Rotary Corporation: From high costs to customized CRM

Chris Roessler, VP of Marketing and Advertising, at Rotary Corporation had several goals. He wanted to find a CRM provider that delivers better value, dedicated support, and a more tailored solution.

• Ditch price increases they saw each year from their previous provider – Salesforce 

•  Switch CRM software within a short time frame 

• Increase sales and marketing results 

• Improve understanding of customer demand 

Finding a more cost-effective CRM

Fed up with rate increases and sales pitches, the team wanted to find a CRM that was cost-effective and also had the customization they needed. 

“We were using Salesforce and our pain point was the continual rate increases. It wasn’t a made to order platform that was beneficial for Rotary or that worked best for us, and we always received phone calls about pushing sales and add-ons to Salesforce that didn’t benefit us. We wanted really one specific platform that was tailored towards our needs. And it wasn’t just a flat platform for everybody. We wanted one specifically for our company.” 

How to decide which CRM software to choose

Chris and the team chose Workbooks because of their caring approach and quick turnaround times. 

“We narrowed down our search to Workbooks CRM because they’re a family-oriented company and we are too. Our busy time is March-May and we were looking for a solution in October. So, our biggest question was – can we get this in place and adapted in time? They said, absolutely. We need all hands on-deck, but we will make it happen. And that is the reason why we went with Workbooks.” 

Consultancy through a Shared Success Workshop 

To map out exactly what they needed their CRM to do, the team chose to do a Shared Success Workshop where they got expert consultancy from Workbooks. 

“When we selected Workbooks as our CRM, the unique process began. We worked with consultants to map out our needs and wants. We went through line item by line item to work out what needed to happen. They analyzed our responses and worked out what each department needed to go into this system.” 

Training for the sales team 

Workbooks made sure the sales team were well-versed in Workbooks and ready to start making sales. 

“We did a training session for a full week and Workbooks was right there with us. They asked “how’s everything going? How’s everything working? How’s the training process going?” It was very successful and very well accepted by our sales team.” 

Tailoring sales based on location 

The team now have segmented data based on location so they can target their audience with the right products, based on the weather conditions of their area. 

“Workbooks has helped Rotary make better use of time. We’re able to target dealers with our programs and benefits. Since we are in the lawn and garden industry, it may be snowing in the Northeast and it may be thunderstorms in Florida. So, it’s very helpful that we’re able to target the markets specifically for that specific environment or where the customer may be.” 

Faster customer response times 

The team have saved time and delivered better customer service with a CRM that gives them the data they need, straight away. 

“We’re able to provide customers answers in a more efficient and effective time matter. Our CRM helps salespeople see more customer data. Instead of spending a long time looking through the computer system to try the information, the profile for each customer is right at their fingertips.” 

Understanding customer intent and demand 

With all their CRM data in one place, the team can see popular products and ones that aren’t performing so well with individual customers. They can also spot opportunities to drive more sales where there could be demand. 

“If a customer is buying some items in a category but not buying others within the same category, we can ask the question, why are you not buying the additional items from us? We can see what they’re likely to need more of whether that’s Tremor line or tires. 

We can now see specific market customer information like whether they’ve opted into emails, the point of contact, their tax base, when they last ordered, and if they’re buying ahead of time.” 

Keeping on top of payments 

Now the team at Rotary know exactly where they are with each customers’ payments. 

“Our salespeople can from a credit analysis and find out where customers are on the credit line with Rotary. We can see who’s paying on time and if they’re late. It’s all at the salesperson’s fingertips so they can serve the customer and provide the information we need as quickly as possible.” 

Increasing sales and improving marketing 

With marketing automation and promotions, the team are now able to make even more sales. 

“The ultimate goal is to be as best you can in customer service to drive increased sales from your existing dealers. And we’re able to do that with Workbooks by specifically working with our customers on promotions and marketing plans and automated emails.” 

No more price increases each year 

The team have managed to keep costs down by switching from Salesforce to Workbooks. 

“First and foremost, we’re not being bombarded with price increases on a yearly basis. Also, since we already have Workbooks in place, we are able to add additional functions at minimal cost to other departments.” 

Making financial gains with marketing automation 

The team put marketing automation in place to help with promotions.  

“Marketing automation was another addition. It was a very minimal cost increase since we already had that program in place. That has been a big financial gain for Rotary and we attribute that to Workbooks.” 

Increasing sales 

Although sales can be hard to measure in the industry, especially with fluctuations based on the time of year, the team have been able to drive sales and improve customer satisfaction. 

“We know from the customer service plan that it’s working, and we’ve been able to increase sales because the salespeople have the right tools at their fingertips.” 

A better relationship with their new CRM provider – Workbooks 

Working together as a team meant Workbooks and Rotary created a customer success plan, implementation strategy and CRM – all without the giant price tags they were used to with Salesforce. 

“With Workbooks, we haven’t had the price increases that we’ve seen with other providers, so that has been another saviour for Rotary as well. The biggest benefit of working with Workbooks is the relationship. We have relationships with several members of the team.  

Their customer service is remarkable – they respond so quickly to the needs and wants of your project. Having those relationships on a first name basis is really what drove us to have such a successful plan with Workbooks and their customer success plan that has been successful for us.” 

More than just a supportive team  

The Rotary and Workbooks teams built a trusted relationship during the implementation process while they visited on-site at the Rotary offices. 

“Our experience working with the Workbooks team was phenomenal. They actually came in and worked in our conference room day in and day out. It built a strong relationship as far as customer service and a one-on-one basis with their team. 

We have a first name basis relationship with Workbooks. We can pick up the phone and they’ll ask ‘how’s your family doing?’ During COVID we implemented the system and we had a good relationship. It’s hard to find that in a CRM provider.”  

From feeling like one of many, to being the number one customer 

By moving from Salesforce where they were one of thousands of customers, Chris and the team found it refreshing to be treated like a number one customer by Workbooks. 

“If you’re looking for a company that’s going to take care of your CRM needs, without a doubt Workbooks is the team you should go with. We are to them, their number one customer. They may have multiple customers, but that’s how I feel and that’s how our team feels about Workbooks. It’s a company that you can’t go wrong with.” 

A CRM recommendation for organizations looking for something better 

“Partnering with Workbooks has been the best thing that we have done by far. There’s nobody that can compete. They’ve got a great product and great customer service. If anybody asks me who I would recommend, there’s no doubt – it’s Workbooks.”