Solvay Deploys Salesforce Service and Support Apps in Two Weeks to Underpin 3S Solvay Shared Services Center

"We found that when functionalities perfectly meet the needs and the system integrates into the existing IT architecture, software as a service is quicker to setup and easier to customize, support, and distribute than traditional software."


Challenge
  • Creation of a single European center for shared services to manage critical HR and finance activities: payroll, accounts receivable/payable, travel expenses and ‘closing the books’
  • Service provided to 50 sites across 10 European countries, US and Canada
  • Goals of Solvay Shared Services (3S): increase efficiency; introduce clear roles and responsibilities; and enhance quality of service and transactions
  • Demanding service level agreements (SLAs)
  • Requirement to manage and centralize all channels of communication (email, phone, fax, internet form) into one single tool
  • Need to log, follow up, and treat all requests to 3S
  • Desire to design and deploy system within one month
  • Need for a flexible system that could evolve with the new growing center

Solution
  • Salesforce.com service and support applications and Successforce Premier Support
  • Deployed to more than 160 users
  • Proven Internet based software-as-a-service system
  • Implemented functionalities: email integration, routing/assignment rules and queues, workflow and alerts, reports and dashboards.
  • Self-service portal
  • Next steps: integration with SAP and call centre system (CTI), Customer Portal

Results
Prototype running in 24 hours and production within only two weeks, confirming ease of customization
  • More than 2,000 contacts: external (suppliers) and internal requesters
  • More than 2,000 tickets per week
  • No infrastructure to manage and no headaches with upgrades enable 3S to focus purely on service delivery
  • Excellent support from salesforce.com sales team and Premier Support
  • Training completed on average 15 minutes per user – important in instances of staff turnover
  • Good reporting to follow and ensure service level
  • Extensive on-line documentation
  • Easy to adapt to the growing & changing needs of the new Shared Service Center
  • Tests on production system during the selection process – thereby reducing risk
  • Running costs easy to forecast
 
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