EPM Showcase: TDK-Lambda’s new sales app

Find out how EPM Digital transformed a catalogue into a searchable, tappable product guide app and beyond.

As one of the leading electronic component manufacturers in the world, TDK-Lambda is a trusted provider of AC-DC and DC-DC converters and power supplies. A business seasoned in producing power solutions, TDK-Lambda was looking for a digital solution to assist its sales team.

Armed with paper catalogues and iPads out in the field, sales representatives would be flicking through brochures and catalogues for their own reference or with customers. At trade shows, the team would take the catalogues with them and write down email addresses with pen and paper so that they could email customers with additional information afterwards. 

As is the case with printed products, the catalogues would only have a finite number of information and data sheets on them, and couldn’t benefit from being easily updated. 

Transferring all of this information into an easy-to-use product guide app, however, would mean that TDK Lambda’s sales staff would be able to access more than what was previously available to them - and all at the simple touch of a fingertip. 

“We wanted the app as a tool for our sales team to have real-time information from our website to be able to share with potential customers on the spot. We wanted something that they can look at quickly and not have to spend too much time looking for a data sheet for a product,” explains Melissa Guerrero, Distribution Marketing Specialist at TDK-Lambda.

The company tasked EPM Digital with developing the app on iOS and Android. As well as providing a digital version of the catalogues, EPM added other useful features that would assist the sales team in the field, “We implemented a number of features that would greatly benefit the sales team. These features included search, which allowed the sales team to quickly find information about any product in the catalogue, and share with their customers, which would allow them to share any of the product information with their client there and then,” says Andrew Joyce, EPM’s Mobile Engineer. 

EPM also added a user-friendly portal that would enable TDK-Lambda to add content on the fly, without having to go through the EPM team or having to deploy a new app store release each time. This meant that product information on the app would always be up-to-date for their customers.

Outside of resources for the sales team, the app also provides customers with the ability to locate TDK-Lambda distributors around the world.

During the making of the app, the EPM team would speak to TDK-Lambda across different time zones, “We got into a good rhythm working with the TDK team, based in California,” says Anna Silsbury, Digital Program Manager at EPM. “Using the time difference to our advantage we would action their feedback whilst they were asleep and have new updates ready for them in the morning.”

“Anna Silsbury was amazing during the entire process,” says Melissa. “She was prompt with answering my emails, even while being in different time zones. She made sure all of the changes were being made and made sure the project kept moving along. We were also updating our website at the same time which caused a standstill with the app towards the end, but Anna was patient with us.” 

And once the app can be used more regularly out in the field, Melissa says that it will “definitely benefit how information [is shared] with customers. With a few clicks, they will be able to bring up the product they are searching for.”

Read more about our work on the app here, or get in contact if you’d like to talk to us about turning your app ideas into a reality.