Success Story

Enabling Avento to build a customizable CRM platform and cater to multi-industry clientele

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Avento is a Norway-based consultancy with expertise in IT consulting, systems development, business intelligence, and digital marketing. They have extensive experience in the design and development of business-critical computer systems, data analytic systems and providing digital marketing services to their clients in Norway and across Europe. Avento is a reputed Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and provides custom solutions based on DotNet and SharePoint technologies.

  • NOK 62M+ sales generated
  • 9 modules developed
  • 9+ years of engagement

Business Requirements

Software companies are making a leap from selling a software product to selling a software platform. The appeal of such a move is understandable, since software products generate only a single revenue stream, while platforms – by connecting different groups of users and services – can generate many revenue streams.

Similarly, Avento had the vision to develop a framework using SharePoint technology that could serve as an underlying platform to build CRM suites for different industries and help them create multiple revenue streams. Although there were a number of off-the-shelf CRM platforms available by vendors such as Super Office, Microsoft, etc., the challenge with off-the-shelf systems was its complexity and limitation to support their clientele’s complex business processes and workflows. Avento wanted a system that could seamlessly integrate and collaborate with existing Microsoft products, was highly customizable, user-friendly and could be used to create different modules for various business functions as per its clientele’s unique requirements.

The key challenges that were presented to Daffodil were:

  • To provide expert suggestions and consultancy regarding the identification of the appropriate architecture, technology stack, and development roadmap of a CRM platform.
  • To build various modules such as sales management, customer opportunity management, sales analytics, sales forecasting, etc. that can be integrated into the CRM as per client requirements.
  • To develop function-specific modules that can be used to manage various functions for different industries.

The Solution

Our business analytics and software architects outlined the optimal architecture of the platform, refined the functional requirements and developed a complete product vision and its development roadmap.

Once the strategic plans were mutually finalized, Daffodil went ahead to develop a robust framework called ‘Briva’ that could be used to further create multiple modules such as CRM, project management tool, document management tool, HR management system, search center tool, helpdesk module, people and competence management system, etc. The primary focus was placed on increasing the user-friendliness and granular level customization of the system.

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SharePoint was used as the core technology for the framework as it provides consistent user experience and allows users to create simplified views of complex data without including unnecessary information. Daffodil built the initial version of its product on Microsoft Sharepoint 2010 and has since upgraded the version to Sharepoint 2013. This technology was chosen for the project because SharePoint’s ‘enterprise search’ function integrates business data to information about people, web pages, and documents. The open architecture of SharePoint also allowed for easy integration with all Microsoft products such as Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook, and it provides numerous robust application programming interfaces (APIs), as well as many event handlers for documents and lists. In addition to that, SharePoint provides for integration with numerous existing systems and the flexibility to include new applications in the future.

Apart from building and timely upgrading of the framework, we also helped Avento bring the CRM application on the cloud, thereby increasing its scalability and market potential. Daffodil has also built several customized plugins for importing data from Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook. A dedicated module called ‘Briva Add-in’ was also developed to enable users to link emails, attachments and other documents with the company’s contacts and projects by integrating the Microsoft office products with Briva.

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Daffodil’s team also helped improve the performance of the application and upgrade the user experience. Most of the features that were incorporated had never been done before on the Sharepoint platform. A few modules that were integrated into the framework were:

CRM module: A robust CRM system was built with features such as web-based browser support, use of SQL Server to store data and metadata, integration with Outlook and other Office products, single sign-on with Active Directory, built on Internet Information Server (IIS) and many more.

Document management system: The integrated document management system allowed users to share CRM data with customers and enabled them to submit requests, track status, view information, and see results through SharePoint. It was also used within the organization to store and share business documents and CRM data and help create visualized reports through web-based dashboards and shared workflow.

Helpdesk Module: The helpdesk module as part of the CRM helped organizations track and account for all the service costs associated with each service request, enabling total control on the service costs. The module helped clients document their customer’s individual service requirements by analyzing the number of trouble tickets per customer.

HR Module: The module was built to enable Avento’s clientele to enjoy various benefits of human resource management such as optimization of HR programs, automation of daily tasks such as employee onboarding, employee information management, resource allocation, etc., hence improving productivity and efficiency.

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The Impact

Following the successful development and integration of Briva with the existing Office products, Avento has been successful in providing it’s users a seamless, flexible and easy to use CRM system. The platform has been evolved as an industry agnostic product and could be customized as per the requirements of any industry. The product is now one of the market leaders in Europe with fortune 500 companies as its users. The CRM harnesses the full potential of the Microsoft Sharepoint platform and has been lauded for its scalability and customization. The company generated total sales of NOK 64 Million since the integration of the Briva framework.

  • NOK 62M+ sales generated
  • 9 modules developed
  • 9+ years of engagement

 

“Daffodil is our first and only technology partner. In the last six years since our association, we have never felt the need to look for any other technology partner.”

Erik Herje, Head of Quality and Consulting,

Avento

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