Pintos is a seasoned expert in concrete construction, boasting a robust history. Operating for over 60 years, the company has undergone numerous transformations. The next step identified for advancing operations was the implementation of an efficient and effective customer relationship management system. With the assistance of twoday Biit, Pintos adopted Salesforce to notably enhance its sales processes and centralize dispersed information into one cohesive unit.
Modernizing customer data management
“For decades, Pintos had operated without a single CRM system,” describes Development Manager Jaakko Reunanen.
Reunanen, serving as the Development Manager, is responsible for the company’s digital transformation. This includes the development and updating of business systems to meet modern requirements.
On Reunanen’s work desk, one major challenge was finding a CRM system that supports sales processes. Previously, data management had lacked consistency. Information critical to customer relationships had been scattered across various systems.
“Many of our employees have had long careers with us and along their span, personal work practices and routines have been shaped,” describes Reunanen.
The goal set for the new CRM system was to ensure that all information essential for sales and customer management could be found in one system.
The new system was set with clear objectives. It should support various sales processes and key account management models, facilitate the overall tracking of sales, and at the same time promote data-driven management.
The goal was to make the sales process clearer and more structured so that not everyone would have to ponder separately in each situation how and in what manner they should contact the customer.
Where to find a system that could serve the customer-driven business of Pintos?
“Our goal was to find a scalable system that wouldn’t run out of functionalities,” Reunanen describes.
However, the challenge was that Pintos’ products are highly customized to each client.
Products often do not exist before the customer places an order. The sold products consist of various components, which the seller combines to assemble a solution suitable for the customer.
Due to the nature of the products, the system should offer a wide range of “degrees of freedom” or options for the products and their details. The seller should be able to accurately describe the solution sold into the system, even if it is highly customized to the client’s needs.
Initially, the system was intended to be implemented to support sales and customer relationship management. The hope was that later, it could be possible to expand the usage of the system to other business areas as well. Additionally, the suitability of the system for international environments, besides just the domestic markets, was a key selection criterion.
After discussing the needs internally, it turned out that Salesforce would be a natural choice for Pintos.
“Salesforce initially reached out to us, and for a couple of years, we were in some form of contact since CRM had been on the agenda for quite some time,” Reunanen summarizes.
“Salesforce recommended twoday Biit as a partner for us and proactively involved them in the conversation right from the sales phase.”
New system quickly up & running
Joint project between Pintos and twoday Biit kicked off with workshops where Pintos’s system needs were defined in greater detail than before. This way of working convinced Pintos.
“Right from the initial implementation phase, the workshops showcased strong professional skills in understanding sales and business,” Reunanen describes the experience.
“The focus was specifically on sales operations, not just on system configuration. At twoday Biit, there’s a clear understanding of the role of sales as a part of business, and how the system best serves that.”
The first phase of the project, namely the implementation of the CRM system, was completed quite swiftly. Just a month after deploying the CRM, Pintos had already adopted the initial sales processes and tools.
Pintos swiftly arranged basic training sessions on the system for their own staff.
Just a week after deployment, Pintos had the opportunity to test Salesforce at a major construction industry trade show. The fair served as an excellent test for the system and its usability in a hectic environment. The event went smoothly with the new customer information system, and the staff’s experience using the new tool was positive.
It’s been about a year since our first acid test, and while the CRM is now a staple in our daily operations, the effort to deploy other features of Salesforce is still very much ongoing.
Co-operation with twoday Biit continues
After the implementation of the CRM system, Pintos and twoday Biit continued their collaboration on managing, monitoring, and developing sales processes. Further development targets have been defined in joint workshops. To support sales, solutions such as twoday Biit’s KAM solution for key account management have already been adopted.
Reunanen estimates that the first main objective is almost in the bag. Going forward, all the information needed for sales and customer management can be found in one system. Additionally, a tool for managing purchases and suppliers has been implemented.
The process isn’t just about implementing a system; Pintos is also leveraging twoday Biit’s expertise to refine their sales processes. The workshop sessions provide an opportunity to dive into future needs and explore how Pintos can use Salesforce even more effectively in the future, as well as how the system can support the company’s other functions.
Pintos has had a great experience with the workshops and coaching sessions, and they are eager to continue their workshop activities with twoday Biit.
“Expectations for the project have been met and our collaboration will continue,” Reunanen states.
“The most crucial feedback always comes from the end-users, in this case, the sales reps at Pintos. The sales team has expressed confidence in both the system itself and twoday Biit’s expertise.”