AMICAS Adds Salesforce CRM Service and AppExchange for Complete CRM Solution; Reduces Average Time to Close Cases by 60 Percent

Challenge

• AMICAS, a leader in radiology and medical image and information management solutions, had outgrown its homegrown call management system
• Beyond the benefits of automated sales and support functions, the company wanted a common CRM platform that could address operational needs and unify processes companywide
• As a company that includes its own set of client-centered professional and consulting services in its line of offerings, AMICAS sets high standards for service and support and sought a solution that met those standards
• The small but growing company also wanted a cost-effective, easily scalable solution that required minimal IT resources for customization and maintenance

Solution

• Already successfully using Salesforce CRM Sales since 2000, AMICAS selected Salesforce CRM for its customer-facing technical-support call center, which would tie together sales and support processes
• The company installed the following apps from the AppExchange marketplace to address myriad issues companywide:

- ClickTools allows AMICAS to create custom surveys out of which they have realigned their case management processes for improved customer service

- Project Management tracks system IT implementation projects with clear dashboards that keep 40 different projects organized

- BigMachines enables users to build quotes in Salesforce CRM, which are then automatically populated for dashboard viewing

- Recruiting Manager automates the recruiting process so recruiters can spend 100% of their time finding good people

- Vacation Requests centralizes the request and approval process for paid time off

• Users involved in the design phase of the project swiftly and enthusiastically adopted the new system after a three-month implementation and cutover period
• AMICAS used Force.com's builder to customize the system to capture detailed information about customer configurations and connectivity, helping the support organization to service products remotely
• Account managers use a custom object to capture detailed profiles of how customers use AMICAS products; the information is used to determine product strategy, market segmentation, and other strategic needs
• Additional customizations include custom objects for tracking premier accounts, detailed product information, and a custom tab for accessing the bug tracking system from within Salesforce CRM

Results

• Real-time reporting dashboards help executives monitor the business, providing instant access to key operational metrics
• With Salesforce CRM, the average number of days to close high-priority cases decreased 80 percent; time to close regular cases decreased 60 percent
• AppExchange solutions drive streamlined processes that yield far reaching benefits companywide
• After a subsequent merger with another company in 2005, AMICAS’ success with Salesforce CRM led to adoption by the combined organization