Customised CRM Platform Increases Productivity and Revenue
Microsoft announced that Colliers International has consolidated its customer information into a single system through its implementation of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. The implementation delivers on the company’s customer engagement strategy to improve client conversions and the ability to target the right information and initiatives at the company’s existing and growing customer base.
Throughout Australia and New Zealand, Colliers International has 46 offices with approximately 1,400 employees, providing a full range of services to real estate users, owners and investors including global corporate solutions, brokerage, property and asset management, research, valuation, consulting and appraisal services.
Within the property sector, customer and marketplace data is critical and employees at the company previously generate vast quantities of data which was stored in a variety of systems, including email, spreadsheets, an in-house property system and a dedicated customer relationship management (“CRM”) system. As the systems were not integrated, compiling this data had become laborious and time consuming and did not automatically aggregate.
“Through a culture of service excellence, we empower our teams to partner with clients, to listen to their unique business needs and design an integrated service offering, and technology is a key enabler,” said David Coorey, General Manager, Information Technology, Colliers International. “In property, efficiency gains are a paramount objective, so the quicker we can supply our customers with essential data, the greater the opportunity to negotiate a deal for our clients.”
Colliers International needed a CRM system that was easily accessible by its employees whether they’re in the office or visiting a prospective property. Its employee base includes agents, valuers, researchers and project managers, who use the collective knowledge about property markets across Australia to help clients and customers make the right property decisions. As a result, the company began formulating a number of key requirements to improve its customer data management and in July 2012, Colliers International deployed Microsoft Dynamics CRM2011 with the help of MicroChannel Services, a Microsoft Gold Partner.
With centralised data management, employees have now significantly reduced the time taken to complete basic tasks. “The new system has dramatically improved critical-process efficiency, reducing the number of screens and mouse clicks and providing our employees with a single source of truth in relation to marketplace activity” said Coorey.
Faster reporting has also dramatically affected the time taken to create stacking plans. Instead of reports being created ad-hoc, Microsoft Dynamics CRM automatically generates each report for each property, displaying tenants within all floors of the property. These reports are scaled accordingly to the size of the unit/suite that a tenant occupies and are colour coded according to their lease expiry. “Employees can create a colour-coded stacking plan in less than one minute, saving up to four hours per report,” said Coorey. “Because they aren’t double-handling data any more, our employees can produce client reports on a scale we have not seen before.”
With greater access to data and improved reporting capabilities, Colliers International can better understand where their revenue is coming from, and improve their client engagement. By using a central database, the company is also able to link the enquiry and listing sides of its business. “If a prospective client is interested in purchasing or leasing office space, agents can now immediately access a list of available properties, and search for prospective clients who have a property requirement that matches a listing,” said Coorey. “This makes it easier for agents to instigate conversations, ultimately increasing our revenue.”