The Really Great Brand Company (RGBC), a well-known distributor of super premium liquor brands in southern Africa, was frustrated by the lack of automation in their sales process, the shortage of real-time data and, most importantly, the resultant loss of opportunity. This was until Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Mint stepped up and put all the information they needed at their fingertips – when they needed it and wherever they happened to be.

The Situation:

RGBC enjoys a broad customer base of off-premises establishments (in the form of bottle stores in the formal and informal sector), as well as on-premises outlets (such as bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants and services). These distinct and very different channels require careful management. The highly competitive market in which RGBC operates demands accurate order-taking, quick turnaround times and timeous, reliable distribution, all of which must be supported by appropriate and actionable data.

RGBC never had the right tools to gather critical real-time market information on either their own products or those of competitors – data that would empower management to make sound strategic business decisions.

Effective monitoring of sales performance (including sales forecasting and month-end performance predictions) had become an extremely time-consuming exercise. Limited consistency in the process followed within RGBC’s sales and service cycle resulted in inconsistent reporting. Their diverse customer profile created further challenges to ensuring their sales force followed a standard sales and service methodology.

“One of our company’s strongest assets has always been our dynamic and highly motivated national sales force which was becoming severely handicapped by the lack of automation in our sales process, coupled with a shortage of real-time information,” says Mike Minkley, director, RGBC.

“What the company required was not an IT programme but an integrated business solution,” explains Saskia Holtzkampf, RGBC’s IT Manager. “Extensive past research and experience had taught us invaluable lessons we were eager to carry forward. Our initial solutions included the implementation of a rudimentary in-house programme, which did not address our needs. The inadequate hardware failed to provide the agility we were after and reps still ended up in the office regularly to update databases on their hand-held units.” “We feel strongly that reps in the office do not generate revenue for us, and time-consuming manual reports ate into precious ‘face time’ with our key customers,” says Holtzkampf. “We had reached a critical crossroads. Either we employed help desk staff to take over this function, or our sales team had to be equipped with the necessary technology to empower themselves.” With this in mind, RGBC, as an organisation set about finding a flexible, technologically-advanced solution that could be customised to fit the specific needs of the business, while providing the necessary automation and business intelligence required for staff to operate optimally. “As ‘custodians’ of their customers, our sales team takes client service extremely seriously,” explains Minkley. “As a result, over the last few years the team has provided invaluable feedback, as well as a number of essential requirements to improve our service – critical to both the success of our company in the marketplace and in ensuring that we always remain one step ahead of our competitors.” The ultimate objective was to partner with a company that could provide a comprehensive solution that would also be supported by the appropriate hardware and service. Microsoft Certified Partner Mint was selected.

The Solution:
Assisted by Mint, RGBC deployed Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 which was custom-designed to address the company’s specific needs. Tailored service packages have been developed and implemented to ensure that each customer receives the highest level of service across their diverse customer base. Microsoft Dynamics CRM now allows for automated appointment scheduling, based on existing calling cycles and placing of orders. Much to the liking of the sales force this can be actioned in the field from easy-to-use hand-held units. “It has been an easy task to introduce our sales team to this advanced sales application,” affirms Holtzkampf. “The simplicity of Microsoft Dynamics CRM and its ability to apply structured disciplines and processes for each customer has ensured that the transition period was rapid and painless. Within just days, our reps were already requesting that all e-mail be sent to their Pocket Digital Assistant (PDA).” The project was carefully implemented in controlled stages, with a pilot programme run in the Western Cape. All prototype testing was undertaken with a test group of 10 users to ensure that the programme’s national roll-out would be as seamless as possible. Once this pilot programme was completed, the country-wide roll-out took just a little over two weeks to be fully operational.

The Results:
Through Microsoft Dynamics CRM, real-time access to information and dashboard reporting has been
implemented, with enough infrastructure to support additional expansion and growth as required.

Amplified Sales Performance:
Users are able to plan appointments, place orders and perform product surveys while visiting their customers, which is driven by a specific channel. This ability to obtain real-time product pricing and distribution information from the trade via completed surveys is an incredible time-saver.

“The improved scheduling process has enabled our sales force to further maximise their time by ensuring higher value clients are visited more often,” says Holtzkampf. “Our sales ratios per customer are also improving as our sales team is encouraged to cross-sell throughout our extensive brand portfolio, with real-time ordering. Our Sales Managers now have a better understanding of their reps’ day-to-day tasks and are being provided with invaluable insights on how to continue improving customer service.” In addition, the Microsoft Dynamics CRM suite now manages the segmentation and targeting of RGBC’s existing customer base, a process that was previously done manually. This equips the company with the right information to service its customers better by being attuned to their specific needs.

Maximum Mobility:
RGBC has gained a further competitive advantage with the introduction of Microsoft Dynamics CRM on a Windows® Mobile Device. This technology, facilitated by Mint, allows for real-time data feeds from the sales force as well as real-time monitoring and control of the team’s performance. “The programme enables us to e-mail or SMS our reps with up-to-the-minute information, requests and reminders while they are out in the field,” explains Holtzkampf, “which gives us the agility we need to be as competitive as possible.”

Third Party Collaboration:
With individual user log-ins, RGBC is able to collaborate easily and effectively with the external promotions companies responsible for conducting surveys on completion of a promotion. By logging onto the Website with their own user log-in and password, promoters are able to capture qualitative and quantitative data and feedback regarding promotions. This allows both immediate analysis and a more streamlined invoicing process for the various promotions companies.

Integrated Intelligence:
“One of the most useful benefits is definitely the market intelligence gained from the survey module which, by utilising accurate field data, now empowers us to make informed business decisions. The solution allows for realtime access to management information, real-time market research on products and real-time ordering for the
customers,” affirms Minkley.

The Bottom Line:
“We feel quite strongly that Microsoft Dynamics CRM has given RGBC a true competitive advantage in both the local and international marketplace. We are now in a great position to provide our brand principals overseas with real-time marketing data which was previously only available to them through the commercial research houses. This is truly ground-breaking in our industry,” says Holtzkampf. While it’s still too early in the project to realise the full benefits, RGBC is eagerly anticipating being able to quantify the positive impact of the solution on its operations. It is confident that, when these figures do become available, the company will see a definite improvement on order ratios and calling ratios as well as enhanced territory management and increased in-store performance. “We are proud to promote the fact that this pioneering technological innovation has improved our turnaround times, is more accurate and subsequently more cost-effective long-term,” says Holtzkampf. “We look forward to setting the trend and being the ones to beat in the SA Liquor Industry. RGBC is headed for even better things.”