Heidelberg Materials Contracting – CRM and Business Intelligence
Solution: Maximizer CRM with Sales Intelligence
Faced with fragmented data, missed opportunities, and growing pressure to deliver sustainable results, Heidelberg Materials Contracting knew it was time for change. Their journey from offline spreadsheets to a fully integrated CRM solution with Maximizer CRM – powered by Avrion’s expert guidance – transformed not just their systems, but their mindset. In just two months, they went live with a tailored solution that now drives smarter decisions, sharper commercial focus, and stronger customer relationships. This case study reveals how Heidelberg turned complexity into efficiency, and why Avrion is their partner of choice for digital transformation.
In a fast-paced industry where every bid counts and every insight matters, Heidelberg Materials Contracting found itself at a crossroads. With a growing volume of enquiries and increasing pressure to deliver sustainable, data-driven results, their reliance on fragmented spreadsheets was holding them back.
They needed more than just a CRM; they needed a partner who understood their unique challenges and could help them transform their work processes. That’s where Avrion stepped in with Maximizer CRM, turning complexity into simplicity – enabling Heidelberg to take control of their commercial future.
We spoke with Chris Harrison, Business Manager at Heidelberg Materials Contracting to find out more.
Challenges
Heidelberg Materials Contracting faced two major challenges:
- Tracking and analysing enquiry data: Without a formal CRM, the team struggled to monitor customer interactions and assess success rates.
- Improving follow-up procedures: The lack of a structured system made it difficult to chase opportunities effectively, limiting their ability to grow commercially.
“We were drowning in spreadsheets. It took hours to answer simple questions about our performance.”
Initial Requirements
The team needed a CRM solution that could:
- Be cloud-based for accessibility across office and field teams.
- Offer ease of use for busy commercial staff and estimators.
- Support an opportunity-led approach, allowing detailed tracking of project-specific data such as sector, region, contract type, and bid deadlines.
Chris’s Tip: “Don’t try to build Rome in a day. Start simple, stay focused, and grow your CRM from there.”
Solutions
After evaluating several CRM options, Heidelberg Materials Contracting chose Maximizer CRM through Avrion, both recommended by our existing customer and their sister company, Mick George. They took advantage of our Quick Assist package to fast-track deployment.
Key features adopted:
- Sales Intelligence Module: Provided insights into pricing success across sectors and regions.
- Leaderboard Functionality: Encouraged healthy competition among estimators, boosting engagement.
- Custom Fields: Captured project-specific data critical to their opportunity-led model.
Chris said “Avrion just got it. They understood our needs and delivered a solution that worked – fast.”
Benefits
- Faster access to actionable data: Replaced fragmented spreadsheets with a unified system.
- Improved commerciality: Enabled better follow-up and tracking from enquiry to result.
- Enhanced decision-making: Allowed the team to focus on high-success areas and avoid low-yield quoting.
- Quick implementation: Fully scoped, built, trained, and launched within two months.
- User adoption: Strong buy-in due to clear benefits and straightforward training.
Chris is delighted, “We’ve shifted from ‘quote and forget’ to a proactive, data-driven follow-up process.”
What projects are you planning in the future?
As Heidelberg Materials Contracting continues to evolve its digital infrastructure, the next phase of their CRM journey focuses on data integration and advanced reporting.
While Maximizer CRM’s built-in reporting tools have already delivered valuable insights, the team is now planning to consume CRM data in Power BI to create custom dashboards that combine CRM metrics with operational data from other systems, including their ERP.
This integration will allow them to:
- Visualise enquiry success rates alongside job performance metrics.
- Identify trends across regions, sectors, and contract types.
- Track sustainability data captured in Maximizer CRM against delivery outcomes.
- Make faster, data-driven decisions across commercial and operational teams.
By joining CRM data with broader business intelligence, Heidelberg Materials Contracting aims to further build upon its single source of truth that supports strategic planning, resource allocation, and continuous improvement.
“We want to go beyond CRM reporting and see how our quoting activity aligns with actual job performance. That’s where Power BI comes in.” explained Chris.
Why Should You Choose Maximizer CRM?
“Maximizer CRM has helped us understand our pricing data better than ever before. The reports give us real insights into where we’re winning – and where we’re not – so we can make smarter commercial decisions.”
Why You Should Partner with Avrion
“The team at Avrion understood our needs from the start. Their experience made the scoping and delivery process smooth, and the Quick Assist package had us up and running in just two months. That’s quick!”
We know how important sustainability is to forward-thinking businesses, like Heidelberg Materials Contracting. What advice would you give to organisations that are looking to embed sustainability into commercial strategy?
“Sustainability isn’t a side project—it’s front and centre in every enquiry we send out.”
At Heidelberg Materials Contracting, sustainability is more than a corporate value—it’s a strategic imperative. With increasing pressure from clients such as local authorities and government bodies like National Highways, the company recognised the need to embed sustainability into every stage of its operations.
Using Maximizer CRM, Heidelberg Materials Contracting now captures detailed sustainability data at the enquiry level. This includes:
- Types of sustainable products proposed for each project
- Carbon reduction opportunities aligned with client goals
- Environmental impact considerations tied to contract types and regions
This data not only supports internal decision-making but also strengthens Heidelberg’s competitive edge in tenders. Clients are increasingly prioritising suppliers who can demonstrate environmental responsibility – and Heidelberg Materials Contracting is now equipped to do just that.
“We’re recording what type of sustainable products we can use on each enquiry. It’s giving us a real edge in trying to win work.”
By integrating sustainability tracking into their CRM, Heidelberg Materials Contracting ensures that environmental goals are not siloed, they’re part of the commercial conversation. This approach helps the company:
- Align with client sustainability mandates
- Demonstrate compliance and innovation in bids
- Track and report on sustainability performance over time
Looking ahead, Heidelberg Materials Contracting plans to deepen this integration by combining CRM sustainability data with operational performance metrics in Power BI, enabling even more robust reporting and strategic planning.
