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Combiflow
“Maximizer CRM has given our remote workers the luxury of being able to work almost anywhere. They can update and share their sales calendars with the entire sales team, as well as add appointments, sales quotes and customer correspondence details. “
– Morgan O’Brien, Managing Director, Combiflow
Company Information
Industry: Manufacturing
Location: Ireland
Product: Maximizer CRM 10
Users: 6
Key Benefits
• High quality of expertise and support
• Ability to share and update information between all users while in the field
• Secure, easy and remote access
• Streamlining operations enabling more time to be spent with clients and prospects
A pumping establishment
Established in 1988, Combiflow Ltd is Ireland’s leading supplier of process pumping and conveying products, supplying a range of liquids handling equipment from pumps to mixers and vacuum equipment. Since then, Combiflow has expanded across Ireland and currently has offices in Dublin, Cork and Belfast.
Combating poor Customer Service
Combiflow was not a newcomer to customer relationship management (CRM), having used GoldMine for a number of years. But when the decision was made to upgrade, it made good business sense to investigate what other options were available – especially as the level of support from the current system provider had declined following its acquisition by another GoldMine business partner.
Combiflow originally invested in CRM to integrate all of its data into one centralised system. However, it had found GoldMine complicated and difficult to use, especially when trying to access the system remotely. So the new CRM solution needed to be affordable as well as user-friendly for both in-house and remote workers.
It was also essential that the system allowed easy access and seamless integration of sales and marketing data gathered across its three offices and from its remote workers, allowing sales representatives more time in the field and less in the office.
Following its previous unhappy experience, another important requirement for Combiflow was that the system chosen should be backed by excellent customer support, not just during implementation but also once the system had gone live.
An industrial strength solution
Combiflow considered a number of CRM products during the evaluation process including the incumbent, GoldMine as well as ACT, Salesforce.com and Maximizer Software. Maximizer CRM stood out for its affordability, simplicity, ease of use, remote access capabilities and the quality of Maximizer’s certified business partner, Software Support Systems.
A key factor in choosing Maximizer CRM was the central interface, which allows users to view important sales, marketing and customer service and support details, combined with that fact that Maximizer CRM’s database was straightforward and easy to navigate. Also, the onscreen appearance of Maximizer CRM is the same whether the user is logged into the desktop PC in Combiflow’s offices or through wireless web facilities.
Aside from the technical package that Maximizer Software offered, the level of service that would be provided through its certified business partner, Software Support Systems, also impressed Combiflow. The company already had a good relationship with Software Support Systems and felt confident they would offer the on-the-ground support that was lacking from Combiflow’s previous provider.
Morgan O’Brien, managing director at Combiflow comments: “We had a bad experience when our previous provider was acquired and we had no desire to repeat that. One of the main reasons we chose Maximizer CRM was because of the very high quality of expertise and support that Software Support Systems promised, and they have not disappointed.”
Total Mobility
Software Support Systems began the installation process in early 2008 and Maximizer CRM went live in April 2008. Currently, Combiflow’s focus is on sales, with six users – three internal and three remote salesmen – who access the system via the web on a laptop.
Secure and easy remote access means that as data can be updated whilst on the road, sales representatives no longer waste valuable time doing this in the office. Combiflow estimates that the sales team now spends one more day a week out of the office meeting prospective customers. This has led to a significant increase of 20% to 25% in the number of sales calls being made.
O’Brien comments: “Maximizer CRM has given our remote workers the luxury of being able to work almost anywhere. They can update and share their calendars with the entire sales team, as well as add appointments, sales quotes and customer correspondence details without having to go into the office. It has given us the freedom to make the most of the time spent with potential clients. This has resulted in more sales calls and ultimately, more business.”
Combiflow’s future plans for Maximizer CRM include wider system integration with other corporate systems while it is already piloting mobile-enabled CRM on BlackBerry smartphones. So remote workers will no longer have to make sure they have enough battery power or find a recharging point and wireless hotspot. In the coming years, the company plans to integrate Maximizer CRM with its accounts package.
Speaking of the impact that mobile CRM will have on Combiflow, Ronnie Fleming, sales director at Maximizer Software’s certified business partner, Software Support Systems, says: “Combiflow has already realised the benefits of accessing CRM data whilst on the road. By switching to mobile CRM they will find it even easier to update the CRM database as they can literally do it anywhere, at any time whether that be in a taxi, at an airport or while travelling by train.”
Fleming concludes: “Maximizer CRM has already proven its worth by allowing sales representatives to break free from the office and to spend more time directly with prospective clients. I look forward to working with Combiflow as they begin their journey with mobile CRM.”
