How Haufe X360 Broke The Growth Plateau With Systematic Outbound
Haufe X360 is the cloud ERP division of Haufe Group, one of Germany’s most established enterprise software companies. X360 provides a modern, modular ERP solution for mid-market companies across manufacturing, wholesale, and professional services. The platform is distributed through a large network of certified implementation partners across the DACH region.
Haufe Group built Haufe X360, a modern ERP for German mid-market companies. The product was solid. Early customers loved it. But then they hit the plateau.
The symptoms:
- Inbound leads flattened
- Founder-led sales couldn't scale
- 50+ implementation partners needed consistent leads
- Pipeline became unpredictable
Julian Eichler (seasoned CRO, 10+ years in SaaS) needed:
- Systematic outbound that generates qualified pipeline immediately
- System that feeds 50+ partners consistently
- Proof of ROI quickly
AFFLUENT was brought in to build a Personalized Outreach System targeting German mid-market companies ready for ERP change.
1. TAM Mapping & Scoring
We scored 10,000+ German mid-market companies for ERP fit:
Criteria:
- Company size (50-500 employees)
- Revenue (€10M-€100M)
- Industry (manufacturing, wholesale, professional services)
- Current ERP system identified
- Geographic fit (DACH)
Created "ERP Fit Score" (0-100) weighted by:
- Company size (40%)
- ERP system age/quality (30%)
- Growth signals (20%)
- Geographic fit (10%)
2. Trigger Identification
Monitored for buying signals:
- Hiring for "ERP consultant" or "ERP project manager" = migration in progress
- LinkedIn posts about "outgrowing current ERP" = active pain
- New office or funding = growth strains outdated systems
3. Trained Specialist Placement
AFFLUENT placed a specialist who:
- Researches each company for 15 minutes
- Identifies current ERP system and pain points
- Writes 30 personalized messages daily
- Times outreach to triggers
Example message:
"Hi [Name], I see [Company] just posted for an ERP Project Manager—sounds like you're evaluating systems. Most mid-market companies we talk to are outgrowing DATEV or struggling with SAP complexity.
We helped [Similar Company] migrate to Haufe X360 in 8 weeks. CFO said it cut month-end close time by 40%. Worth 15 minutes to see if it fits?"
4. Partner Ecosystem Integration
- A-leads routed to Haufe direct sales
- B-leads distributed to partners by geography/specialization
- Performance tracking adjusted distribution
- Transparent system increased partner satisfaction
System Performance (90 Days)
- 12-15 qualified meetings per month with mid-market decision-makers
- 16% reply rate with trigger-based outreach (vs 3% cold)
- 50+ implementation partners consistently fed with leads
- 8 weeks from specialist placement to consistent flow
Business Impact
Before:
- Growth plateaued
- No systematic outbound
- Partners hungry for leads
- Unpredictable pipeline
After:
- Systematic outbound engine
- 10,000+ prospects scored and prioritized
- Trigger-based timing
- Predictable partner lead flow
Haufe broke the plateau in 60 days with a repeatable system
