Awana Seamlessly Integrates Salesforce CRM with JD Edwards and Extends its Functionality on the Force Platform

“Salesforce has proven to a great success. We were blown away by its seamless bi-directional integration with our JD Edwards system. And the Force Platform gives us the foundation to expand our reach with new custom and Force Platform AppExchange applications that address functions beyond just sales.”


Challenge
  • Awana--a nonprofit Christian schooling program--wanted a cost-effective CRM system to streamline processes across its sales, marketing, and customer service groups.
  • As a nonprofit with limited resources, the company required a flexible, hosted solution that would not siphon additional IT assets.
  • The system had to integrate with its JD Edwards accounting system.

Solution
  • Awana selected Salesforce CRM Unlimited Edition over Microsoft CRM, initially deploying it to 175 users in one month with e-mail integration through Force.com Connect for Microsoft Outlook.
  • A key differentiator was the potential to leverage salesforce.com’s Force Platform for use across the entire organization.
  • Salesforce.com Consulting consulted with Awana to gather requirements to map out an implementation strategy.
  • Cast Iron—a salesforce.com integration partner—facilitated a seamless, bi-directional data link between Salesforce and JD Edwards, with extensive custom objects that sync various data with relevancy.
  • Salesforce CRM Unlimited Edition provided the company with advanced storage for its large inventory of product and sales data, along with unlimited marketing campaign capabilities and call scripting.
  • Reports and dashboards track metrics such as opportunities forecasting, number of customers, and number of inquiries—providing an overview of ministry participation.
  • The company made use of the Force Platform API to create an online hiring application, which aids recruiting efforts.
  • Awana is in the process of building a self-service portal that will empower customers to answer their own questions via a dynamic FAQ reference.
  • Awana extended its initial CRM investment by downloading and installing Force Platform AppExchange applications such as Nonprofitforce 1.0, Volunteer Management, and Recruiting.

Results
  • In the Ministry Services Group, the company reports a significant decrease of labor deskwork and predicts increased efficiencies for the future.
  • Time-saving benefits such as real-time on-demand reporting capabilities drive adoption among internal users.
  • Extensive customizations and powerful integration with JD Edwards seamlessly weaves data into Salesforce CRM.
  • Advanced forecasting capabilities related to inquiries on Awana programs will enable executives to easily identify of opportunities and strategize accordingly.
  • Salesforce CRM’s hosted architecture requires only a Web browser, eliminating the need for additional hardware and software investments.
 
View All Snapshots