26 Mar Floor to our merchants: Würth

Würth is a world leader in the trade of assembly and fastening material. How long has the company been established in the Italian market, and what are its current figures in Italy?

Würth Italia Srl has been active in the market since 1963. Over the years, we have built a strong reputation, becoming a trusted partner for over 300,000 professionals across various sectors, including automotive, craftsmanship, construction, and industrial segments. Presently, we operate two logistics centers: our main hub in Egna (BZ), which also serves as our legal headquarters, and another facility in Capena (North Rome).

With more than 300 retail locations throughout Italy and innovative sales concepts both online and offline, we are committed to making Würth increasingly accessible to our customers. Additionally, we have a workforce of over 4,000 employees, around 2,500 of whom are sales technicians dedicated to providing continuous support based on their expertise and professionalism.

When was Würth Italia’s e-commerce launched, and how is the online channel used?

The year 1996 was pivotal for us as we launched the WOS (Würth Online Service) portal and opened our first e-shop. In 2015, we also introduced the Würth App and the Click & Collect service. Today, our online shop is not just a traditional e-commerce platform; it encompasses advanced features specifically designed for artisans and industries.

Professionals can access a catalogue of over 130,000 items, check product availability, create order templates, and manage cost centers, all within a user-friendly environment. The Click & Collect service allows customers to order online and pick up their items at one of our over 250 retail locations in Italy, often within just 60 minutes.

Given Würth’s clear priority on digitalization, how does the online payment experience influence customer loyalty in your sector?

At Würth, digitalizing our processes is undoubtedly a strategic priority, especially concerning payments, which play a delicate and crucial role in the purchasing journey. Over time, we have successfully digitalized approximately 90% of our payment processes, particularly those that were previously handled via checks and cash.

In our sector, payment is often an overlooked aspect. However, in the B2B context, the payment experience significantly affects the trust between customers and suppliers, in addition to influencing the companies’ reputations. To meet the ever-evolving needs of our customers, we are dedicated to providing a wide range of payment options. This not only simplifies and enhances the purchasing process but also helps increase loyalty rates.

We carefully select every payment method we offer, with a strong emphasis on transaction security, reliability of solutions, and ease of use. We believe that an efficient and secure payment process can make a substantial difference, bolstering customer trust and solidifying our reputation as a reliable partner. Choosing Würth means not only gaining access to quality products but also enjoying an optimal and secure shopping experience.

How do you leverage MyBank among your payment methods, and what results have you achieved?

Currently, we primarily use MyBank through the Pay-by-Link service, a highly flexible solution that allows us to manage online collections through a payment link sent to customers via email or SMS. This tool serves as a complementary collection channel alongside our traditional e-shop checkout, successfully catering to various sales and collection needs within Würth.

By using MyBank via the Pay-by-Link service, we can secure immediate collections and bypass the credit limits set by traditional payment methods such as credit cards. We find MyBank particularly effective for medium-to-large payment amounts, especially in situations where the customer cannot or does not wish to use a credit card, as well as for collecting deposits on high-value orders.

Additionally, this solution minimizes credit risk and proves particularly efficient in the collection of overdue invoices. Even in the context of payment reminders, MyBank is a valuable ally, ensuring immediate certainty of collection.

When a payment link is sent, the customer simply clicks on it and selects their bank, being redirected directly to their online banking service using their usual credentials.

Once logged in, the customer sees a pre-filled transfer and can approve the irrevocable transaction with a single click, without needing to enter any additional data. This payment method greatly enhances the experience for Würth’s customers, allowing for immediate and seamless transactions.

Thanks to the MyBank solution, we not only benefit from immediate credit certainty and expedited payment processing but also from simplified back-office operations, made possible by 100% automatic reconciliation.

In conclusion, why should MyBank be considered an opportunity that other companies in your sector should explore?

In the hardware and craftsmanship sector, the integration of the physical and digital worlds—often referred to as “phygital”—is becoming increasingly essential. Würth stands out as a pioneer in this respect, and the growing interest of Italian companies in online sales and multichannel approaches highlights its significance.

In this context, there is a pressing need for more efficient and flexible collection methods that can meet the specific requirements of B2B transactions. MyBank emerges as a strategic solution, providing the ability to conduct irrevocable transactions and offering immediate certainty of collection, both through e-commerce and payment links, easily adapting to various sales contexts.

All of this is supported by the significant advantage of 100% automatic reconciliation, which streamlines the comparison between bank transactions and accounting records, allowing businesses to dedicate more time to strategic activities. This feature of MyBank contributes to higher accuracy in account management and provides the opportunity to monitor finances in real-time, thereby optimizing liquidity management and financial planning.

Therefore, based on our experience at Würth, we wholeheartedly encourage companies in our sector to explore the opportunities that MyBank can offer to make their collections and processes more efficient, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.