Centralizing Information on a Global Scale: Cisco Deploys Salesforce CRM to 15,000 Users with Siebel Integration and Salesforce CRM Partners Capabilities

Challenge

• Cisco—the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate, and collaborate—sought a world-class CRM system to centralize data and enhance sales and account planning on a global scale.
• An existing CRM platform did not meet the company’s scalability and integration needs. 
• With locations spanning seven continents, the system had to support multilingual and multi-currency requirements.
• Because partners play a role in its sales structure, pre-integrated Salesforce CRM Partners capabilities were key.

Solution

• Cisco selected Salesforce CRM Unlimited Edition for CRM—deploying the solution to 15,000 users from Indiana to India and Dubai to Dublin.
• Salesforce.com Consulting worked closely with Cisco to develop an enterprise business solution: new components were created to deal with complicated hierarchies and enable major integrations.
• Bi-directional integration between Siebel forecasting and Salesforce CRM using single sign-on creates a transparent experience; the company also integrates with its Siebel territory hierarchy and Microsoft Outlook.
• Cisco uses a portion of the Salesforce CRM Partners portal for lead and opportunity collaboration. 
• Dashboards track metrics such as opportunities, lead conversion rates, number of account plans, and top accounts; individual users self-generate reports to help chart their own progress.
• Integration with a lead routing tool automates the process through Salesforce CRM.
• Cisco customized Salesforce CRM with two custom tabs: Forecasts and My Deal Manager. 
• During each global workshop—meetings that access what capabilities will be needed in Salesforce CRM—users vie to add solutions from the AppExchange marketplace; so far, Cisco has installed WebEx, Factiva, and My Call Manager.

Results

• Cisco successfully implemented Salesforce CRM to 15,000 users around the world with enterprise-class functionality; 10,000 more users are expected to use the application.
• Centralized information management helps the company maintain control over data in an environment where reps can be transitory.
• Account planning, which had previously been difficult to institute, is increasingly leveraged within Salesforce CRM.
• Through extensive integrations, the company will eventually phase out superfluous tools. 
• PRM functionality boosts productivity by extending leads to partners and tracking the conversion to opportunity.
• Salesforce CRM and Force.com provide Cisco with a foundation to expand its capabilities as business needs and processes evolve.