Transforming market intelligence

Introduction

Henkel Adhesive Technologies had established a centralized Market Intelligence (MI) team that provided valuable reports and services, acting as a bridge between different parts of the organization. However, the team recognized the need for ongoing improvement to enhance effectiveness.

Their journey with Valona began with a Market Intelligence Maturity assessment to benchmark the level of their MI operations, identify areas for improvement, and create a strategic action plan. The study, conducted by Valona’s Research and Consulting team, identified the most significant gaps in customer intelligence coverage and in tools to support continuous intelligence gathering and insights dissemination.

Henkel Adhesive Technologies’ MI operations had focused on competitors and market trends, but customer intelligence had not been in scope so far. Storing reports and market data in SharePoint wasn’t an optimal solution for a company of this size. Visibility on available information was limited, search features often failed to locate files if users couldn’t recall their exact titles, and managing access permissions across different business units proved complicated.

Enabling continuous market monitoring for all business units

Henkel Adhesive Technologies chose to implement Valona’s market intelligence software as a centralized repository and market monitoring tool. Initially, they focused on a specific customer industry and refined their approach before expanding to other business units. Valona has been successfully rolled out across the Adhesives business units, serving diverse industries, including automotive, aerospace, and electronics.

Farnaz Razzaghi, Quantitative Market Intelligence Manager, noted: “Digitalization is a priority at Henkel Adhesive Technologies. We want to leverage tools that reduce manual work and enhance customization so we can focus on strategic goals. Valona has improved how our employees’ access and engage with insights.”

Tailored market intelligence for a global enterprise

Henkel Adhesive Technologies leverages Valona to provide continuous, customized market intelligence that meets their specific organizational requirements. Razzaghi stated, “We’ve received a lot of feedback about efficiency. Users express that the system has significantly improved their workflows. For example, rather than searching through Google alerts or other platforms, they appreciate receiving customized news alerts delivered directly from Valona.”

This approach creates a sense of reliability; they can quickly access relevant information tailored specifically for them. Instead of searching endlessly online for specific information, they now have a direct source for what they need.

Another benefit for the central Market Intelligence team is deeper insights into business units’ information needs through Valona. Regular newsletters and targeted alerts enable users to provide feedback and suggest additional tracking topics, helping the MI team refine their intelligence strategy continuously.

Greater efficiency through automation and collaboration

Razzaghi highlights the critical role of Valona’s Customer Success team in their implementation, with weekly collaborative meetings that address challenges and optimize market intelligence efforts. Compared to previous self-serve platforms, Valona has centralized processes, dramatically reduced manual work, and improved efficiency. “Our weekly meetings are brainstorming sessions with the Valona team to help us address challenges and create solutions beneficial to our market intelligence efforts.”

“A great indicator of the platform’s value and relevance is that we’ve seen growing interest and requests for access to Valona from various departments, including Key Account Management and Sales, which hadn’t previously been a focus for MI.”

FARNAZ RAZZAGHI, QUANTITATIVE MARKET INTELLIGENCE MANAGER At henkel adhesive technologies

“Before Valona, our processes for collecting and analyzing market news and insights were more manual and time-consuming. Valona has centralized much of that effort, leading to greater efficiency.”

Enhancing employee knowledge

Valona has transformed how Henkel Adhesive Technologies’ employees access knowledge on markets, competition, and clients. The platform filters and presents relevant information based on users’ needs and queries.

“We’re continuously gathering user feedback through the platform or direct communications and refining our monitoring. This iterative process helps Valona accurately cover market trends and competitor movements that are specifically relevant to Henkel Adhesive Technologies, equipping our users with valuable insights.”

AI-powered research tools

“Another feature I appreciate is the Research App. As an admin user, I had early access to it and have found it remarkably helpful. It’s particularly useful for ad hoc requests where detailed information is needed quickly, and I don’t have the time to comb through extensive documents.”

“I can use the Research App to gather relevant articles and VAL to create a summary efficiently. This shift has saved me countless hours.”

FARNAZ RAZZAGHI, QUANTITATIVE MARKET INTELLIGENCE MANAGER At henkel adhesive technologies

For instance, an unexpected request for an overview of the economic situation or top market trends in a specific country—which would have been time-consuming or challenging to compile before—is now something the MI team can deliver quickly to stakeholders.

Photo credits: Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Media Kit 2024, All rights reserved