About three years later, LEGOLAND revised its approach to managing customer information, this time choosing to abandon the existing application and transition to full-scale CRM. LEGOLAND compared the leading providers and chose Sage SalesLogix, implementing it in 2002. Data from the former system was imported into Sage SalesLogix, but once again, the company fell into its old habits and didn’t enforce adoption.
One year later and ready at last to begin leveraging its CRM investment, LEGOLAND California contacted Sage Software, seeking a Sage Software Business Partner to help rally the organization around CRM, train users, and customize the solution. A strong relationship was formed with the new partner, but equally important, a new strategy was hatched for LEGOLAND to finally reap the financial and operational benefits of CRM.
LEGOLAND California Revitalizes Its CRM Strategy
Under the guidance of the business partner, LEGOLAND executed its plan to incorporate CRM into the flow of everyday business. This meant not only configuring Sage SalesLogix to meet LEGOLAND’s requirements, but also convincing skeptical users to commit to learning and using the solution.
The initiative began with an upgrade to Sage SalesLogix 6.1, followed by customizations that supported LEGOLAND’s sales model and other business processes. The partner led the project from a technical standpoint, as well as in providing intensive end-user training.
According to LEGOLAND sales manager, Colin Ross, “Implementing and customizing Sage SalesLogix was only half the battle. What we needed most was to get our sales team to change their perspective about CRM. The training not only taught them how to use the solution, but also why to trust it and adopt it as a tool for creating greater success.”
“Our salespeople know exactly where to direct their attention. They generate a report out of Sage SalesLogix, which clearly identifies prime targets and enables them to be proactive and more efficient in servicing accounts. Our account growth is directly related to use of the solution.”
- Colin Ross, Sales Manager
LEGOLAND® California
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LEGOLAND also instituted a defined sales methodology as part of the CRM project. The methodology outlined specific processes for interacting with prospects and customers, and for performing corresponding activities in Sage SalesLogix.
One key customization designed to drive the new methodology was the addition of a Tickets tab to the Account Details screen. LEGOLAND’s sales model differs from a conventional model because the park’s sales department primarily sells tickets on consignment. They also sell prepaid tickets, but the majority of accounts purchase consignment contracts. For example, if an account such as a hotel, military base, or corporation wanted to offer its guests or employees discounted tickets to LEGOLAND California, it would purchase a year-long consignment contract that issued tickets to be sold (up to a predetermined number) and allowed unused tickets to be returned for credit.
Prior to implementing Sage SalesLogix, LEGOLAND’s accounting department had been unable to get accurate sales figures from Accounts Receivable because of the organization’s consignment model. The company struggled to predict revenue because it was impossible to know each account’s running balance and what percentage of tickets would be returned as credits.
Now, using the Ticket tab in Sage SalesLogix, salespeople can track by account how many tickets were ordered, the amount per ticket, how many have been redeemed and when, credits for expired tickets, etc. Accounting can see if and when a payment has been made for up-to-the-minute financial tracking.
“We rely heavily on Sage SalesLogix as a sales tool,” commented Ross. “The customizations allow us to keep complex information on our accounts — a benefit which ripples out to the entire company in terms of efficiencies, communication, and of course, financial success.”
LEGOLAND feeds data from Sage SalesLogix into a custom report that shows a running balance for each account, as well as the number of tickets issued, returned, redeemed, etc. The sales team uses this critical information to focus sales efforts on accounts that are nearly out of tickets.
LEGOLAND’s new approach to CRM is obviously paying off. In 2003, prior to using Sage SalesLogix 6.1, LEGOLAND California had 250 accounts. It now has close to 725.
“Our salespeople know exactly where to direct their attention,” said Ross. “They generate a report out of Sage SalesLogix, which clearly identifies prime targets and enables them to be proactive and more efficient in servicing accounts. Our account growth is directly related to use of the solution.”
