The Client and the post-COVID challenges in sales
Our Client is a global U.S.-based company that offers fuel cards and payment solutions for businesses. They operate in over 100 countries.
In the post-COVID era, with the global work-from-home trend, sales moved online. Currently, up to 60% of company-client interactions are digital, as per Salesforce's State of Service report.
Furthermore, customers now demand increased personalization and anticipation of their needs. 88% prioritize company experience as highly as its products, and 94% view customer treatment as a key buying influencer, according to Salesforce's State of the Connected Customer.
For businesses, this means more strain on the sales agents. They now must cater to increased customer expectations through numerous channels. All this amid a general 19% agent turnover rate reported in the 2022 State of Service by Salesforce.
So, how could our Client enhance its frontline brand ambassadors’ productivity without burning them out?
Better technology is the best solution
The optimal way for a business to bridge the disconnect between the customers’ expectations and operational reality is to equip sales agents with top-tier technical solutions and introduce automation.
The focus should be on reducing hold times and handoffs, strengthening connections between employees, and essentially doing more with less.
Our Client uses Salesforce’s suite of cloud-based CRM tools to optimize its sales processes and automate communications between customers and agents.
They required massive Salesforce customization to ensure these tools aligned seamlessly with the company's specific goals and operations.
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Why they chose us
Impressed by our broad expertise, cultural fit, and uncompromised quality, the company turned to SENLA to augment its development team for the Salesforce customization.
Our partnership started in 2019 and is currently underway, as more and more business needs arise.
Initially, we provided a team of diversified specialists in Salesforce (a project manager, a business analyst, an administrator, 3 QA specialists, and 3 developers) within 10 days, according to our standard onboarding time. Later the team was expanded to accommodate for the increased scope of work.
We have worked primarily to customize and automate the operations of the sales and customer service departments in Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States branches.
Testimonial
“SENLA’s team has showcased deep knowledge in Salesforce, consistently delivering good results. They tackle challenges head-on, think ahead, and are always committed to ensuring the best outcomes.
The team welcomes feedback, collaborates effectively, and drives process improvements. Their initiative in understanding and optimizing our requirements is invaluable. We definitely want to continue working with them."
Our Client
From one instance to several region-specific ones
Due to distinct legislative requirements and operational nuances in each region, the company needed to move its data from one Salesforce instance to several separate ones.
This task took us 5 months to complete.
We migrated and mapped a vast amount of data during this transition. We optimized and removed superfluous database entries. The old data was then deleted after launching the new instance. We also reviewed existing processes to ensure they were tailored to their respective regions.
Additionally, to save costs, we reviewed the Client's licensing and service packages and provided consultancy on scaling down.
From Playbooks to Salesforce’s own tool
Previously, our Client used an external browser tool Playbooks™ to automate sales processes and communicate with clients. Over time, we identified technical issues with this integration, notably an excessive number of requests to the SF API, which were overloading the system.
Moreover, the license was expiring soon and the Client either needed to prolong it or switch to another tool. We decided to implement similar features within Salesforce to save money and allow for further refinements whenever the business needed them.
This solution from start to release took 6 months.
First, we analyzed the current system and how to replicate it. After gathering all the requirements, including new ones, we created a development plan. We then engineered the whole solution from the UX/UI to the back end.
We customized the Omni-Channel tool using Apex to accommodate complex business logic. Additionally, we developed intricate custom reports using Visualforce and designed the UI for the custom dashboard using the Lightning Web Components (LWC) frontend framework.
The new tool mirrored the capabilities of the replaced one but also had new features and could be easily customized.
How does this work?
The solution we developed assigned new leads to sales teams based on the lead's origin, location, language, and potential deal size.
It also took into account employees' availability, vacation schedules, working hours, and current workload. As a result, every new lead was directed to the most suitable sales agent, optimizing task distribution and enabling better performance assessment.
Our customized Omni-Channel tool streamlined the management of leads, prospects, and contacts. It also used data analytics to guide effective engagement with buyers. Sales agents no longer had to guess their next step; they simply opened the tool and followed the prescribed actions.
The interface offered extensive customization. Agents could select objects, filter records, choose communication templates, and more. We crafted intuitive list views that displayed each task with its priority.
Additionally, we integrated metrics to monitor the agents’ productivity and workload.
From duplicated to streamlined
Before implementing this solution, our Client's system was cluttered with duplicate contacts and accounts, wasting agents' time and effort.
We developed a tool that identified duplicate records with customized search criteria, such as name, email, or phone. When saving a record, any duplicates would trigger an alert, removing the need for manual checks.
We then executed deduplication on the existing data, targeting primary objects like accounts, leads, and contacts, and subsequently merged duplicates.
Additionally, our solution could search for duplicate records within specific groups either asynchronously or synchronously (after database clean-up), based on selected criteria. Upon detecting a duplicate, various actions could be performed, such as merging or deleting records. As a result, only one record with the most complete information remained.
Lastly, we delivered the project as an 'unlocked package', making it available across the Client's multiple instances.
Third-party integrations
"On this project, integrating tools like Amazon and DocuSign with the Client’s platform was the most engaging aspect for our team. It not only broadened our Salesforce expertise but also introduced us to other platforms that complement it. It was a great way to learn more and dive deeper into what's possible in our field and to implement that on other projects.”
Over the years, the list of integrations we worked on for this Client's platform has expanded to include the following:
- Websites: Due to new regional laws regarding information disclosure before contract signing, we rapidly updated integrations with all websites. That ensured customers across all regions received all necessary info about contracts.
- AWS: We migrated outdated files to AWS and integrated it with Salesforce, leading to reduced data storage costs.
- Adobe Marketo: Setting up marketing programs, configuring and launching lead scoring, and creating reports.
- NICE: Telephony and contact center.
- Twilio: Sending SMS.
- MVF: Automated lead creation in the system based on MVF data (via webHook).
- Google Ads: Creating leads from Google Ads data (with deduplication).
- DocuSign: Electronic document management.
- Experian: Enhanced credit and risk management insights.
- MuleSoft: Seamless integration of applications, data, and devices.
The value: 20% sales growth in Q2 with customized solutions
The Client's investments in digital transformation yield significant results, with their financial report for the 2nd quarter of 2023 alone showing a 10% revenue growth, 20% sales growth, and an 11% increase in EBITDA.
Our solutions have enhanced the Client's digital operations, reduced costs, and heightened sales agents’ productivity:
- Our tailored leads assignment algorithm ensures faster client-specialist matching. It ensures clients are directed to the most appropriate specialist and increases customer satisfaction due to quicker response times.
- Data deduplication ensures consistent and accurate customer data. With it, agents can focus solely on potential customers, enhancing their productivity and accelerating time to value.
- Salesforce-native tools replacing proprietary third-party solutions account for smoother operation, increased customization possibilities, and lower costs.
- All operations are led according to each region's legislative requirements and nuances.
Elevate your business's potential by outsourcing your software development with SENLA. Let's tailor solutions to your sales and marketing needs together.