DreCo Insights | Case study

Doubling sales and getting into Mercedes-Benz

A German manufacturer of linear motion technology had strong products. Their interior comfort components were well-engineered. But European sales had stagnated. Mercedes-Benz, their most important target, remained out of reach.

They did not have the right contacts. They were not entirely sure why that was.

What I found when I started

The products were good. The problem was positioning and access.

They were approaching the market as a component supplier. They needed to be positioned as a solution partner, both to Tier 1 suppliers and to the OEMs directly.

↳ These are two different conversations. Running them as one is why deals stall.

Two tracks at once

I ran a push-pull approach simultaneously: pushing into Tier 1 suppliers to get embedded in their assemblies, while pulling OEM interest directly through prototype demonstrations.

Towards Tier 1 suppliers

We showed how our components could be integrated without requiring a redesign of existing systems.

↳ This reduced the perceived switching cost for suppliers already working under margin pressure.

Towards OEMs directly

We met with design and procurement teams at the automakers and brought functional prototypes to those meetings.

↳ When an OEM can see and handle a working part, the conversation changes.

Sales team coaching

I went with the sales team on customer visits. Not to manage them. To support them.

After each visit, we worked through what happened and what to do differently next time. Over several months, the team’s confidence in positioning the value proposition grew.

The Mercedes-Benz result

Within 24 months, European automotive sales grew by 50%. Mercedes-Benz came on board with a sub-assembly supply contract for the S-Class interior.

The general manager said this afterwards:

“For years, my sales team and I would drive past the Mercedes-Benz headquarters wondering how to become one of their suppliers. It took a Dutchman, Christian Drenth, to make it happen.”

I will leave that where it is.

Results

Sales growth

+50% European automotive sales within 24 months

Key client won

Mercedes-Benz: S-Class sub-assembly supply contract

Market position

Established as a trusted supplier to premium OEMs

Sales team

Coached and accompanied on customer visits throughout

What made the difference

The products were already good. The work was about contact, positioning, and follow-through.

If your business has the right product but no clear route to the clients that matter, that is exactly the kind of problem I work on.