ALP Lighting Components Inc. has been lighting up its industry for more than 60 years. This innovative company serves as a manufacturer, distributor and manufacturers’ representative of lighting components, and employs more than 500 across eight locations. When the company sought to standardize its sales methodologies across its divisions and locations, it looked for a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) application up to the task. The solution ALP Lighting Components selected? Infor CRM SLX, backed by the professional consulting team at Syncsite.
INVEST IN THE RIGHT TOOL
“We had been using a free version of another CRM application,” recalls David Brown, President and COO of ALP Lighting Components. “And it’s true what they say—you get what you pay for. We needed something much more robust and flexible to meet our needs.”
Brown and his team met Syncsite at a Friedman Frontier® user group meeting where they learned about the integration Syncsite had developed between Friedman Frontier ERP and Infor CRM SLX. “We knew that Infor CRM SLX has a great reputation, and after speaking to another client who is using the software and the integration, we were convinced it was the right solution, and that Syncsite was the right partner for us,” says Brown.
EMPOWERING THE SALES TEAM
Today, ALP Lighting Components’ sales and customer service teams rely on Infor CRM SLX to track and manage their relationships with customers and prospects. The mobile sales force runs Infor CRM SLX on their tablet computers, giving them access to current data wherever they are. While visiting a customer’s site, the sales representatives check in using the software, while geotracking captures their precise location. They can then record details of the visit in a consistent and thorough manner. “They will tick off the various manufacturers that they spoke about with the customer, and register new opportunities as well as any questions or issues,” says Brown. “It has become a powerful tool for our reps to stay organized and on top of their territories as well as a tool for management to better understand the activities of our teams.”
LEVERAGE THE TALENTS OF EMPLOYEES
Brown states that the structure Infor CRM SLX lends to the entire sales cycle helps ensure that leads and opportunities are pursued. “We are now able to track and manage our opportunities in a much more consistent and deliberate manner. Previously, there was always a risk of losing a lead, or of not following up in a timely fashion. Using Infor CRM SLX, our sales methodology is supported and enforced, making those kinds of risks much less likely. In fact, our sales infrastructure is now infinitely easier to manage. In a very short period of time, we’ve made great strides.” ALP Lighting Components is choosing to empower its sales and support teams, providing them with the tools and information they need to be successful. “We invest heavily in our employees—they are a vital part of our organization,” explains Brown. “Infor CRM SLX harnesses and leverages the talents of our teams. It empowers them while holding them accountable. It gives them the information they need to do their jobs effectively, and us the tools to accurately measure their successes.”
DELIVERING THE RIGHT DATA
The original equipment manufacturers’ (OEM) factories that ALP Lighting Components represents request detailed information about the sales visits ALP Lighting Components’ salespeople make. In addition, the company’s own internal divisions want similar data. Before Infor CRM SLX, the company struggled to collect and disseminate this type of data. “We weren’t able to easily isolate the data for a particular factory or business division before,” explains Brown. “So essentially everybody got all the data and in doing so, the value of that data was diminished. It was just too much information. Now we can give our OEMs and divisions the precise information that they want, including the number of times our reps discussed them with customers, the number and value of new opportunities and issues or competitive information that could be valuable to them.”
INTEGRATION WITH FRIEDMAN FRONTIER
The integration between Infor CRM SLX and Friedman Frontier is now live, and Brown says the company is looking forward to the additional efficiencies they will gain. “We expect the data flow between the two applications will boost productivity and further empower our staff,” says Brown. “We are transforming what was a cumbersome process into a very lean and organized one.”
PROFESSIONAL PARTNER PROVIDES TRUE SOLUTION
While Brown has nothing but praise for the broad functionality and flexibility of Infor CRM SLX, he is quick to point out that the real value the company realizes from the system stems from Syncsite’s professional implementation. “Honestly, Infor CRM SLX wouldn’t be nearly so useful of a tool without Syncsite’s help,” he says. “Syncsite turned it from a software application into a solution. We lean on them for advice and support and they never let us down. The discovery, planning and training they did for us during this project got us to where we are today.”