When it comes to building technology and engineering that’s both smart and sustainable, Roth Industries is one name that stands out. Headquartered in Germany, they develop systems for energy and water use in buildings as well as made-to measure solutions for industry. But their focus on innovation doesn’t stop at their products. Roth is just as committed to improving the way they operate behind the scenes.
That’s why, when it came to modernising how they managed company spending, particularly in the area of business travel. They looked for a solution that matched their forward-thinking approach. Enter: Pleo.
But as with any transition, the onboarding experience can make or break the success of a new tool. Lucky for Pleo (and Roth Industries), this onboarding story was one for the books.
Making onboarding feel like teamwork
We caught up with three key people at Roth Industries who played an important role in rolling out Pleo: Sarah Tokmak, Head of InnoLab; Thomas Acker, Head of Central Finance and Accounting; and Tanja Wagner, who also works within the Central Finance and Accounting team.
All three were quick to point out that onboarding didn’t just happen, it was guided and well-supported. A lot of that credit goes to their dedicated onboarding manager, Philipp Lühr, who helped keep things on track from the get-go.
“The entire project with Pleo, from signing the contract to the present moment, worked very well for me,” Sarah shared. “Our onboarding manager was available as a dedicated contact person, open to all questions and feedback, effectively took on tasks, and explained and demonstrated numerous things multiple times to ensure understanding. Overall, this made for a very good onboarding process.”
Steering the ship: Why structure matters
As the onboarding process unfolded, Sarah pointed to something that made a huge difference: active project management.
“He didn’t lose sight of the schedule and didn’t simply leave it up to us to keep things moving,” she said. “It was actively directed and controlled… having a central steering entity was incredibly important.”
With different departments and stakeholders involved, like sales, technicians, and leadership, it was essential that someone was pulling all the strings in sync. Philipp’s ability to anticipate needs, manage milestones, and communicate openly was a big part of what made the experience click.
Less paperwork, more progress
For Thomas Acker and his team in finance, the real game-changer came once the onboarding was complete and the platform was up and running.
“We’ve noticeably transitioned into paper-free operations,” Thomas said. “The throughput time for completing administrative tasks has sped up considerably, and there’s a stronger sense of clarity across teams.”
Gone were the days of shuffled receipts and lengthy approval chains. With Pleo, everything is digital and tracked. Not just saving time, but also reducing errors and bringing more transparency into the picture.
And it's not just about convenience. As Thomas put it, “This digital transition has allowed us to spend less time on repetitive manual work and focus on higher-value activities.”
Support that adapts to you
Personalisation was one of the standout themes in Roth Industries’ onboarding story.
"We felt there was a very strong alignment in how we approached the onboarding process together. Our onboarding manager genuinely made it easy for us to communicate openly and honestly, which is not always the case with other vendors,” Sarah said. “His support felt tailored to our needs, and that level of attention made everything easier on our side.”
Whether it was tackling unexpected issues or adjusting to changes mid-process, the support always felt human.
Meeting goals, and then some
The team clearly achieved what they set out to do, with great results to show for it.
“The primary goal we had was for the product to function seamlessly by the end of the onboarding process, and I am happy to say this was definitely achieved,” Sarah confirmed.
Different teams with different needs were trained, aligned, and ready to go from day one. Whether it was salespeople on the road or finance pros behind the scenes, the new system just worked.
Would they recommend it?
There’s no need to guess on this one. Sarah was crystal clear:
“I would definitely recommend the Premium Onboarding. The clear point of contact, structured approach, and timely responses… these facets make the process smoother and give confidence during an otherwise complex transition.”
What is premium onboarding with Pleo?
Premium Onboarding is Pleo’s hands-on, high-touch onboarding package designed to set teams up for success from the very beginning. It includes a dedicated onboarding manager, a personalised rollout plan, tailored training sessions, and ongoing support to help businesses get the most out of Pleo.
Turning onboarding into a launchpad
Roth Industries is in the business of building smart systems, and with Pleo, they’ve now got a smart system for managing spend too. Through great communication, the onboarding process didn’t just get them started, it set them up for long-term success.
To sum it up in Sarah’s own words:
“Working with [the Pleo] team brought out the best on both sides. It’s definitely an experience I would describe as constructive and supportive.”
And that’s what great onboarding should feel like.
