ASCAP Leverages Force.com Platform to Harmonize Operations

Challenge

• As a performing rights organization, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) represents hundreds of thousands of music creators worldwide, from Duke Ellington and Dave Matthews to George Gershwin and Beyoncé
• ASCAP protects the rights of its members by licensing and distributing royalties for public performances of copyrighted works; because there are myriad licenses governing music usage in various venues, the company needed a more efficient way to manage the process
• ASCAP previously used a hodge-podge of CRM systems based on a Lotus Notes interface
• A reliable, robust solution that could be deployed quickly and integrate easily with existing workflow processes and billing systems was in order

Solution

• After evaluating three leading CRM vendors, it was apparent that ASCAP required the benefits Salesforce and the AppExchange brought to the table
• Consultants from salesforce.com's partner BlueWolf Group assisted with implementation to 130 employees in Sales, Customer Service, Collections, and Administrative Support in the General Licensing Department, creating a comprehensive, on-demand CRM solution with real-time reporting through dashboards
• Dashboards consolidate data that once had to be exported from multiple databases and then analyzed in Microsoft Access
• Custom tabs manage and monitor various processes, such as rates, collections and adjustments, and letters
• Using AppExchange, ASCAP deployed a Vacation Request application to track employee time off, including requests and accruals at no additional investment in developer resources

Results

• Intuitive dashboards allow users to discern market penetration and other key performance indicators at a glance
• Sales professionals can intelligently mange their accounts; 100 percent visibility provides enhanced insight into existing and potential customers
• Automated handoff and follow-up processes streamline the sales life cycle
• The ability to more closely monitor accounts has eliminated unnecessary physical visits
• Customer service reps now easily assign, track, and escalate customer issues; an increase in first-time call resolution rates improves productivity and customer satisfaction
• Managers can easily verify employee time-off eligibility, thanks to the AppExchange customization, saving time and providing accurate employee tracking
• With the Salesforce solution, it is easy for ASCAP to integrate incoming correspondence, create new cases, and follow up on all sales and support activities
• The on-demand system has eliminated ASCAP's reliance on internal IT resources
• Using the customized Vacation Request application, employees and managers efficiently file and track vacation requests, cutting down on administrative busywork