To many buyers in the food processing and product manufacturing sectors, packaging was seen as a near-commodity. The opportunity existed to raise the added value content of SCA Packaging's services through developing the value of the customer/prospect visit.

Imarco introduced the concept of raising the value of one-to-one dialogue with the prospect through the development of laptop based sales support system based on its own development 'The Laptop Navigator'. The final product was to be run out across the entire European sales force and Imarco worked with its Swedish associate agency partner to develop a customised solution.

The new Midas system enabled SCA Packaging's European wide sales team to bring into the prospect dialogue the company's wealth of experience of how packaging is used, stored and accessed throughout its journey down the distribution chain. Combining examples, video footage and countless illustrations, the sales person is able to promote the importance of design of packaging to the OEM and to consider elements well beyond just the protection of the enclosed product.

The Midas system then allows the salesperson to formulate new design criteria on screen actually in front of the prospect and promoting a level of interactive involvement not possible before.

The system has substantial reduced the cost of prototype development. More importantly, it has considerably improved the value of the sales call in the eyes of the prospect.