Accounting and payroll software specialist Pastel Software SA has launched a "bias-free", Web-based automatic sales, support, service and training referral system for its dealers countrywide.
With its call centre taking 8 000 calls a week - a good percentage of which are sales enquiries - Pastel developed the auto referral system as a "fair, efficient and highly manageable" means of passing on leads to channel partners.
"The system dramatically improves the response levels to customer enquiries. It is also easily monitored, providing useful management information while at the same time improving communication with dealers," said Stephen Corrigan, managing director of Pastel Software SA, a Softline company.
"Most importantly, the system is bias-free with dealer names automatically rotated with each enquiry. Individual dealerships have been grouped geographically according to the areas in which they wish to operate. This caters for dealers with branches and ensures that an enquiry from a person living in the West Rand is not passed on to a dealer operating on the East Rand. "
Customers wanting to buy a software package, or requiring support, services and training merely visit the Pastel Web site (www.pastel.com) and follow a simple prompt system to enter their details and needs. The auto referral system brings up three dealer names, based on geographical location and ability to meet the needs of the customer as detailed in the enquiry.
The first dealer on the list automatically receives an e-mail with the enquiring customer`s details, as well as an SMS. The second dealer on the list will go to first spot for the next enquiry.
"The system allows the dealer to be proactive by contacting the customer. If the dealer does not respond quickly the customer is in any event able to pursue his enquiry with any of the three dealers listed because the system automatically e-mails the dealer details to the customer. The system is fair, giving the top-listed dealer an advantage, provided he acts upon it and still giving the other two a fair chance to get the business.
The dealers listed are required to go into the system and close the enquiry with details such as "sale made", "training to commence" or "on-site support provided".
"Should the enquiry remain open for two days without a conclusion, we will contact the dealer and ask why the customer was not contacted. In this way a dealer response and success pattern emerges," Corrigan said.
"Where dealers are not achieving the success levels that they should be, we are then in a position to assist with training and other support. It really is a win-win situation for all of the participants - customers, dealers and ourselves."
Dealers receive an "incident summary" which includes a rating out of 10 on the service experience of the customer. This is particularly useful for larger dealerships that send consultants to the site as it offers management a means of assessing performance and service levels.
The system has been running live internally at Pastel for the past six months and has been extensively tested.
"It works," said Corrigan. "We`re now putting the system onto the Web site and looking forward to getting enquiries. For end-users it is a unique experience - they`ll automatically get an e-mail from us, a call from a suitable dealer and a follow-up call from us to ensure that their requirements have been met."
Dealers must pass the PCI (Pastel Certified Installer) examination to participate in the auto referral system. This is an annual test to ensure proficiency levels are maintained. They also need to pass proficiency examinations on the various software products before they will receive referrals.
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