Challenge

• Siemens PLM Software—a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services—needed a scalable partner relationship management (PRM) solution to unify channel sales efforts across continents and make it easier for partners to do business with the company
• An existing set of local in-house tools, databases, spreadsheets, written documents, and forms failed to tie together channel sales efforts
• The PRM solution had to integrate with the company’s SAP financial systems 
• Creating a single, global, collaborative, multi-language environment that would make it easy for the company to manage their Channel Partner program and collaborate with partners was crucial

Solution

• The company selected Salesforce CRM Partners to fully integrate with its new Salesforce CRM solution for an integrated 360-degree view of its business
• With the help of Salesforce.com Consulting, the company deployed Salesforce CRM Partners — a Web-based portal solution—to more than 1300 partners in more than 60 countries worldwide with multi-language support in less 100 days
• The company simultaneously implemented Salesforce CRM to 1,000 internal direct and indirect sales teams
• Through a custom template on their Salesforce CRM partner portal, Channel Partners (resellers & distributors) can mass export, update, and import leads and opportunities to simplify the partners use of Salesforce CRM Partners
• Other integration points include a single sign-on access, links to sales and marketing content on the partner portal from leads and opportunities, Quoting tool, and Price book
• Siemens PLM Software designed the Web-based portal with custom screens and fields that map to its look and feel without worrying about the underlying architecture 
• Multiple internal and external telemarketing teams distribute and track leads with partners using Salesforce CRM Partners
• By rewriting apps found on AppExchange, the company created tabs for everything required to interface and manage their Channel partner program including Business Plans /Channel objectives, MDF Budgets/Requests/Claims, and Training/Certification tracking

Results

• Salesforce CRM delivers a single global location where channel partners, channel managers, and direct sales reps can manage , access, and collaborate on sales information in a way that makes it easy to analyze and leverage
• Adoption by global partners shot to almost 80 percent within the first four months of deployment
• To date, Salesforce CRM Partners has driven more than 30,000 sales opportunities in various stages of registration 
• Insight into channel opportunities helps the company gauge its capacity, productivity, and partner mindshare to optimize the Channel Partner Program for future success
• Portal localization improves adoption by Channel Partners and facilitates collaboration
• Salesforce CRM handles the backend, allowing Siemens PLM Software to focus on the value it brings to its channel partners and that its partners bring to their end users