epilot is the digital foundation for sales, service, network and implementation processes in the context of the energy transition.
Interview with Michel Nicolai, CEO & Founder of epilot.
Easy Engineering: A brief description of the company and its activities.
Michel Nicolai: We are a software-as-a-service cloud platform provider based in Germany. Our platform is the digital foundation for scaling sales, service, grid and implementation processes in the energy transition. Our xRM software allows enterprise customers to accelerate new business ventures, slim down lengthy procedures, save time and costs through higher efficiency and agility and decrease their workload. xRM stands for Any-Relationship Management and is the advancement of CRM. The x stands as a placeholder for any actors and objects that have a relationship with the company, such as products, partners, processes or contracts.
Here is how it works: At the customer interface inquiries are digitally captured or products and service are sold online. The management and implementation of incoming inquiries is carried out with the help of a transparent 360° view, that integrates all parties involved and an automated workflow management in cooperation with partners.
E.E: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
M.N: Our main area is the energy market. We bring more transparency and efficiency to solution providers, utilities, grid operators as well as their partners, B2C and B2B customers. Our Cologne-based tech company supports more than 120 enterprise customers with modern customer experiences and efficient collaboration management.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
M.N: We offer a software-as-a-service solution, that we continuously advance and extend with new features and use cases as well as new partners. Our newest addition is a blueprint concept. Based on customer needs and experiences, we are building blueprints for our customers, so that they can get started quickly after becoming part of our epilot community. Blueprints are templates for end-to-end use cases for solution providers, utilities and grid operators, such as wall box and photovoltaics sales processes or house connection and commissioning processes. A blueprint activates all necessary reconfigurations of the software with one click, thereby minimizing set-up time in the beginning and enabling users to speed up the time-to-market of new products and business models.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
M.N: We offer three main solutions:
epilot energy solutions: Sales and implementation of solar systems, heat pumps, charging infrastructure and other energy solutions
epilot energy: Holistic sales, implementation and service for electricity, gas, energy solutions and broadband
epilot grid: Digital order and installer management for house connections, commissioning and registration of renewables
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active and what can you tell us about market trends?
M.N: We are currently working in a booming market. Due to the political situation in Europe and the urgent need for the energy transition to fight climate change, the energy market has become highly dynamic. People want to become more ecofriendly, self-sufficient and less dependent on the energy providers, that in turn rely on the supply from abroad. These circumstances pushed the energy solutions branch immensely and sales numbers of photovoltaics, heat pumps and wall boxes spiked like never before – and the numbers are still growing. These upswings led utilities, grid operators and energy solution providers to adjust their product portfolios and accelerate the energy transition. So, we are working in a highly dynamic and disruptive market.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
M.N: Our platform as a whole is innovative as it combines a unique feature set, bringing together areas such as process management, collaboration, lead management, configure-price-quote or customer management.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2023?
M.N: We are estimating a high demand for our platform, as companies are getting more and more active in the energy transition and need a digital foundation to do this efficiently and to scale their sales and operations.