Hamburg, 25th September 2020 - From now on Visable presents the most successful B2B platform in the DACH region "Wer liefert was" in a completely new look and with far-reaching technical changes. The name is simplified from "Wer liefert was" to the simple and catchy short form wlw. The claim "Einfach. Besser. Entscheiden." sums up the new self-image of the platform:
With a database of around 590,000 suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers and service providers, wlw offers procurement professionals an ideal basis for making the best purchasing decision. But it is not only the brand and the corporate design that have undergone a comprehensive relaunch. New features such as the prominently placed e-sourcing service wlw Connect, an improved company profile and the implementation of the Unified Search, a precise, AI-supported full-text search, now make it even easier for buyers to find the right supplier for every requirement in the fastest possible way.
More memorable and modern - "Who delivers what" becomes wlw
In recent years, wlw's brand image has been repeatedly renewed and adapted to the conditions on the market. Now what is probably the biggest change follows: the name "Wer liefert was", which has been used since 1932, is reduced to the concise, easily remembered short form wlw. "The relaunch is the most far-reaching change to the platform in ten years. We want to simplify not only the user experience and the decision-making process for buyers, but also our brand identity. It is therefore only logical that in future we will also use the abbreviation wlw, already known from the URLs wlw.de, wlw.at and wlw.ch, as our name", explains Peter F. Schmid, CEO of Visable. "In this way we will continue to do justice to the decades of significance and origin of the brand, while at the same time streamlining communication and strengthening identification with the domains through which buyers in the DACH region access the platform".
The new logo - the "Switch" - was developed with the aim of reflecting the transformation from the former classiefieds company to a digital tech company of international significance. Elements such as the green dot from the Visable logo as well as the use of the well-known colours dark blue and green bring the brand's appearance closer to the "brand umbrella" Visable. The new claim "Einfach. Besser. Entscheiden." is catchy and sums up wlw's core competence: "wlw's service portfolio goes beyond the simple search for suppliers. We help purchasers to make the best decision for their company and their requirements. And we do it easier and better than any other B2B platform in the DACH region," Schmid summarises the decision for the new claim.
wlw Connect as the new centrepiece
The extensive redesign of wlw is complemented by the restructuring of the website and the implementation of various new tools for buyers. The focus is on the fundamentally optimised search and the new service wlw Connect. "In addition to our classic search bar, wlw Connect is now the focus of the site as an equal sourcing option. This is followed by content relevant for purchasers and a flexible teaser area. The new wlw has a clearer and clearer structure, so that the visitor can immediately see what to expect", explains Peter F. Schmid. The prominent placement of wlw Connect is for a good reason: the aim of the service is to bring buyers and suppliers together as quickly as possible. To this end, buyers enter their requirements in an online form and receive a selection of qualified companies within the shortest possible time, often the very next day - regardless of whether for a long-term framework agreement or a one-off delivery. Experts evaluate the enquiry by comparing the search parameters with the wlw database of 590,000 B2B suppliers. wlw Connect makes a pre-selection based on the results, contacts the appropriate suppliers and clarifies whether the enquiry is of interest to them. The deadline is also taken into account. Purchasers then receive a clear list of all interested suppliers and can contact them in a targeted manner. "We were already able to convince numerous buyers of wlw Connect in an initial beta phase. With the use of the new service, the time spent in the research process for the buyer was reduced by an average of 30 to 50 percent compared to the normal search. Some users told us that they only needed ten percent of the usual time for their research. wlw Connect thus represents an enormous relief in their everyday work", says Schmid.
Unified Search for the best search in B2B
More precise, more relevant and clearer - with the implementation of an AI-supported full text search, wlw now offers its customers the best B2B search in Europe. Procurement professionals receive significantly more relevant results, because the new search now scans all stored information of the different company profiles and sorts the results according to this content. Extensive filter options ensure a fast, precise search that is optimised for the customer. "With all the innovations we have planned for wlw, the user experience has always been at the forefront for us. Purchasers should be able to see at first glance what they can expect at wlw and why we offer them real added value," explains Schmid. "Finding the right supplier for individual needs is at the heart of wlw, which is why we had to create the best possible solution for the buyers. With the implementation of the Unified Search, we have succeeded in doing this".
Clear and concise - New company profile facilitates supplier searchThe revised design of the company profiles on wlw should enable buyers to find the supplier information they are looking for even faster and more intuitively. To achieve this goal, the product developers at wlw have spoken to experts: Numerous buyers have supported the development process of the new company profile in user tests and expert interviews. Whereas in the former company profile the contents were divided into different fold-out tabs, they are now all on one page. The fact that the information is also presented in a more concise way makes for greater clarity - especially on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The new company profile consists of individual blocks, lined up one below the other, each dedicated to a specific category of information. The sequence has been agreed with selected buyers and has been chosen to provide the best possible support for the searcher: starting with the core information such as the contact overview and followed by more detailed information. Further information is also planned, such as details of the financial status of the companies.
For searching on the move - the new wlw is also available as an app
In order to enable procurement experts to make the best purchasing decisions on the move, wlw is now available as an app that offers all services optimised for smartphones and tablets. Users receive a personalised area with many functions to make their own search as simple and effective as possible. The "Discover" area displays the most recently searched companies and recommends providers based on their latest activities. "Mobile only" functions such as direct calls or photo upload from the smartphone camera, for example to attach a picture to a wlw Connect request, round off the offer. In addition, notifications for ongoing searches and queries can be set up. In this way, customers can react even faster in future and save time until a successful purchase.
The wlw relaunch will be supported by a comprehensive marketing campaign in web, print and social media in the fourth quarter of 2020. It is Visable's biggest marketing initiative in almost three years.
The new logo can be downloaded here.
