"Selltis offers all the functionality we would use in a high-end package, at an affordable price." � Steve Muhr, Vice President of North American Sales
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Based in Oregon, Climax Portable Machine Tools manufactures portable maintenance tools for the metal cutting industry, enabling customers to easily repair and maintain large industrial equipment on-site. The company offers 24 products, as well as a range of custom-built solutions. To support its worldwide sales efforts, Climax uses Selltis, a sales force automation (SFA) and customer relationship management (CRM) solution for the industrial sales market.
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Climax�s sales organization is comprised of three groups. The company�s North America sales unit includes teams of inside and outside sales representatives. A parts and services group handles product rentals, with rental depots located throughout the US, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Finally, Climax�s international sales team interfaces with the company�s global distributors. All three groups use Selltis to centrally track leads and manage sales opportunities.
Previously, Climax used a home-grown CRM solution to support its sales efforts. But as a standalone, the solution could not be integrated with third-party quoting and other critical business systems. More importantly, it could not be accessed remotely � a key concern for Climax�s geographically diverse sales organization. The solution was also built on software that was obsolete, prompting Climax to start looking for alternatives. The company needed a solution that offered more global usability, enabling its sales teams to centrally access and share the latest information, and effectively service customers and prospects � regardless of location.
Climax reviewed a range of products � from basic contact managers such as ACT!, to pricier high-end systems such as Siebel. Initially, the company settled on Salesforce.com � primarily because it was the right price.
"At the time, Selltis wasn�t on the market yet. Salesforce.com was inexpensive to get into, but was technically limited, and couldn�t really support everything we wanted to do," explained Steve Muhr, Vice President of North American Sales for Climax. "We selected it as a short-term solution, knowing we would ultimately need to move over to something new."
Despite its decision, Climax was quickly frustrated by Salesforce.com�s limitations. Like the company�s previous solution, Salesforce.com did not offer a quoting package, and could not be easily integrated with the third-party package Climax had purchased, making it difficult to effectively manage leads from start to finish.
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Business Need
Centralized system that could be accessed by Climax�s worldwide sales organization from any location to manage leads and collaborate on sales opportunities.
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Solution
Selltis, industrial sales automation software.
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Key Features for Climax
- Centralized access to all information by any sales agent, from any location
- Hosted software maintenance � with local database availability
- Offline access to database functions while on the road
- Seamless integration with third-party quoting packages
- Custom management reports
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Benefits
- Improved communication and workflow for global sales team �
- Faster processing and follow-up
- Enhanced productivity for �road warriors�
- Enhanced customer and partner relationships
- Reduced administration and maintenance costs
- Enhanced customer and partner relationships
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And while the Salesforce.com solution was accessible remotely, the database resided on a remote server � so issues with Climax�s internal LAN and Internet connection speed or Saleforce.com�s own server often resulted in interrupted service operations, causing lost time and productivity for the Climax sales team.
To find a new solution, Climax returned to the full list of products on the market, and came across the Selltis offering. Selltis offered all the functionality that Climax was looking for in higher-end packages � at a lower cost. It also addressed many of the issues Climax had been facing with its previous solutions. Selltis� unique offline hosting infrastructure was a critical example.
"We wanted a solution that could give us fast access to the database, but did not want to assume full responsibility for software administration and upkeep," explained Muhr. "Our server is located at Selltis, who handles all the maintenance and support issues. But the database is located right on our desktop, which enables our sales teams to seamlessly use the system, and work in real-time from any location. As a result, we have the local control we need, without the costs and headaches of maintaining an in-house system."
Climax uses Selltis to centrally manage the entire sales process � including tracking leads, assigning accounts to inside/outside sales, generating to-do lists, scheduling call-backs, and more. Selltis� activity log stores all information and communications related to a client or prospect, providing the entire sales organization with a detailed history of service, from when the first call was made to which products were installed. All information is available to everyone, from any location, effectively supporting Climax�s team sales approach.
"Our team sales structure requires that information not be restricted to one or two people, but always available to everyone in order to present customers, partners, and prospects with seamless service," said Muhr. "Selltis offers a complete view of all activities, at all times to ensure this process is a smooth one."
With Selltis, Climax�s entire sales organization has access to the same functionality, making it easy to work across teams and locations. The software�s offline platform is especially helpful to the company�s international sales agents, who spend much of their time en route to distributor sites around the world. Users can access Selltis� full functionality without an Internet connection, then connect to the Web when convenient to automatically update and exchange data through a secure, firewall-protected link. Now, instead of printing files to use on the plane and manually updating the system upon arrival, Climax sales reps can work on spreadsheets, quotes, and other files in Selltis in real-time, then easily sync up with the database when they get to their destination.
Selltis also offers seamless integration with Climax�s quoting system, enabling the company to create a range of templates to quickly prepare quotes, letters, and other documents, and ultimately speed process time. Another time-saver is Selltis� custom reporting capabilities, which offers a critical tool for Climax management.
"With Selltis, we can easily view and report on any level of activity for any sales agent, lead, and customer," commented Muhr. "As a result, we have a better grasp of what is happening in the sales organization at any given time, and can more easily communicate and collaborate with our colleagues, customers, and partners."
Headquartered in New Orleans, Selltis develops a range of products to offer a complete solution for industrial team-selling. The Selltis technology features built-in intelligence for industry-specific processes, providing sales teams with the tools they need to effectively manage the sales process from lead to quote � from integrated sales force automation to online partner relationship management (PRM). Selltis� customers include leading specialized manufacturers and distributors such as Rawson & Company, Sea-Port Controls, Crane Engineering, Climax Portable Machine Tools and Prager, Inc. For more information, contact Selltis at 985-727-3455, or visit the company�s Web site at
http://www.selltis.com.
manage its remote sales force, offering a centralized way for Sorrells to review activity logs, post important information to sales representatives, and offer targeted guidance and support. Anyone in the company can search the system using any criteria and develop a range of custom reports, a function that had been more limited in MWS� previous solutions. Activity reports help MWS monitor and improve internal workflow, and enhance its relationships with its principals, the manufacturers it represents.
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