Synthesa Chemie Gesellschaft mbH
Quotation and field service processes mapped in the CRM
“We have found a partner in COSMO CONSULT who helps us to tackle processes unbureaucratically and in a spirit of partnership. The example of the quotation process for the sales force shows that we were on the right track with our decision.”
Alfred Palkoska, authorized signatory / IT manager, Synthesa Group
Company Profile
Synthesa is an Austrian group based in Perg, Upper Austria, whose companies are engaged in the industrial production and trading of building materials and by-products. The Group is described as the Austrian market leader in building paints and is one of the leading manufacturers of composite thermal insulation systems, wood glazes, lacquers, adhesives and glues, tunnel coatings and corrosion protection products. In addition to the headquarters in Perg, there are branches in Vienna, Amstetten, Haid/Ansfelden, Wals near Salzburg, Gratkorn near Graz, Klagenfurt, Kematen near Innsbruck and Rankweil.
Synthesa’s primary goal with the project is to implement a CRM system for the sales force that maps the quoting process and the complaint process. The integration of product master list, offline scenarios, and above all the performance and usability of the system were to be emphasized as central goals.
The challenge
Dissatisfied with the existing solution
The project was quite unpopular in the company due to the then unacceptable and poorly applicable solution. In the second attempt, the reservations and opinions were to be counteracted directly at project start compared to the previous solution with practicality and a low degree of abstraction.
The connection to the ERP system
Integration into the in-house ERP system presented a challenge in that the product master lists, customer master files and price information should be directly available in the CRM and able to be manipulated (such as for discounts or deductions). In addition, it had to be determined which data records from the ERP or CRM would be priority in each case.
Standardization of the quotation templates
A uniform template was to be created from the multiple quotation formats in order to achieve a homogeneous appearance.
The solution
Microsoft Dynamics CRM was already introduced at the company and they wanted relaunch based on that technology. But Synthesa did not feel well advised by their previous partner and wanted a fresh start since they were dissatisfied with the solution. So they evaluated new partners. They took their time to complete this process to ensure they chose the right partner. The process included a visit to the potential partners, along with a presentation of the use case and, as a second step, a presentation with first visible and clickable solutions. The quality of the approaches and the competent impression they got from COSMO CONSULT were pivotal for their decision to have a fresh start with COSMO CONSULT.
The benefit
A critical success factor of the project was dealing with the requirements of the external sales force. COSMO CONSULT’s approach of working with sales and project management from the outset on a prototype from which they approached the target system bit by bit proved highly useful. The cooperative and appreciative atmosphere helped to have a fresh start without the frustrations experienced with the previous system. The short and direct communication channels between COSMO CONSULT and Synthesa ensured the necessary implementation speed and unbureaucratic interaction.
With the project, Synthesa and COSMO CONSULT have established a solution that more than meets the demands of the external sales force.
The following points were successfully realized with Microsoft Dynamics CRM:
- High level of user acceptance in the external sales force
- Uniform quotation documents (content and design)
- External sales force process and quotation management significantly better than before
- Immense time savings: Tender arrangements are entered into the ERP by the push of a button and further processed there directly without large time gaps. The semi-manual quotation process from consultation through processing to order placement is significantly more efficient
- Quotations can be copied and adjusted
- The already well-functioning complaint process has been seamlessly integrated into the new solution
- The quotation and complaint processes are offline-enabled
Outlook
Next up on the plan is the rollout at additional offices and the introduction of advanced marketing capabilities.
This is a reference for COSMO CONSULT SI GmbH, 4407 Steyr-Gleink in Austria (formerly FWI Information Technology GmbH)
Share this page
