iMPOWER
Parity creates CRM solution for iMPOWER - Case Study
Having grown their client base and organisation substantially, iMPOWER wanted to improve reporting and sales management including more mature account development. Their chosen approach was to implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. They selected Microsoft CRM as the best product for their needs and required an experienced and responsive partner to implement and customise the solution. Parity delivered a tailored solution and trained their team to enable quick access to the benefits of using the MS CRM system and getting a return on investment.
Background
iMPOWER is a management consultancy focused on helping local government achieve improvements in the quality and efficiency of services provided to citizens. iMPOWER is an established player in this highly competitive market and recognised the need to develop closer relationships with clients as well as providing consistently high quality consultancy and value for money.
The Challenge
With an impressive track record of growth in the local government market and a burgeoning client contact list, iMPOWER was keen to strengthen their position by gaining a more accurate view of their sales pipeline and improve the sales forecasting process. They also wanted to provide their consultants with the ability to manage projects more efficiently and support the company’s strong business development ethos.
iMPOWER decided that their existing tools based around Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Excel were not meeting their needs and they wanted to evolve from a contact management system to a true CRM solution. They were also keen to look at better ways of accessing client information while working offline and the potential to use PDAs to store and retrieve client information.
After investigating the technology available, iMPOWER selected Microsoft CRM as being the best solution for their requirements and needed an experienced and responsive supplier to implement the software and train their staff to get the quickest return on their investment.
The Solution
Following a competitive tender, iMPOWER selected Parity based on its proven delivery expertise in Microsoft solutions as a Gold Certified Partner and deep understanding of their business requirements. iMPOWER was also impressed by Parity’s collaborative approach and willingness to respond as requirements changed.
One of the key reasons that iMPOWER had selected Microsoft CRM was its excellent integration with Outlook and the Microsoft Office Suite and the compatibility with their existing IT infrastructure. As their consultants and management team were already familiar with using Outlook for managing contact information and email, deploying Microsoft CRM would minimise the learning curve to get staff trained and using their new systems efficiently. Parity was able to implement and customise the software quickly and run training courses to enable the consultants to start accessing the enhanced functionality with minimal disruption from their fee earning activities.
For the management team, Parity developed a series of customised reports that allowed them to quickly assess the sales pipeline and provide valuable insight into which areas of their business offered the most growth potential or required additional investment.
The Benefits
There have been immediate benefits in terms of facilitating cooperation between consultants and business development resources. With the CRM system in place, it is much easier to pool information on clients or prospects. This makes the sales team much more effective and focuses resources on the right prospects ensuring that duplication of effort is minimised.
The training and familiar interface has also made the transition to the new systems relatively smooth for the whole organisation, which can be a major issue for organisations installing CRM systems for the first time.
From an operational point of view, the management team have gained a better understanding of how their sales pipeline is being augmented and progressed as well as access to tailored reports that can be generated quickly with little effort. With better information at their fingertips, the directors are now in a strong position to focus on specific opportunities or client issues.
Finally; as the solution is scaleable it has the capacity to support the business as iMPOWER expands into new areas and grows its capabilities and organisation.
Giles Piercy, iMPOWER Chief Executive said, "We are confident that the CRM solution Parity has put in place will allow us to focus our efforts on managing our client relationships effectively and growing the business going forward".
