Situation
Our client, a Credit Card Processing Company was a division of a national bank that processes credit card transactions. Their parent company provided over 90% of all required information technology services to our client. The top management bought their division from the parent company. As a result of that acquisition, they had to replace all parent bank processing systems as well as select and implement new CRM applications. They have approximately 2000 independent sales representatives throughout the United States servicing over 80,000 customers. They also have 250 call center agents for service and internal sales.
Our goal was to assist them with the following:

• Develop a strategic information systems plan that coordinated technology acquisitions with specific business goals and objectives
• Migration of information processing to internal systems
• Select and implement an enterprise wide CRM system that would meet goals established in the strategic planning phases.
• Implement technology that would facilitate customer acquisition, quality service and retention.
• Development of a world class Information Technology department
• Select and implement financial and operational systems to replace bank processing systems.
• Provide external access to customer related systems via the internet

Solution/Approach
Once the acquisition was finalized, MAS provided assistance in the areas outlined above. We developed strategic requirements, interviewed vendors, assisted with the selection and contract negotiation and helped manage the implementation. We participated in the CRM Portal site rollout to the sales representatives across the country as well as the rollout of the call center and service center applications. Our client successfully implemented the solutions, achieved the planned metrics and facilitated significant customer growth and retention.
Some of the templates and related deliverables MAS provided are listed below:

• Strategic Information Systems Plan focused on customer acquisition, service and retention
• Detailed project feasibility and payback analysis (continuous model use throughout the project
• Project methodology and detailed plans for all phases of the project and detailed Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database
• Request for information/proposals customized to reflect the current situation
• Detailed evaluation criteria based on the request for proposal
• Specifications for the demonstration prototype
• Developed IT department staffing plan
• Developed technical infrastructure for both the CRM and corporate-wide systems
• Evaluation of vendor proposals
• Scripted demonstration formats and requirements
• Review of vendor sales price quotes
• Planning for and management of vendor corporate site visits
• Planning for and management of customer reference site visits
• Provided market research on vendors under consideration
• Evaluated and made recommendations for enhancing detailed client project team work
• Fully participated in project team’s efforts including direct negotiations with the vendor of choice, throughout the project
• Assisted with the finalization and execution of the contracts for infrastructure, consulting services and applications
• Assisted the client in saving several million dollars in vendor expenditures over the course of the project
• Assisted with the management of all vendors participating in the project

Results
As a result of the detailed guidance and expertise provided to our client, the project was completed successfully. Our client selected and implemented Oracle CRM and Financials (version 11i) and achieved one of the quickest implementations in Oracle history. They continue to specifically measure project metrics against plan and is continuing to achieve their specific goals of customer acquisition, service and retention.