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How Eurotunnel rolled out its new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution in record time

Set up a new CRM solution in less than five months? That's the challenge the Channel Tunnel concessionaire has faced.

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The need for better performance and greater mobile access led Eurotunnel to set up a new CRM solution. However, it had a major time constraint, which was to do this before the cut-off date for renewing contracts. Here are the highlights of this project, from the comparison test of existing solutions to the implementation of the new CRM solution for the sales team.

A new CRM solution for Eurotunnel… rapidly!

There are many reasons why a company might want to change its CRM solution. For Eurotunnel, there were two of them:  increased performance and better accessibility,both in terms of mobility (for sales personnel throughout Europe) and the use of different devices (telephones, PCs, tablets). With one additional constraint: the new CRM solution needed to be deployed in less than five months, so that the sales team would be able to renew their contracts. 

“The previous CRM solution was no longer meeting our needs…” says Virginie Vermeulen, Freight Sales & Systems Support Manager. The company also wanted new features, such as being able to send legal documents in a paperless format and integrated e-mail transmission. “That is why we chose Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM: it’s the only application that meets these criteria and also integrates seamlessly with our Microsoft Office 365 ecosystem, particularly in terms of email and calendars“, she says.

Phase 1: Defining the requirements on the ground using workshops

In order to fully understand all the requirements – and the needs of end users, the group called on Hitachi Solutions as we are specialists in rolling out the solution to multiple countries.

Initially, we conducted a study programme among sales personnel by staging on-siteworkshops. In parallel, we prototyped the features of the solution:

Speed was an essential part of the project“, says Alexander Delpierre, Country General Manager of Hitachi Solutions France. “Five months is not very long. We couldn’t afford to waste time on any one phase. It was a real challenge! 

Phase 2: Change Management -Training users on the solution

Then comes the moment when the first user tests take place in a real environment. These make it possible to check whether the solution meets the needs of the business, but in particular it also enables every individual to be inducted on the tool correctly (and easily): “This is a crucial phase“, agrees Alexandre Delpierre.

All employees are then trained on site using their individually assigned equipment. This takes place in their personal working languages: French and English of course, and for some in German or Spanish, for example.

Initial results have been very positive and open up great possibilities:  the sales staff have adopted Microsoft Dynamics 365 and now have access to real-time data, whether from their computer, smartphone or tablet whenever they are on the move“, explains Virginie Vermeulen. So the bet paid off.

Two tips to remember:

1 – Collect requirements directly from end users: these are the people who will be using the solution on a daily basis

2 – Plan ‘real world’ training experiences: the best tool is useless if nobody knows how to use it

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Anne-Laure Vallet

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Anne-Laure Vallet

With 20 years of experience in sales and marketing of software solutions and IoT, Anne-Laure is committed to provide innovative solutions to support its customers to success.