4-page Case Study - Posted 3/1/2006
Views: 270
Rate This Evidence:
Technology Firm Dials up CRM Solution to Centralize Data, Track Leads and Customers
Perth, Australia–based CommtechWireless faced a problem that is increasingly common to many growing companies: It had too much customer information in too many places across the organization, which led to difficulties tracking customers as well as monitoring and ensuring quick follow-up on sales leads. Working closely with Power Business Systems, a Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner, CommtechWireless deployed Microsoft Dynamics™ CRM 3.0 at both its headquarters and a U.S. subsidiary location. With its recent upgrade to Microsoft CRM 3.0, CommtechWireless has one central repository for client data, which allows employees to easily access, retrieve, and share customer information. As a result, CommtechWireless benefits from easier lead tracking, the ability to redeploy resources quickly, and faster access to critical, decision-driving management information.
Situation
CommtechWireless, based in Perth, Australia, is a recognized leader in the design and manufacture of on-site and wide-area paging systems. The company’s product line includes pagers and beepers used in the restaurant, hospitality, and healthcare industries, as well as PC-based and telephone paging applications. Its products are deployed across some 4,500 sites in 53 countries.
CommtechWireless faced a problem that is increasingly common to many growing companies: It had too much customer information in too many places across the organization. With customer information scattered across multiple databases, the company’s process for tracking customers was inefficient and error-prone. In addition, CommtechWireless had difficulty monitoring and ensuring quick follow-up on sales leads. “With our extensive databases, keeping track of the follow-up to new enquiries was just too hard before Microsoft® CRM,” says Derek Hughes, Marketing Information Analyst, CommtechWireless.
Solution
CommtechWireless worked closely with Power Business Systems, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner based in Bentley, Western Australia, to evaluate potential new solutions. The companies evaluated Microsoft CRM (now part of Microsoft Dynamics™), GoldMine, and Maximiser before ultimately selecting Microsoft CRM 1.2.
With nearly 20 years of experience providing IT solutions throughout Australia, Asia, and Africa, Power Business Systems assisted CommtechWireless in initially deploying Microsoft CRM 1.2 at the company’s corporate headquarters in Perth, Australia. In addition, CommtechWireless also implemented the solution at its U.S. subsidiary in Jacksonville, Florida.
When Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 recently became available, CommtechWireless was able to upgrade quickly. Describing the ease of installing version 3.0, company CEO Nathan Buzza says, “In the space of just one day we swapped out Microsoft CRM 1.2, installed [Microsoft CRM] 3.0, and everyone was up and going the following day.”
“Microsoft CRM 3.0 is leaps ahead of the competition,” Hughes says.
Benefits
With Microsoft CRM 3.0, CommtechWireless has one central repository for client data, which allows its employees to easily access, retrieve, and share customer information. As a result, CommtechWireless has seen the following benefits.
Easier Lead Tracking
The company’s previous systems didn’t allow CommtechWireless to accurately monitor and follow up on sales leads, which hurt sales efforts, Hughes says. Because leads are now entered directly into Microsoft CRM, the company’s marketing department can track their status and quickly follow up with prospects. In addition, the level of customer service afforded by Microsoft CRM is helping CommtechWireless further cement relationships between it and its distribution channel.
Ability to Redeploy Resources Quickly
In the past, with information scattered across multiple databases, CommtechWireless lacked accurate data about which products were selling best and in which sales regions. With Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0, CommtechWireless is able to quickly see which products and sales territories are growing—and which aren’t—and channel new resources accordingly.
Faster Access to Critical Information
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 provides CommtechWireless management with powerful, detailed, and up-to-the-minute information—the type of information that wasn’t easily accessible with the company’s previous systems. “As the CEO of a global company, Microsoft CRM allows me to log in to all of our remote sites to get a snapshot of what’s going on,” Buzza says. “We’ve set up the roles-based security so that I can VPN directly to a remote location and get a snapshot of what any of my business units are doing, real time, any day of the week.”
Microsoft Dynamics
Microsoft Dynamics is a line of integrated, adaptable business management solutions that enables you and your people to make business decisions with greater confidence. Microsoft Dynamics works like familiar Microsoft software such as Microsoft Office, which means less of a learning curve for your people, so they can get up and running quickly and focus on what’s most important. And because it is from Microsoft, it easily works with the systems that your company already has implemented. By automating and streamlining financial, customer relationship, and supply chain processes, Microsoft Dynamics brings together people, processes, and technologies, increasing the productivity and effectiveness of your business, and helping you drive business success.
For more information about Microsoft Dynamics, go to:
www.microsoft.com/dynamics
For More Information
For more information about Microsoft products and services, call the Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft Canada Information Centre at (877) 568-2495. Customers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can reach Microsoft text telephone (TTY/TDD) services at (800) 892-5234 in the United States or (905) 568-9641 in Canada. Outside the 50 United States and Canada, please contact your local Microsoft subsidiary. To access information using the World Wide Web, go to:
www.microsoft.com
For more information about Power Business Systems products and services, call +61 8 6250 7900 or visit the Web site at:
www.power.net.au
For more information about CommtechWireless products and services, call +61 8 6240 0000 or visit the Web site at:
www.commtechwireless.com
© 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.
Microsoft, Microsoft Dynamics, the Microsoft Dynamics logo, Windows, Windows Server, and Windows Server System are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
