Imagine walking into a customer and instantly having all relevant information at your fingertips, in an elegant and targeted App. Details needed by you at the exact moment of engagement. And then being able to instantly record or action critical decisions.
Read more to find out how this became a reality within Green King or click here to download the case study.
About Greene King
Greene King is a leading pub retailer and brewer, based in Bury St Edmunds, who combines traditional ale brands with an estate of over 1,900 pubs (set to increase dramatically with the acquisition of Spirit Pub Company).
Within their pub estate, Greene King operate both managed and leased houses, with a diverse range of household brands such as Old Speckled Hen, Abbot Ale, Loch Fyne, Old English Inns and Hungry Horse.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM
In 2010, Greene King instigated a project to consolidate a variety of Property Management systems into a single platform.
After investigating the market, Greene King were unable to find an ‘off the shelf’ package that would handle their unique requirements. Greene King had already worked with SAM7 on a number of complex projects, and so had confidence in SAM7’s ability to quickly understand business concepts, innovate and deliver.
Using Microsoft Dynamics CRM and web portals, SAM7 were able to implement a tailored solution that drastically reduced ad hoc communication, improved first time fix rates, standardised processes and provided a secure repository for all statutory certification.
It also ensured that all stakeholders had a consistent view of all property activities, including reactive repairs, quoted work, statutory compliance, maintenance and capital expenditure (Capex) projects.
Field Based Challenges
A key element of this new system was to provide field based staff (both Property and Sales teams) with clear and concise information about the pub. In addition, these teams were responsible for managing various budgets across the estate, and needed to authorise high value repairs. Often these approvals could be critical to the successful operation of a pub.
However, when the system first went live, these users had a number of issues:
- Updates had to be performed via a VPN connection from home or via off-line Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
- Users struggled with finding relevant information when meeting with of pub managers.
- Staff had to spend evenings preparing for site visits the following day.
- Critical decisions were delayed until users logged into the system (typically once a day).
Taking CRM On The Road
Working closely with Greene King’s business team, SAM7 created a custom Android phone App, individually tailored to exactly fit how Greene King’s field based people wanted to work. Users wanted the intuitive experience that they have come to expect from Apps they download at home.
SAM7 delivered a bespoke App that:
- Provided an elegant user experience for quickly accessing relevant and up to date pub information.
- Enabled users to select repair quotes, approve minor repairs and authorise overspends using the App.
- Displayed accurate budget spend information.
- Included the ability to view pubs on a map, get a street view and access photos.
- Allowed seamless off-line access via automated background synchronisation.
Securely accessed Microsoft Dynamics CRM data.
Making a Big Difference
The response to the App has been incredible.
User adoption has been extremely high. In fact, after seeing the App, senior management now make extensive use the tool when visiting sites.
The App has delivered some significant benefits:
- Huge impact on freeing up people’s time to enable them to focus on their primary objectives, and not data entry.
- Almost no training required, as it fits precisely around the way field based people want to work.
- Works anywhere regardless of network or wifi coverage.
- Ensures critical items receive immediate attention.
- Provides relevant and accurate information, in an easy to consume interface, when engaging with customers.
Significantly reduces ad-hoc communication with the help desk, to chase actions or get updates.
What Do The Users Say?
It’s great when users are positive about a piece of software.
The App has come in for real praise within Greene King. Here are some examples that have been fed back to us:
- “Saves a lot of time – fire alarm work takes 10 minutes instead of an hour.”
- “Brilliant and really easy.”
- “Really accurate.”
- “Love being able to go into a pub and look up straight away the details of all approvals, and show to the house manager what they have outstanding.”
- “Brilliant level of detail, all pub information, contacts, map and repairs.”
- “Saves phone calls into the Property help desk.”