MachineryLink Streamlines Processes to Accelerate Deals with Salesforce Enterprise Edition and AppExchange Mash-Ups

"Improved customer satisfaction. Accelerated deals. Streamlined processes. These are goals we've achieved as a result of deploying Salesforce. And, by integrating apps from the AppExchange and building customized mash-ups, we managed to extend the value of what was already a winning solution."


Challenge
  • MachineryLink is a specialty finance and asset management company providing North American farmers responsive and creative combine leasing products
  • The company had no sales management system in place for its equipment leasing service
  • Rapid growth dictated the company select a scalable solution—one with the flexibility to add or subtract users as needed.

Solution
  • Drawn to Salesforce for its Software-as-a-Service model, the company quickly implemented Salesforce Enterprise Edition to 25 users with integration to its SQL-based inventory management application
  • Integration of wireless and offline capabilities allow reps to access customer information from anywhere, at anytime—an important feature given that reps often cover vast distances to reach their customers
  • The company leverages Salesforce Web-to-lead functionality to automate integration of leads into direct-mail and advertising campaigns
  • Dashboards and real-time reporting help management keep on top of the business, and in some cases, provide assistance to high-level customers
  • Custom applications for sales plans, equipment tracking, and territory codes deliver tailored solutions relevant to MachineryLink's business
  • From the AppExchange, the company installed 14 apps and components, including a Weather tool to determine ideal times to conduct sales visits, a Google Maps mash-up for navigation, and a customized event-management tool for PR and marketing purposes
  • Immediate plans to integrate with Microsoft Outlook will seamlessly weave customer communications into the system

Results
  • Streamlined processes with visibility into the customer activities enable more-attentive customer care, increasing customer satisfaction
  • Via geo-coding, the company can refer prospects to the nearest customer, accelerating equipment leasing deals
  • Adoption is high; even the third of the sales force that initially resisted moving from paper-based systems to Salesforce have become champions of the system
  • A collaborative team selling approach, via the centralized solution, helps facilitate deal closings
 
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