I.S.K. Industries Improves Vendor Relations through Use Of Sage SalesLogix CRM And Technology Advisors
Founded in 1928, I.S.K. Industries is the Midwest's premier sales, marketing and service organization. I.S.K. is based in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and represents leading manufacturers in 14 states. The company provides services to the industrial and retail distribution channels and is committed to bringing customers products, information and solutions necessary to assist in their success and profitability.
Case Overview
Business Needs
- Report Generation
- Communication with Vendors
Impact of SalesLogix
- Streamlined Reporting Functionality
- Enhanced Communication with Manufacturers through Opportunities and Activiites
Impact of Partnership with Technology Advisors
- CRM Expertise
- Future enhancements to SalesLogix
Critical Business Capabilities
As an organization serving a variety of top manufacturers, I.S.K. Industries needed a better way to create reports so that it could offer an increased amount of transparency to its vendors. The company was experiencing strained communication with some of its clients, who did not have a complete, clear picture of what I.S.K. Industries was doing to help sell their products.
In order to satisfy these client demands, the I.S.K. sales force had to spend hours submitting information, which then had to be compiled into reports for vendors. I.S.K. staff had to go through this process for up to seven clients at a time, and eventually found they had time for nothing but creating reports. With each report taking 25 to 30 hours to create, the company decided it was time to find a better solution so its sales force could once again focus on selling instead of spending all their time making reports (and losing potential business).
A True CRM Solution
The problem was clear - I.S.K. Industries needed to find a way to provide vendors with clear, detailed reports on the work they were doing, and needed to do it in a way that would not take up a lot of time. Without these reports, the company risked losing business from both vendors and distributors. I.S.K. looked to Sage Software - a leading customer relationship management (CRM) solutions company - to help fix the problem.
The company began using Sage's SalesLogix with many customizations, and immediately noticed results. After consulting Des Plaines, IL-based Technology Advisors, Inc., I.S.K. was able to resolve initial synchronization problems by switching to a more basic version of SalesLogix with one customization, as opposed to the many customizations it was previously using. The switch allowed the company to use the system more efficiently than ever, and users quickly found that it allowed them to streamline the reporting process in three distinct ways:
Solutions
- As a database of records for users and accounts - this allowed I.S.K. sales people to keep records fresh so they could target particular distributors or users. It also allowed the accounting end of the business to make sure each sales person was receiving the correct commission.
- As an activity manager - Users could now easily enter all activities, such as phone calls, meetings, notes, to-dos and anything else they were working on for manufacturers.
- As an opportunity function - I.S.K. employees could also use the system to inform vendors about targets. This proved useful because even if a vendor disagreed with a set target, communication was now open so it was easier for them to suggest an alternate solution.
Partnership Advantages
I.S.K. Industries was especially pleased with the knowledge that Technology Advisors was able to bring to the project. Technology Advisors had a clear understanding of the industry, as well as expertise in CRM implementation.
Real Business Results
Before adopting SalesLogix, I.S.K. had no single method of tracking vendor information. Some of its employees used palm pilots, some used ACT! software and most used a basic spiral notebook. As this information, which came from multiple sources, was passed from hand to hand, it became increasingly difficult to understand and report to vendors.
"These reports, which used to take hours and the entire I.S.K. sales force to create, can now be completed by only one person in two minutes," said Jason Cashmore, Sales Manager at I.S.K.
"SalesLogix has changed the way we operate because it allows us to enter data into one area and use it for multiple applications," said Cashmore. "Until we began using SalesLogix, we could count on one vendor a quarter threatening to leave us because he felt we were not working hard enough on his behalf. At that point, our business would shut down in order to justify all the activities we had performed for this vendor. With SalesLogix, we haven't had those issues because we can provide regular updates of what we are doing."
Cashmore described how SalesLogix has not only helped in the creation of the actual reports, it has also transformed the way I.S.K. organizes the information required to make reports. The company used to have a drive on its network called the "S" drive, which included different information stored in different ways by over 30 different sales people, making it a "complete disaster," he said. With SalesLogix, the company has organized the information into a library that only one person can alter, making everything much easier to find.
"The results have been pretty amazing," Cashmore said. "SalesLogix has set the bar way above the competition. We can take the information this system created around SalesLogix, and proactively go to prospects saying, 'This system has made our relationship with other vendors successful. ‘We can do this for you if you give us the business.' It's been extremely helpful in selling our company to other prospective buyers." www.isk-industries.com www.techadv.com
SOURCE: I.S.K. Industries