CRM - July 2008 - (Page 45)

A SMALL BIZ BLOSSOMS Getting word out about a small business can be daunting—especially in a niche market. But three years after Orchid Book Distributers, an Irish seller of textbooks and training manuals for complementary medicine students, opted for email newsletters, provided by VerticalResponse, Orchid owner Ian Smulders says that business has dramatically increased: The customer base has doubled, sales have increased 78 percent, and the Web site’s seen a massive increase in hits. “Small businesses need an easy-to-use, affordable tool,” says Janine Popick, founder and chief executive officer of San Francisco–based VerticalResponse, which provides templates and support for clients deploying email campaigns. “You can’t be a fast-growing company without a product that really meets the needs of the customer.” Smulders says Orchid tried to reach a VerticalResponse competitor, but never got a reply—not the best customer service strategy for a CRM business. Smulders liked VerticalResponse’s nonaggressive pursuit, and the company’s excellent communication with Orchid, especially during implementation hiccups. “Because we’re a small company, we do get pushed aside quite regularly,” Smulders says. “If we deal with big publishers, they kind of don’t want to know [us] because we only deal with maybe 1,200 to 1,300 people worldwide. Since last year, [we’ve been] dealing with colleges—and now students—and growing; I know this [growth] is due to a student passing a newsletter on to teachers.” Orchid’s email news has had a viral effect in the complementary medicine community. Smulders says that customers have forwarded the Orchid newsletters, resulting in business opportunities he never dreamed of. Orchid has since supplied its texts to universities and conferences, continuing to grow in its market and make a name for itself. —Lauren McKay Another Bright Idea Out of Edison W From the famous inventor’s hometown, CheckPoint HR gets insight and cuts costs with Microsoft Dynamics GP Email news has had a viral effect in the community. e all work for pay and customer basis—and to also gain insight. “Our business focuses on helping benefits, so even executives know it’s impor- companies manage a broad range of HR tant those processes be processes,” explained Neil Friedman, handled right; to that end, many em- CheckPoint HR’s chief financial officer, ployers hand the management of human in a statement. “Our financials system resources (HR) issues off to companies needed to process billions of dollars’ like CheckPoint HR. The Edison, N.J.– worth of transactions, but also give our team the capability to based company proanalyze the data.” vides an integrated, The company also Web-based solution to required that the new administer payroll, husystem integrate with man resources, and its existing Microsoft benefits for clients infrastructure while with between 100 and streamlining processes 2,500 employees. And and increasing interCheckPoint was doing nal controls. The obviwell—well enough to ous solution—one that outgrow its technology. CheckPoint had always Thanks to signifiplanned on upgrading cant growth—transacto when the time was tions in 2006 topped right—was Microsoft $2 billion—CheckDynamics GP, forPoint needed to upmerly known as Microsoft grade its original business Any new system management system, Microsoft had to integrate Great Plains. Friedman managed the migration to DynamSmall Business Manager, which had been suggested in 2001 by with the existing ics GP v9, then the most current version. (For an inits Edison neighbor, accounting Microsoft depth look at its sibling in consultancy Amper, Politziner & infrastructure. the Dynamics family, MicroMattia, and deployed by MIG & soft Dynamics CRM, check out Co., a New York–based Microsoft value-added reseller. CheckPoint this month’s cover story, “Is Microsoft focused on finding a better system Winning the CRM Race?,” on page 20.) Dynamics GP’s tools let users create to track profits and losses on a perCUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT | JULY 2008 www.destinationCRM.com 45 http://www.destinationCRM.com

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

CRM - July 2008 Contents Front Office Reality Check Customer Centricity The Tipping Point CRM’s a Social Animal SAP Looks to ‘Change the Game' CRM on Twitter CRM to the Max A Prescription for Satisfaction Required Reading Cover Story: Is Microsoft Winning the CRM Race? Jumping into the SaaS Pool Say What? Another Bright Idea Out of Edison A Small Biz Blossoms Biting Off the Right Amount Something for a Rainy Day Connect Re:Tooling Pint of View

CRM - July 2008

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