An antiquated CRM system prompted New Horizons Computer Learning Centre to evaluate the local CRM market offerings in mid-2003.

Although the inclusion of Microsoft’s CRM application came at the later stages of the product evaluation process, New Horizons marketing manager Mark Smith, says he had good reason to opt for Microsoft ahead of a number of competitors.

“Microsoft CRM offers us a level of sophistication that the current competitors simply cannot ,” says Smith. “We were impressed by its ability to incorporate business rules into CRM procedures and the ability to tailor the application to our business goals and operations.

"Most significantly, we can change our business practices in response to feedback from customers and clients, making our service even more relevant to the market.”

New Horizons over and will deploy Microsoft CRM 1.2 across its Auckland and Wellington offices in early April.

Microsoft CRM increasing staff efficiency
As a company, New Horizons looks to implement software that enhances its business processes. New Horizons has identified a number of areas where the investment in Microsoft CRM is contributing to this and, in some cases, taking the lead.

“Microsoft CRM has the capacity to become the core of our customer interface,” says Smith, "and an invaluable resource for our team

“The seamless integration with Microsoft’s other core products is a key feature of the product. Not only can we integrate with Outlook and Exchange, staff can now update our records via the web-based interface anywhere, anytime – increasing staff efficiency and productivity.

"The value of the application not only lies in its performance but also in the ease of customisation and product expansion by individual operators.”

Targeted and relevant customer interactions
With multiple people connecting with any one client, New Horizons needed to keep track of every exchange if they were to add value to that relationship. Microsoft CRM is transforming the way the company’s customer information is stored and accessed and ensures each customer touch is relevant and targeted.

“We now have a high degree of transparency into the touches made by each member of our team," says Smith. "This has significantly reduced unnecessary replication of customer contacts and really enhanced the way our team works together.”

Ultimately, Smith sees the product driving the direction of its course content and new business leads through direct feedback from clients and prospects.

For further information about this case study contact:
David Guy
Business Solutions Group Manager
Microsoft New Zealand Limited
davidguy@microsoft.com

May 2004

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