Case Study PHabseiling GmbH

How an industrial climbing company fills its training calendar — without spending nights at the computer.

At a glance

Initial situation

PHabseiling GmbH is one of the few Swiss companies that offer industrial climbing, fall protection, and associated training under one roof. Rope access work in shafts, silos, and facilities, installation of fall protection systems, training and certification of technicians — the company's substance is high, the clientele demanding, and regulations strict. International standards like IRATA and SPRAT define the framework in which the company operates.

Pascal manages the operational side of the business. His day is spent on ropes and facilities, not in front of a screen. For many years, digital marketing relied on word-of-mouth recommendations. This worked solidly but was not controllable. Who inquired and when depended on the network of old contacts — not on predictable visibility.

In addition, there was what Pascal himself describes as the background noise of his industry: daily spam emails from agencies with grand promises, most of which end up directly in the spam folder or are deleted. For a serious craft business looking to buy marketing services, it's hard to distinguish between external hype and genuine substance.

Pascal had already paid his dues. A previous agency had delivered a website but hadn't understood the industry. The presentation was playful instead of serious, communication involved language barriers and Zoom meetings with interpreters, and the suggestions didn't fit the business of a company responsible for life and health on construction sites.

"I don't need any frills. It shouldn't be playful. We are a serious business; I work with occupational safety. I can't come with lollipops and muffins."
— Pascal, Owner PHabseiling GmbH

Assignment to Helda Solutions

Pascal and Nicolas Schwendimann, owner of Helda Solutions, had known each other for years — personally, through their shared hobby of fly fishing. This personal foundation was a prerequisite, not a substitute for a clear assignment. Pascal tasked Helda Solutions with re-establishing the company's digital foundation:

1. Substantive positioning — described in a way that even a construction manager of a municipal project understands what they are ordering.
   
2. Web presence that understands the industry and conveys the company's seriousness.
   
3. Campaign flow for training courses — targeted, measurable, with direct booking options on the website.
   
4. Platform operation designed so that Pascal doesn't pay more than necessary each month.
   

The promise wasn't: more posts. The promise was: more self-determined leeway.

Approach

1. Strategy first – one day on site

Helda Solutions didn't start with pixels but with an inventory of the company's situation. A full day on-site, together with Pascal: documenting training offers, identifying target customers (construction companies, facility management, industrial companies with fall risks from two meters), capturing language levels — what is said internally, what is said externally, what needs to be translated.

This day produced the building blocks for everything that followed: a core message, three target segments, a list of essential website content, and the direction for a campaign flow that specifically fills course slots.

2. Web presence that fits the industry

The new web presence was built with two principles: seriousness over playfulness, and operating costs as low as technically sensible. Helda Solutions deliberately refrained from establishing a paid monthly maintenance fee — the technology used is chosen so that ongoing interventions are only necessary in emergencies.

In terms of content, the focus is on what Pascal's clients actually need to decide: Which training suits which profile. Which standards are covered. How to book. What it costs. When is the next appointment. Direct booking, clear language, no marketing fluff.

3. Campaign flow with measurable resonance

In parallel, Helda Solutions built a campaign flow consisting of targeted ads, landing pages, and an inquiry process. The media budget remains in Pascal's account — Helda Solutions only manages the flow. Once it is launched, resonance is measurable and plannable.

"Within forty-eight hours to four days after activation, there's a response. Inquiries, sometimes direct course bookings on the website. That's exactly what I was looking for: that I work as an industrial climber during the day, and in the background, the training courses fill up."
— Pascal

4. Automation and follow-up process

The flow is designed so that Pascal doesn't have to intervene every day. Bookings run automatically, confirmations are sent out automatically, and invoicing steps are clearly defined. The manual effort for Pascal essentially involves approving invoices and making one to two clarifying phone calls per month if larger groups inquire.

5. Platform operation without ties

Platform operation runs in the background: hosting, technical maintenance, accessibility control of landing pages, maintenance of conversion definitions, monthly key figure overview. The pricing structure is modular — Pascal only pays for the modules he actually uses.

Result

Course slots filled

The January and February 2026 season was practically fully booked for PHabseiling GmbH. Pascal estimates the increase in booked course slots compared to the previous year at thirty to forty percent — a growth that would not have occurred without the flow.

"In January and February, I was more or less fully booked, thanks to you. That's exactly what I wanted."
— Pascal

First inquiries before the launch

A detail that further illustrates the impact of the new website: Already in the week after the website went live — and even before it was actively promoted or communicated via social media channels — a first inquiry came directly from Pascal's village from a large construction company. They had found the site, understood the offer, and got in touch.

Ratio of investment to impact

Pascal describes the economic relationship soberly: Compared to budgets he had previously invested in ineffective marketing attempts, the combined media budget and fees for the Helda flow are in a ratio that pays off. A concrete figure important to him: a previous social media support cost about six hundred francs a month for about thirty posts — and brought not a single booked training. In contrast, a targeted three hundred francs in a Helda campaign were enough to trigger concrete course bookings.

"If I invest two thousand and get double back — I'd be stupid not to do it."
— Pascal

Time back for his own work

The less visible, but for Pascal crucial, effect: He no longer has to sit at the computer at night, trying to put something together, hoping it will achieve something. The flow is running. When something comes in, he can decide if and how to react. His daily business — industrial climbing, fall protection installation, conducting training — remains undisturbed.

"I can do something else with my time. With family, fishing by the water, or clarifying larger special solutions that are not standard. Instead of dealing with marketing that nobody sees anyway."
— Pascal

What distinguishes this collaboration from previous ones

Before Helda Solutions, Pascal had two attempts with other providers. In conversation, he identifies three points that make the difference for him.

Industry understood, not just website built

The previous agency could build good websites — for hospitals, for municipalities. But they didn't know Pascal's sector. They proposed playful solutions; their own design language overrode the seriousness of his business. Helda Solutions knew the sector through years of personal connection and took the time to fully understand it before anything was built.

Strategy before implementation

Previous collaborations began with posts, clicks, and advertising placements. Helda Solutions began with a day on site, positioning, a core message. Only then came the implementation. From Pascal's perspective, that's the difference between an interchangeable product and a menu you're truly presented with.

"You don't just go 'splash, here you go, eat it.' You make the menu. You lift the cloche. And then everyone thinks WOW!"
— Pascal

Taking economic viability seriously

Helda Solutions could have charged Pascal a monthly maintenance fee of several hundred francs. They consciously decided against it because the technology used doesn't require it. Pascal explicitly notes this — it's not a detail, it's a sign of trust.

"You're losing money because you don't charge for maintenance every month. But that's exactly why I work with you."
— Pascal

Recommendation to other craft businesses

In the conversation, Pascal is directly asked what he would tell fellow craftsmen who are considering purchasing professional marketing services.

"If you're working all day, have family after work, and still need to handle invoices — you'll never figure out through Google or IT programs why orders only come through word-of-mouth. If you find someone who understands your business and can tell you, sure, it's my money first, but what comes out in the long run — sorry, you're stupid if you don't do it."
— Pascal

The statement speaks for itself. It's not marketing — it's the sober assessment of an owner who tried various approaches for three years before knowing which one worked.

Conclusion from Helda Solutions' perspective

PHabseiling GmbH is a client relationship typical of the Helda logic: serious core business, demanding target customers, owner's time is tight. The collaboration becomes effective not through a special campaign idea, but through the sequence — situation analysis, positioning, web presence, campaign flow, platform operation. Each layer builds on the next, and each layer is designed to run without constant maintenance.

The numbers are one thing. More important is what they trigger: self-determination. Pascal once again decides how much business he does. Not the randomness of word-of-mouth, not the order backlog for the next two weeks, not the marketing promise of an unfamiliar agency. That is the result Helda Solutions seeks — in every mandate.

If you are considering a similar path

Helda Solutions GmbH · Kloten

Situation analysis from CHF 4,800. A full day on-site, a core message, a blueprint for the next twelve months. After that, you decide whether to proceed.

• Website: heldasolutions.com
  
• Book an appointment: Link to book an initial consultation
  
• Direct contact: contact@heldasolutions.com
  

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This case study is based on a recorded conversation between Pascal, owner of PHabseiling GmbH, and Nicolas Schwendimann, owner of Helda Solutions GmbH, from May 2026. The quotes have been editorially transcribed into standard German and condensed for meaning. Figures have been approved by the client.