Toolquip & Allied gears up customer service with GoldMine

Toolquip & Allied has embarked on an implementation of the GoldMine FrontOffice customer relationship management (CRM) software from FrontRange Solutions as part of a drive to improve customer service.

The company, one of SA`s largest distributors of industrial tools and equipment, has appointed Johannesburg-based Polygon Systems as its implementation partner for the project.

Toolquip expects the CRM solution to help streamline its sales processes, give its sales people access to up-to-date contact information, and communicate more efficiently with its customers.

Toolquip relies heavily on the service and expertise offered by its sales people to give it an edge over its competitors. The company stocks more than 40 000 line items, and supports a number of sales channels, including fax, e-mail, the Web and telephone.

Louise Tod, computer administrator at Toolquip, says GoldMine will allow Toolquip`s sales staff to access account management, customer contact and product data through a single screen. This will effectively give the sales reps a unified view of each customer`s account.

She says the software will also streamline and automate the processes involved in Toolquip`s sales cycle, from logging a contact, authorising credit, generating a quote, and following up with the customer.

"In addition, GoldMine FrontOffice will help us to improve our marketing communications with customers by allowing us to track the best-selling stock among our line items and market specials accordingly," she adds.

Polygon Systems, a Durban-based GoldMine Platinum value added reseller, offered Toolquip the integration skills it needed to tie the CRM system to its custom-developed Pick-based back-office systems, says Tod.

Polygon has branches in the Western Cape and Johannesburg, so it could support the roll-out of the CRM solution across Toolquip`s Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth offices, she adds.

Mark Bannerman, MD of Polygon Systems, says his company has built up a team of consultants that can implement and support FrontRange`s CRM and service and support solutions, as well as offer the skills to tailor a solution to meet a customer`s specific needs and integrate it with their back-office systems.

Tracey Newman, FrontRange Solutions MD, says GoldMine FrontOffice software plays a vital part in boosting the effectiveness of the sales forces that distribution companies depend on for their survival.

"Distribution companies that deploy CRM solutions can empower their sales staff with up-to-the-minute customer and product information, increase efficiency by removing many paper-based administrative tasks, and ultimately offer customers faster and better service," she concludes.