Salesforce helps Design Within Reach increase sales

Design Within Reach (DWR) makes authentic modern design accessible. The company’s offerings of iconic furniture designs — like those by Eames and Noguchi — are stylish and built to last a lifetime. By transforming its business with Salesforce, the company has made data and information just as accessible.

DWR’s first customers were individuals with an eye for mid-century modern. Today the company serves everyone from purchasing agents outfitting major hotels, to small interior designers, to individual consumers saving for an Eames Lounge and Ottoman. And a new contract sales division works primarily with large architectural or design firms. As the company’s business expanded from residential to commercial, it needed to make it easier for employees to work together to help customers.

According to Bethany Kemp, VP of Information Systems, “There’s a lot more competition online than there was in the early days of our business, so it’s more important than ever that we build close connections with all of our customers. We need to customize every communication and interaction. And we’re offering more personalized services—like helping customers design their spaces—to build loyalty and differentiate ourselves from other furniture providers.”

DWR initially tapped Salesforce to track opportunities and assign leads. Custom Web forms ensure that new customers are quickly routed to the right person for a quick response and faster close. “Salesforce helps us promote the luxury experience,” says John Edelman, CEO. “We now know how many times a customer’s been in, where they live, and what they bought before. Anything to increase the luxury experience is huge for us. The client demands it.” Salesforce also helps DWR’s service center manage cases, and keeps detailed records of all interactions to enable account executives the ability to answer questions and solve issues as quickly as possible. “We’re using Salesforce aggressively when people have an issue because the best way to make a friend is to solve a problem. And the best way to lose a friend is to have a problem twice,” adds Edelman. Chatter helps everyone stay connected and collaborate across every level of the company to help customers. And Remedyforce helps DWR manage internal cases for the IT team.

DWR's sales reps use iPads and iPhones to show presentations, look up customer information in Salesforce, input opportunities, and place orders. With the Salesforce Mobile App, they can easily manage opportunities and leads, check order status, and find product information. And they can quickly get answers for product-related questions — like dimension details, available finishes, or when a backordered item will become available.

DWR is also rolling out the Salesforce Mobile App to all of its studio reps. Instead of being tied to desktops, reps can now access client profiles from anywhere, and input new information while working with them. They can also place new orders from their phones, with full back office integration for invoicing and fulfillment. DWR’s team not only uses Salesforce technology to help them improve sales, but ideally, improve “clienteling” -- as retailers refer to the client experience — because when that’s improved, the sales will come. “When the client walks in, you start to mark that experience,” adds Edelman. “It’s that moment, when you know what their taste is, if they had an issue, what quote you sent — everything. That’s the difference maker.”

Edelman concludes, “With Salesforce Salesforce Platform, we’ll take clienteling to a new level and offer the kind of personalized service our customers want.”