.svg)
TECHSTREET MODERNIZES ERP AND CRM TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER SERVICE EFFICIENCY
WESTERN COMPUTER MIGRATES LEGACY APPLICATIONS TO MICROSOFT DYNAMICS 365
THE SOLUTION
Techstreet provides subscriptions to industry standards issued by multiple publishers and provides services to help clients access the standards. Soon after the company was acquired by Global Knowledge Solutions, the pressure on the Techstreet IT team quickly mounted as the firm needed to migrate its applications off the infrastructure hosted by the previous parent company.
With the deadline to complete the move approaching quickly, Michael Klinger, the CEO of Global Knowledge Solutions, knew Techstreet needed help. “We maintain a lean internal IT team and keep them focused on assisting clients,” says Klinger. “We were also using legacy applications for ERP, CRM and customer service functions that we wanted to modernize, so we saw the migration from the previous environment as the perfect opportunity. We also knew it would be a challenge to get our end-users to feel comfortable with the new software. They had used the legacy applications for many years.”
Klinger first determined Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (ERP) and Microsoft Dynamics CE Enterprise applications of Dynamics 365 Sales and Dynamics 365 Customer Service (CRM and customer service) would provide the advanced capabilities Techstreet required. He also valued how using Microsoft Dynamics 365 makes it easy to integrate data and processes across the business. There’s also a wide range of third-party applications that connect easily to the Microsoft platforms for any additional capabilities Techstreet wants in the future.
Just as important as the choice of technology, Techstreet also needed to identify a partner to implement and configure Dynamics 365 Business Central and Dynamics 365 Sales and Dynamics 365 Customer Service. After conducting research and talking to several potential partners, Klinger identified Western Computer as the ideal choice.
“While the other potential partners tended to focus on justifying their cost to complete the project, Western Computer focused on detailing the game plan on how they would deliver what we needed. That gave us confidence they could do the job.”
- Migrate enterprise applications hosted by previous parent company.
- Modernize ERP and CRM applications.
- Integrate customer service functions.
“Western Computer focused on detailing the game plan on how they would deliver what we needed. That gave us confidence they could do the job.”
- Michael Klinger CEO of Global Knowledge Solutions
- Deployed Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Dynamics 365 Sales & and Dynamics 365 Customer Service Enterprise.
- Completed project on time and avoided potential penalties.
- Involved management and users early in the process to increase user acceptance.
“Our customer service workflow efficiency has improved significantly. We also have a more stable environment, and it’s easier to track the status of cases through the service."
- Michael Klinger CEO of Global Knowledge Solutions
- Customer services processes run more efficiently.
- Application performance now stable.
- Metrics help evaluate customer service performance.
“Western Computer cares about the quality of the work they do. They are diligent about following up on every issue and always strive to find better ways for us to run our processes.”
- Michael Klinger CEO of Global Knowledge Solutions
THE BENEFITS
The initial phase of the project (completed in advance of the deadline) focused on implementing the Techstreet applications in its Amazon Web Services environment. This included moving off a custom ERP application to Dynamics 365 Business Central, transferring customer service functions from Salesforce to Dynamics 365 Sales and Dynamics 365 Customer Service. A future phase will focus on moving CRM processes from legacy applications into Dynamics 365 Sales.
Improving case management processes—handled by Techstreet customer care team members working from home offices—was a particular focus. The team helps internal users set up customer accounts and subscriptions to standards. The team also assists customers with accessing the standards. Western Computer integrated Dynamics 365 Customer Service with Dynamics 365 Customer Service Chat Omnichannel, which enables chat sessions between the customer care team and customers visiting the Techstreet website.
Western Computer also set up a Dynamics 365 Customer Service syncs with Talkdesk to enable Techstreet to analyze metrics pertaining to the performance of the customer care team. Customer care reps can view client account notes, and any new notes taken during customer calls are automatically uploaded into Dynamics 365 Sales, which facilitates followup activities with customers.
“Our customer service workflow efficiency has improved significantly,” says Klinger. “We also have a more stable environment, and it’s easier to track the status of cases through the service metrics we can generate. Cases are automatically routed to the correct queue, and we stay on top of any issues we need to address to meet customer needs.”
A key factor in the success of the migrations to the new ERP and CRM applications is that Klinger involved the Techstreet management team and end-users early in the project. This helped users embrace the change and has increased user adoption
Klinger points out a key differentiator between Western Computer and other IT consulting firms he has worked with. “Western Computer cares about the quality of the work they do,” Klinger explains. “They are diligent about following up on every issue and always strive to find better ways for us to run our processes.”
Western Computer also provides insights into the different capabilities Microsoft solutions can deliver, making Techstreet aware of the possibilities for further system enhancements. “Their process encourages end-users by showing them how they can complete tasks more efficiently,” Klinger says. “They have the foresight and experience to recommend and implement the best solution—even when it goes against what we initially think we want to do. They do a good job explaining why their recommendations are the right way to go.”
Perhaps the best indicator of how Klinger feels about Western Computer is his desire to continue the partnership. “Many customer-partner relationships break down after the initial engagement because of how challenging it is for IT projects to be completed on time and to deliver the required capabilities,” Klinger explains. “But because Western Computer focuses on making sure solutions improve how businesses operate, it was an easy call to maintain our partnership. We decided to continue collaborating with Western Computer on future enhancements without ever considering shopping them around. We trust they are the best choice for us.”
Techstreet™ helps clients stay connected to essential industry codes and standards from around the world to streamline quality and compliance processes throughout the commercialization phase of the intellectual property lifecycle. The company’s standards and data management tools help clients maintain national and international compliance while also accessing markets quicker and easier with better and safer products and services. Techstreet is part of Global Knowledge Solutions, a forprofit subsidiary of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), which helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real-world challenges.
.svg)
.png)
.svg)