Situation

• Vocollect is located in Pittsburgh (USA) with an European HQ nearby London.
• The company’s portfolio of products and expertise for enabling Voice-Directed Work® creates direct communication between operators and information systems. Especially in distribution centers and warehouses, Vocollect Voice helps to achieve greater productivity, accuracy and safety.
• When Vocollect started their business in Europe in early years of the new millennium this innovative way to direct operators through their daily tasks was almost unknown.

Strategy

Vocollect’s communication strategy was to create media awareness for the company and its technology through PR in horizontal and vertical trade media in their various target regions.

For this purpose, Vocollect appointed Industrie-Contact in Germany, a former PRGN member in the UK, Sound PR in Italy, Multi Communications in Poland and S2 in Brazil to install regional PR programs. In some other countries the client commissioned non-PRGN agencies.

With regards to Germany, the client reported that Industrie-Contact won the business based on three key criteria: industry expertise, strength of its international network, and price-performance ratio.

Key elements of the campaign

• Writing and send-out of at least 12 product-oriented releases per annum inclusive pro-active media contacts
• Writing and placement of by-lined articles and case studies in key print media
• Arrangement and moderation of individual meetings between Vocollect’s European senior managers and editors of key media at German trade shows
• Comprehensive consultancy not only regarding PR but also regarding other local marketing communication activities like mailings and advertising

Results Germany

• Starting with 65 pieces of coverage in 2003 in Germany, Industrie-Contact has made for more than 200 editorial placements in horizontal and vertical media in 2009. Even German business media have already reported on Vocollect’s voice technology.
• Since the start of the campaign in the end of 2002, the awareness for the technology and the brand increased from almost 0 to 100 % among the key target groups.
• Industrie-Contact was able to avoid negative press coverage of voice technology or Vocollect. All reporting is positive or at least neutral.
• Feedback from the market confirm that Vocollect solutions have achieved a positive image.
• Voice-directed work has become a key technology on the material flow market.
• Vocollect is the market leader for voice technology, in Germany and globally.

Results other countries

• In each country Vocollect started PR the development driven by the agencies is similar to Germany: The number of reportings increased rapidly to a high level, negative reporting could be averted and the target groups became highly aware for Vocollect’s solutions