CRM - February 2008 - (Page 45)

SECRET OF MY SUCCESS Redefining High Definition with CRM Silicon Image’s HDMI unit used Oracle iStore to handle a growing licensing business Kenny Gilbert, DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY SERVICES AT SILICON IMAGE | as told to Ramin Ganeshram ■ What is HDMI and how is it related to Silicon Image? Silicon Image is the core of our business. We build chips but we look at ourselves as an innovative tech company trying to change electronics. High Definition Multimedia Interface or HDMI was a standard created through a consortium of large manufacturers for next-generation high-definition interface specs for consumer products. Silicon Image owns and operates HDMI and we collect revenues and royalties. However, if you look at the HDMI Web site, you won’t see links back to us to buy our chips. HDMI is operated as a second company. ■ What problems were you facing? [HDMI] had 230 adopters but we were growing so rapidly that it was becoming too much for our CRM system, which was just multiple desktops using Excel and an Access database with two dedicated staffers inputting data. We tracked adopters in this homegrown custom application and performed quarterly renewals from this system. We also tracked royalty manually and sent out reminders for royalty collections. As the business grew we needed to keep a good handle on sales and collections so they remained timely and accurate. We [also] wanted to create a better user experience which was [then] just a Web site, email link, and phone number to get in touch with us and ultimately be processed [manually]. There was no meat to the user experience. We wanted to give companies a process to become an adopter, be able to grab a logo for their own site, see billings, and more. ■ Why select Oracle iStore and then opt to create a custom solution? I’ve been an Oracle guy for 10 to 15 years, so I knew and felt comfortable with [its products]. We decided early on that we would customize [iStore] components for our specific needs. For example, though there isn’t anyone using iStore for royalty collection—one of the core functions we hoped to address with this implementation—I knew enough to know it would work. Of course, any custom implementation can be tricky and that was another reason to choose Oracle—we were building on an Oracle footprint. ■ Describe the system that was ultimately achieved. An Oracle iStore storefront was created which both the customer and www.destinationCRM.com the administrators could access. Customers are now able to set up inventory of their products; manage orders; complete, submit, and maintain service contracts; and generate royalty invoices. All of these functions are also optimized through workflow email notifications. On the admin side HDMI can record, track, and resolve any compliance issues as well as any necessary escalations. We can create reports for current adopters and track active and pending adopters as well. ■ What have been the main rewards? Internally, the greatest reward has been eliminating the potential for data-entry error that comes with any manual system. We’ve reduced manual data entry by 90 percent. The system has also been great for sales staff and executives because they can now get highly accurate reporting and tracking to aid overall strategy. From a collections point of view, the manual process and data-entry errors in the old system could lead to lost renewals and lost royalty collection. With the new system the process is so tight that it’s not possible to get the intellectual property without paying for it and if you do not renew, your account access will be suspended until you become current. Externally we have increased customer satisfaction largely due to the self-registration, which has cut down time to become an adopter from three days to minutes. The system has been particularly valuable when dealing with companies worldwide, with multiple time zones. We have had a 70 percent adopter increase in the last 12 months since we went live with Oracle iStore. 5 FAST FACTS >> AGE OF THE INITIATIVE? We launched in Spring 2007. >> WHO WAS INVOLVED? Silicon Image worked with Trianz as the implementation partner on the project. >> BEST IDEA? Using this huge ERP tool in a unique, and previously unattempted way, as a customized Web-based solution. >> BIGGEST SURPRISE? We were able to take iStore and slightly modify requirements in order to put it into a prebuilt tool and [avoid] further customization in [rolling] out a Chinese site as well. >> BIGGEST CRM MISTAKE MADE? It became clear that Oracle’s [Business Process Execution Language] was the future of workflow management; I wish we’d implemented that from the beginning versus Oracle’s Workflow Builder. CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT | FEBRUARY 2008 45 http://www.destinationCRM.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of CRM - February 2008

CRM - February 2008 Contents Front Office Reality Check Customer Centricity The Tipping Point The Loyalty Riddle CRM Drives Down-Market Out of the Gate: Marketers Rate ’08 Traits The Pulse Consultants Adapt to CRM’s Changing Landscape Required Reading Cover Story: CRM Gets Serious Contact Center Solutions Always On Rumble in the Office The Smallest Slice Tying Up Cable’s Loose Ends Burning Up the Paper Trail Sunny Skies for Knology No More Bumps for BlueRoads Secret of My Success Re:Tooling Scouting Report Pint of View

CRM - February 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.