, I can leave a live presentation briefly at any time, present other documents within the platform and then return to my main presentation. ”
Showpad’s guided selling solutions also allowed sales engineers to pivot to new solutions and products as needed during pitches, creating a comprehensive and smooth experience for customers. This further drove win rates because sellers were more prepared to handle any kind of conversation with the most up-to-date content.
“Previously, when presented with a typical sales offer, our customers would immediately skip to the pricing section,” Anna Maria says. “Now with Showpad, their attention is drawn to the value of the product or service first, shifting the conversation away from price right from the start.”
With all of these new capabilities, Showpad achieved an impressive adoption rate of approximately 70% across 17 countries, with standout usage in key markets such as Germany, France, Thailand, and South Korea.
“By implementing a gamification app, leaders instilled a friendly sense of competition between PERI’s global teams through monthly challenges to fulfill KPIs and collect points,” Senior Project Manager Stefanie Meyer says. “They also enhanced adoption quality with more frequent management reporting and evergreen training initiatives that boost a seller’s confidence in using the platform.”
adoption rate of Showpad across 17 countries
time reduction searching for relevant content
Access to measurable statistics like adoption has played a crucial role in PERI’s international development, as leaders could determine not only who was taking advantage of Showpad’s resources, but how.
“With Showpad’s analytics dashboard, we as marketers now have the ability to track how our content is being used by both our sales engineers and prospective buyers, enabling more data-driven discussions,” Anna Maria says. “We can identify the most impactful content and draw conclusions for further content development — another amazing feature we didn’t have with our homegrown solution.”
WHAT'S NEXT
PERI proves business value to customers in real time with centralized content.
Showpad is now integrated as the central hub for PERI’s sales content, seller training, and buyer interactions.
“We make use of every Showpad customer experience available,” Anna Maria adds. “The Atom experience is highly valuable for creating tailored presentations for our large clients. Additionally, we leverage the Mapper experience to construct entire environments, such as the infrastructure or high-rise worlds, where we can integrate 3D models with interactive hotspots.”
PERI creates immersive content experiences with Showpad’s Mapper and Atom features. Imagery courtesy of PERI.
In fact, PERI is using Showpad’s advanced customer experiences at key industry events like bauma, the world’s leading trade fair for construction machinery. The platform’s expansive usability allows PERI to showcase products and services on the fly, with easily sharable content to illustrate its business value in real time. Future developments include deeper CRM integration and continued development of global and localized content.
“Showpad is constantly making improvements to the system, and ensuring that relevant, state-of-the-art features like AI and Coach for sales are considered in their product. ”
PERI’s evolution from relying on a homegrown solution to fully embracing Showpad’s capabilities is a transformation driven by the need for scalability, efficiency, and global consistency. The platform shift enabled PERI to streamline content management, enhance presentation capabilities, implement stronger training, and significantly boost productivity. Their sellers across the globe now have exact use cases for different Showpad features, and have become a go-to resource for feedback and implementing new ideas.
This partnership has set PERI on a path of continuous growth and innovation, positioning them to meet future revenue challenges with confidence and agility.