ADTRAN boosts sales productivity with the Sales Cloud’s mobile functionality

Challenge

• ADTRAN, a leading global provider of networking and communications equipment, needed to consolidate multiple systems
• Wanted to improve lead and opportunity management processes while replacing paper-based reporting
• Integrated and accurate marketing data was another requirement
• Contracts approvals took weeks via fax and the U.S. Postal Service
• Sought a major increase in user adoption—especially among mobile workers

Solution

• Selected the Sales Cloud over Siebel OnDemand for global mobile customer relationship management (CRM)
• Rapidly customized tabs and integrated the Sales Cloud with a Baan ERP system and a Remedy-based call center
• Deployed the Sales Cloud on BlackBerry, iPhone, and Palm devices, giving employees access to vital data from the road
• Offline access lets users search, access, and update real-time customer data from mobile devices—in or out of wireless coverage
• The partner portal made it possible to work closely with partners in real time by providing reliable, immediate access to information needed for productive relationships
• Salesforce and Google AdWords help the company measure the effectiveness of its AdWord campaigns
• Downloaded and installed AppExchange applications such as ClickTools to handle survey administration
• Deployed EchoSign, which handles the electronic approval and signing of contracts, from the AppExchange, cutting contract approval time to within 24 hours
• Distributed 1,600 opportunities to a 15-person sales team in 3 days using Salesforce and DemandTools; used Form Assembly for on-demand Web form creation
• Deployed Chatter to promote collaboration and the secure sharing of information

Results

• Dramatic gains in data quality, user adoption, and productivity
• Engaged partners in days instead of weeks, leading to a 25 percent increase in partner recruitment and a 4 percent increase in sales in the reseller channel compared to the previous year
• Better coordination of efforts across resellers, distributors, carrier accounts, and end users
• Mobile access to Salesforce CRM data means reps get more done while they are on the road
• Reduced the contract approval process from weeks to less than 24 hours
• Received a Stevie Award for outstanding sales and customer service in 2010
• Improved consistency across the sales organization
• Management has key metrics at their fingers with custom dashboards

About Salesforce

• Salesforce.com is the enterprise cloud computing company.
• The Sales Cloud and the Service Cloud, are applications for sales and customer service (also known as customer relationship management or CRM). Salesforce CRM solutions help to deliver more business success for thousands of companies across the globe.