Qualcomm Wraps Salesforce CRM with New Process and Technology

Challenge

• Qualcomm Incorporated--a leading developer and innovator of advanced wireless technologies and mobile data solutions--needed a CRM solution it could quickly roll out for greater user adoption and data unity.
• The time and energy expended managing its existing on-premise CRM systems failed to produce equivalent value. 
• The company sought an intuitive replacement that would encourage user adoption and seamlessly integrate with myriad systems and processes across a diverse array of business groups.

Solution

• In 23 days, a Qualcomm analyst with only basic online training rolled out Salesforce CRM Unlimited Edition to 55 initial users in Qualcomm’s Enterprise Services (QES) group; word of the successful implementation quickly spread, resulting in a replacement of two of the existing large on-premise CRM systems with Salesforce CRM to over 600 users.
• Qualcomm has developed interfaces to integrate an existing issue and defect management system and other internal applications; the company is also planning Oracle integrations.
• Salesforce CRM Marketing Web-to-lead functionality automatically routes leads from Qualcomm’s corporate Web site for the QES division to the appropriate sales groups, based on territory.
• Used in operational B2B instances, the Salesforce CRM call center case assignment, escalation, and auto response email capabilities are used by customer service representatives to fuel call center operations across multiple groups.
• Mobile accesss ensures anywhere, anytime access to Salesforce CRM via sales reps' wireless devices.
• Qualcomm was the first salesforce.com customer to deploy the Salesforce CRM customer portal in a production environment.
• The MediaFLO group developed a custom self-service portal with the Force.com API; the QChat and BREW groups launched the Salesforce CRM customer portal to empower self-service customers.
• Dashboards track sales and support key performance indicators with real-time reporting.
•  Numerous AppExchange installations such as Sales KPI Dashboard, iLinc, Angel.com and Adoption Dashboards provide specific solutions that enhance the company’s cloud-computing investment.
• Qualcomm is using Force.com code to perform enhanced validation and automate complex processes.
• Salesforce.com consulting partner Appirio has fully leveraged Salesforce CRM to develop innovative solutions for unique business requirements and is providing expert call center and customer portal services at Qualcomm.
• Qualcomm takes advantage of Salesforce.com Premier Support for dedicated 24/7 support.

Results

• Salesforce CRM’s cloud-computing model saved Qualcomm an estimated $100,000 in hardware costs to upgrade existing, out-of-date on-premise solutions. 
• In addition, the lack of hardware to buy and maintain allowed Qualcomm to reduce required support staff by 60%.
• Qualcomm has greater than 80% user adoption with Salesforce CRM--up from 30-40% with previous on-premise solutions.
• Salesforce CRM allows the company to track hundreds of additional customer attributes—information that was never tapped in other CRM systems.
• Business units are looking for new ways to leverage Salesforce CRM to automate business processes.
• Users and managers now have access to key performance indicators and information without having to use additional reporting solutions or run complex queries.
• Qualcomm won the Customer Service Excellence Appy award at Dreamforce 2007.
• IT analysts are now able to spend more time understanding and solving business problems using technology and less time managing infrastructure and release cycles.
• Changes are now deployed in minutes, hours and days compared to a 10 to12 week release cycle for the previous on-premise CRM system--and with no system downtime required.